Reading the AJ Potter series
by chinapps22
Summary: AJ & company read the story of her life throughout her Hogwarts years before the trial in 5th year. Remus/Sirius pairing. Ginny,Molly & Ron bashing. Draco and Narcissa are nice starting towards the end of book 3. NOTE: AJ is a year older then the books, please don't read if you don't like this. If mistakes are made PM me, don't put it in a review. Fem!Harry
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue:**

The occupants of Number 12 Grimmauled Place were all seated in the living room anxiously waiting to hear why Professor Dumbledore had called them all on such short notice.

"I can't believe he called this meeting and isn't even here!" yelled Sirius

Sitting in a chair across Sirius sat Snape giving him a cold look with a sneer on his face replied "Give it a rest mutt! He's a busy man you know."

Just as Sirius was about to fire back an insult, AJ Potter put a hand on her godfathers' shoulder silently telling him to calm down. But much like Sirius all the occupants which included AJ, Hermione, The Weasleys, Tonks, Kingsley and Remus were silently wondering the same thing. Tonks had turned to her partner Kingsley about to ask if maybe they had gotten the times wrong when Dumbledore appeared. He was holding what appeared to be 7 books and a letter.

Dumbledore looked around the room with twinkling eyes hoping and praying that what was about to occur wasn't going to cause more bad then good. With a smile on his face he said "Thank you for coming, I have something to show you. It's from the future, yes the future. I checked the letter and the books; they are all safe and will help us win the war." To say everyone was in shock was an understatement; they soon started firing off questions which Dumbledore replied with a simple "I will read the letter to you all this should help."

_Dear Occupants of Number 12 Grimmauled Place,_

_I imagine that this will come as a bit of a shock but please read these books. They have to do with AJs years at Hogwarts and are in her point of view_

-at this AJ groaned softly forgetting that Sirius and Remus had very good hearing, they looked at the young girl sitting between them but didn't say anything not wanting to embarrass the girl. But Sirius gave her hand a squeeze while Remus kissed the top of her head.

_There were too many unnecessary deaths in this war and we hope to change that with these books. Now once you open the first book time will freeze, so don't worry about work or school. Try not to curse anyone-yes that includes you Sirius! Good luck AJ, Hermione, Ron, Fred, George, Ginny, Tonks, Kingsley, Molly, Arthur, Sirius, Remus, Snape and Dumbledore!_

_Sincerely,_

_The golden trio_

"Now if there are no questions, I think we should begin." Dumbledore replied with a sad smile thinking of the deaths that could happen.

"Wait!" Hermione said from her seat next to Ron and Ginny "We won't get into trouble for our past actions will we?"

Dumbledore let out an amused chuckle and said "No Ms. Granger I should think not. Now who would like to start?"

"I can." Said Tonks while sporting her favorite bubble gum hair. She looked at the cover and said "AJ Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Sounds interesting already by just the cover." She said with a laugh. "Okay Chapter One: **The Girl Who Lived…**

**AN: I DO NOT OWN!**


	2. The Girl Who Lived

"Ugh! I already hate this book" AJ said with a frown

"It's okay Pup, some good will come of this." Sirius whispered in her ear _"I hope" _he silently added

"**Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much."**

"I wouldn't be proud of that you bloody arse." Said George

"George!" Mrs. Weasley yelled "You don't swear!"

Seeing that George wasn't about to apologize Tonks continued with the reading

"**They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense. Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills. He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large moustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors."**

"I see she hasn't changed much." Snape said under his breath

"**The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere."**

AJ, Ron and the twins couldn't hold back their laughter at how Dudley was described.

"**The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters."**

All the occupants besides Snape looked murderous. Sirius' grip on AJs hand had tightened while Remus was fighting the urge to let the wolf in him come out.

"**Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursleys sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be. The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small daughter, too, but they had never even seen her. This girl was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that."**

"A child like what!" Yelled Hermione looking at AJ through narrowed eyes.

AJ who had grown used to being treated like dirt by her "family" replied without emotion "A child with magic ability Mio, its fine."

"**When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair. None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window. At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls.**

**"Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley**

Mrs. Weasley couldn't fathom how someone could ever stand for that in a child.

**as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive. It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar — a cat reading a map.**

Sirius and Remus shared a look and turned to Dumbledore, "Why was Minnie there Sir?" Asked Remus

"I believe it will be explained later in this chapter gentlemen."

"**For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen — then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light. Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive — no, looking at the sign; cats couldn't read maps or signs. Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.**

Kingsley shook his head and said "He doesn't think of much else does he kid?"

AJ just laughed softly at the kind Auror.

"**But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks. Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes — the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdoes standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together."**

"We weren't very subtle that day were we?" said Tonks

Arthur shook his head and said with a choked up voice "We had little to be happy for in those 11 years"

"**Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt —these people were obviously collecting for something… yes that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills. Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. He didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at night time. Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more."**

"I wish we worked for him, don't you Tonks?"

"Oh yeah he seems like a great boss Kings."

"**He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk"**

AJs jaw dropped, she couldn't believe what she had just heard.

"**across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery."**

AJ laughed "Now that makes more sense!" Sirius and Remus shared a laugh happy that their daughter/niece in all but blood was coming out of her shell.

Mrs. Weasley looked disapproving "You shouldn't talk like that about your relatives."

"**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying. **

**"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard —" **

"— **yes, their daughter, AJ —"**

AJ turned so her head was buried in Sirius' chest while her legs were in Remus' lap.

"**Mr. Dursley stopped dead."**

Remus laughed out loud "Life is good!"

"**Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it. He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, and seized his telephone, and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his moustache, thinking… no, he was being stupid."**

"Finally he admits it! Only took a few years." Sirius said trying to cheer up AJ and if the small smile that appeared on her face was any indication he had succeeded.

"**Potter wasn't such an unusual name."**

"Actually my dear, you are the only Potter left" Dumbledore replied with a sad smile.

"**He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a daughter called AJ. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his niece was called AJ."**

"Potter! He doesn't know your name?" Snape asked suspiciously

AJ ignored him and turned to Tonks whose hair had gone blood red.

"**He'd never even seen the girl. It might have been BJ. Or GG."**

Mrs. Weasley looked at Sirius and Remus "Why didn't James or Lily bring her over? That was rather rude."

Sirius and Remus' faces had turned murderous, the later replied through clenched teeth "They. Tried."

"**There was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her — if he'd had a sister like that…but all the same, those people in cloaks… He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door. **

**"Sorry," he grunted,**

"Well I'll be damned! He knows the word!" AJ joked for the first time. Everyone laughed at the girl, some out of surprise for they had never heard her speak out like that.

"**as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!" And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off.**

**Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.**

Fred and George burst into tears while Dumbledore looked sad at the thought.

**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw—and it didn't improve his mood — was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning.**

"I'm telling you it's Minnie." Laughed Sirius

"No one argued with you." Kingsley said with amusement

"**It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes. **

**"Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly.**

**The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look. Was this normal cat behavior?** **Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife. Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Wont!"). Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news: "And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin. "Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?" **

**"Well, Ted,"**

"That's my daddy!" Tonks said trying to lighten the mood.

**said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early — it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."**

**Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters…**

"If he can figure it out, I'm surprised more people hadn't" Said Kingsley

**Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Er — Petunia, dear — you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"**

**As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**

Sirius clenched his teeth thinking of all the times Lily had cried on the shoulder of one of the Marauders upset that her sister was being cold towards her.

**"No," she said sharply. "Why?" **

**"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls… shooting stars… and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today…" **

**"So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley. **

**"Well, I just thought… maybe… it was something to do with… you know… her crowd."**

**Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." He decided he didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their daughter — she'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't she?" **

**"I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly. **

**"What's her name again? GG, isn't it?" **

**"Alessandra; but they call her AJ. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."**

"How is that a common name?" Asked a timid Ginny

**"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree." **

**He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something.**

Dumbledore winced thinking about that conversation.

**Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did… if it got out that they were related to a pair of — well, he didn't think he could bear it. The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind… He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on — he yawned and turned over — it couldn't affect them…**

Sirius and Remus held AJ tighter when they felt her shudder.

**How very wrong he was. Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all. A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed. **

**Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice.**

"DUMBLEDORE!" yelled Fred and George much to their mother's disapproval

**This man's name was Albus Dumbledore. Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome.**

"Oh I knew. I just didn't care." Dumbledore chuckled

**He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known." **

**He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop.**

"Neat Sir! Where did you get it?" asked an amazed Ron, Fred and George

"I invented it boys."

**He clicked it again — the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it. **

**"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."**

**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled. "How did you know it was me?" she asked.**

**"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly." **

**"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall.**

Snape sneered, stupid Gryffindor's.

**"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here." **

**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily. **

**"Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no — even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls… shooting stars… Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent — I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."**

**"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."**

**"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors."**

**She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?" **

**"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. **

**"We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a sherbet lemon?"**

**"A what?" **

**"A sherbet lemon. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of."**

**"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for sherbet lemon. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone —" **

**"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense — for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort."**

People flinched at that. AJ looked at them and said tiredly "It's. A. Name. Nothing more!"

**Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two sherbet lemons, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name." "I know you haven't," said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of." **

**"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."**

"Only because you're too noble to use them." AJ and Kingsley said in unison then shared a smile.

**"Only because you're too — well —noble to use them."**

Everyone chuckled at the blushing Auror and young girl.

**"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."**

**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what they're saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"**

**It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another sherbet lemon and did not answer.**

Tonks gave Dumbledore a cold look but continued reading.

**"What they're saying," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are — are — that they're — dead."**

Everyone except Snape gave AJ a sympathetic look but she didn't see this as she was buried in Sirius's chest trying to break down and cry.

**Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped. **

**"Lily and James… I can't believe it… I didn't want to believe it… Oh, Albus…"**

**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know… I know…" he said heavily.**

**Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's daughter, Alessandra **

AJ scowled at her full name, Tonks saw the look and smiled at her knowing all about not like your first name.

**But he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little girl. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill AJ Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke — and that's why he's gone." **

**Dumbledore nodded glumly. **

**"It's — it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done… all the people he's killed… he couldn't kill a little girl? It's just astounding… of all the things to stop him… but how in the name of heaven did AJ survive?"**

**"We can only guess." said Dumbledore. "We may never know."**

"But we thank Merlin you did cub" whispered Remus while Sirius nodded his head in agreement.

**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"**

**Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?" **

**"I've come to bring AJ to her aunt and uncle. They're the only family she has left now." **

**"You don't mean – you can't mean the people who live here?" cried Professor McGonagall,**

"You should of listened professor!" Snapped AJ

Dumbledore looked at her with a saddened expression.

**jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore — you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son — I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. AJ Potter come and live here!"**

"At least she tried I suppose" Remus said sadly looking at his niece wondering what they did to his Cub.

**"It's the best place for her," said Dumbledore firmly. "Her aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when she's older. I've written them a letter."**

**"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand her! She'll be famous — a legend — I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as AJ Potter day in the future**

"NO! TELL ME THERE ISN'T ONE!" AJ looked horrified at the thought

"Don't worry kid we don't." Kingsley said trying to pacify the poor girl.

— **there will be books written about AJ— every child in our world will know her name!"**

**"Exactly." said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any girl's head. Famous before she can walk and talk! Famous for something she won't even remember! Can you see how much better off she'll be, growing up away from all that until she's ready to take it?" **

**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "Yes — yes, you're right, of course. But how is the girl getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding AJ underneath it.**

**"Hagrid's bringing her." **

**"You think it —wise — to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"**

**"I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.**

**"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to — what was that?" **

**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky — and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.**

Sirius got a wistful look on his face thinking about his baby.

**If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild — long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**

"Why would he be carrying blankets?" Asked a clueless Ron

"Honestly Ronald! It's AJ!" Snapped Hermione

**"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?" **

**"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got her, sir."**

**"No problems, were there?" **

**"No, sir — house was almost destroyed, but I got her out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. She fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."**

Sirius bent down and kissed AJs head and said with a smile on his face "You were very cute when I would take you out on my bike."

**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby girl, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over her forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.**

"**Is that where —?" whispered Professor McGonagall. **

**"Yes," said Dumbledore. "She'll have that scar forever."**

**"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?" **

**"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground.** **Well — give her here, Hagrid — we'd better get this over with." Dumbledore took AJ in his arms**

"Aww the headmaster is holding little AJ" said George in a baby voice

"It doesn't get much sweeter then that" laughed Fred

"Would you like it if I made it so you can't reproduce" asked an annoyed AJ with an evil glint in her eye. The twins paled and signaled for Tonks to continue…

**and turned toward the Dursleys' house. **

**"Could I — could I say good-bye to her sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over AJ and gave her what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.**

Sirius looked offended at that while most of the room laughed at the look on his face.

**"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "You'll wake the Muggles!" **

**"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it —Lily an' James dead — an' poor little AJ off ter live with Muggles —"**

Arthur shook his head sadly "They give Muggles a bad name."

**"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid AJ gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside AJs blankets, and then came back to the other two.**

**For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.**

"You've got a lot of people that care about you AJ." Hermione said tearfully

**"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations." **

**"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I best get this bike away. G'night, Professor McGonagall — Professor Dumbledore, sir." **

**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night. **

**"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.**

**Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four. **

**"Good luck, AJ," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.**

**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Alessandra Potter rolled over inside her blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside her and she slept on, not knowing she was special, not knowing she was famous, not knowing she would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursleys scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that she would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by her cousin Dudley. She couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To AJ Potter — the girl who lived!"**

Tonks passed the book to Kingsley "I hate them and I haven't even talked to them." Hissed Tonks.

Kingsley nodded his head wondering how AJ turned out the way she did with Muggles like that…maybe they changed…one could hope. He turned the page "**Chapter two: The Vanishing Glass"**


	3. The Vanishing Glass

**Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their niece on the front step, but Privet Drive had hardly changed at all. The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursleys' front door; it crept into their living room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when Mr. Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls.**

"What a boring life they must lead." Ron remarked

**Only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed. Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different-colored bonnets**

Dumbledore chuckled softly "I love your imagination AJ."

AJ wasn't paying attention though; she was worried how Sirius and Remus would react to her being able to talk to snakes.

— **but Dudley Dursley was no longer a baby, and now the photographs showed a large blond boy riding his first bicycle, on a carousel at the fair, playing a computer game with his father, being hugged and kissed by his mother. The room held no sign at all that another child lived in the house, too. Yet AJ Potter was still there, asleep at the moment, but not for long. Her Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice that made the first noise of the day.**

**"Up! Get up! Now!"**

Sirius and Remus looked disgusted at the thought of having to hear that voice that early in the morning.

**AJ woke with a start. Her aunt rapped on the door again.**

**Up!" she screeched. AJ heard her walking toward the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the stove. **

Fred exchanged a look with George both wondering how she would hear that when her room was upstairs.

**She rolled onto her back and tried to remember the dream she had been having. It had been a good one. There had been a flying motorcycle in it. She had a funny feeling he'd had the same dream before.**

**Her aunt was back outside the door.**

**"Are you up yet?" she demanded.**

"Give her a minute to get up!" yelled Sirius

**"Nearly," said AJ.**

**"Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn again, I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday." **

**AJ groaned.**

**"What did you say?" her aunt snapped through the door.**

"She didn't say anything! Stupid women!" yelled Ginny

Molly frowned at her daughter but didn't say anything.

**"Nothing, nothing…"**

**Dudley's birthday — how could she have forgotten? AJ got slowly out of bed and started looking for socks. Wincing as she moved her ribs still hurt from the night before.**

The silence in the room was defining but Dumbledore broke it by asking what everyone wanted to know "AJ…why do your ribs hurt?"

AJ didn't like to lie but at this point she felt she had no choice so she put on a happy face and said in a cheerful voice "It was my own fault really, I tried to ride my bike down a steep hill." Before they could ask more questions she singled Kingsley to continue.

**She found a pair under her bed and, after pulling a spider**

"Merlin AJ do you really have to talk about spiders?" Ron said while shivering

**off one of them, put them on. AJ was used to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where she slept.**

Kingsley dropped the book and looked at AJ in complete shock, Tonks was having trouble keeping her hair one color, Molly and Arthur couldn't believe someone would do that to a child, Hermione was crying softly into Ron's shoulder who was turning towards the twins giving them ideas on how to prank those bastards, Snape was starting to see that maybe Potter didn't live such a pampered life as he thought. But the reactions from Sirius and Remus were the worst of all; they turned to Dumbledore with looks of complete and utter hatred. In a deathly calm voice Sirius said "She. Will. Not. Be. Going. Back." Remus nodded his head in agreement while he rubbed AJs back reassuringly. "Why didn't you tell us cub?" Remus murmured into her ear. She looked into his honey eyes and shook her head in fear of losing control of her emotions. Sirius pulled her into her lap not caring that she was much too old for this and said "We'll talk later." Kingsley finally picked up the book and continued.

**When she was dressed she went down the hall into the kitchen. The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley's birthday presents. It looked as though Dudley had gotten the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike. " Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to AJ, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise — unless of course it involved punching somebody. **

Tonks looked over at AJ "If that was you, I will hex that entire family for you."

**Dudley's favorite punching bag was AJ**

"Bastard" muttered and irate Tonks

**but he couldn't often catch her. AJ didn't look it, but she was very fast. Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard, but AJ had always been small and skinny for her age.**

"Your dad and mom were the same pup, don't worry you'll grow." Smiled Sirius

**She looked even smaller and skinnier than she really was because all she had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's, and Dudley was about four times bigger than she was. AJ had a thin face, knobby knees, long black hair,** **and bright green eyes. She didn't wear glasses which was a blessing because Dudley had punched her in the nose a few times. **

"Did your aunt and uncle ever do anything?" Hermione asked hoping they would but knowing that it was doubtful

AJ just looked at her sadly and shook her head.

**The only thing AJ liked about her own appearance was a very thin scar on her forehead that was shaped like a bolt of lightning. She had had it as long as she could remember, and the first question she could ever remember asking her Aunt Petunia was how she had gotten it.**

**"In the car crash when your parents died," she had said.**

"They lied to you about how your parents died?" Molly asked through tears. AJ had to suppress an eye roll, it happened 4 years ago obviously she knew the truth now.

**"And don't ask questions."**

**Don't ask questions — that was the first rule for a quiet life with the Dursleys. Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as AJ was turning over the bacon. **

**"Comb your hair!" he barked, by way of a morning greeting.**

**About once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over the top of his newspaper and shouted that AJ needed a haircut. AJ must have had more haircuts than the rest of the children in her class put together, but it made no difference, her hair simply grew that way — all over the place.**

Sirius kissed the top of her head and let out a chuckle "Potter hair" he and Remus said.

**AJ was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother. Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head.**

Ginny smirked and asked in a false hopeful voice "Is he single?"

AJ laughed "I'll put in a good word for you doll, don't worry."

**Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel —AJ often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig.**

"You have your mothers' wit cub." Remus said noticing how she brightened at hearing that.

**AJ put the plates of egg and bacon on the table, which was difficult as there wasn't much room. Dudley, meanwhile, was counting his presents. His face fell.**

**"Thirty-six," he said, looking up at his mother and father. "That's two less than last year."**

"He complains about thirty-six presents?" Arthur said in a cold tone while Ron looked ashamed for complaining for all his parents did and tried to do for them.

**"Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mummy and Daddy."**

**"All right, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the face. AJ, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down her bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over.**

**Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger, too, because she said quickly, "And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that, popkin? Two more presents. Is that all right?"**

**Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work. Finally he said slowly, "So I'll have thirty… thirty…"**

Hermione looked disgusted that someone of his age couldn't even count, it was completely ridiculous.

**"Thirty-nine, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia.**

**"Oh." Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel. "All right then."**

**Uncle Vernon chuckled.**

**"Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy, Dudley!" He ruffled Dudley's hair. **

"_Parents of the year right there."_ Snape thought disgustedly

**At that moment the telephone rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it while AJ and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a video camera, a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games, and a VCR.**

Arthur looked disgusted that a child could be that spoiled but also looked like a kid on Christmas with all the Muggle things. Noticing his look AJ promised to tell him what they all were at the end of the reading.

**He was ripping the paper off a gold wristwatch when Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone looking both angry and worried.**

**"Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take her." She jerked her head in AJs direction.**

**Dudley's mouth fell open in horror, but AJs heart gave a leap. Every year on Dudley's birthday, his parents took him and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, hamburger restaurants, or the movies. Every year, AJ was left behind with Mrs. Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. AJ hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs. Figg made her look at photographs of all the cats she'd ever owned.**

Sirius looked like he would rather kiss Snape then sit there and look at those pictures.

**"Now what?" said Aunt Petunia, looking furiously at AJ as though she'd planned this. AJ knew she ought to feel sorry that Mrs. Figg had broken her leg, but it wasn't easy when she reminded herself it would be a whole year before she had to look at Tibbles, Snowy, Mr. Paws, and Tufty again.**

**"We could phone Marge," Uncle Vernon suggested.**

AJ buried her head into Sirius chest and shuddered thinking of Marge, Sirius held her tighter promising he wouldn't allow her back there.

**"Don't be silly, Vernon, she hates the girl."**

"Trust me the feelings are completely mutual." AJ smiled in spite of her growing fear.

**The Dursleys often spoke about AJ like this, as though she wasn't there — or rather, as though she was something very nasty that couldn't understand them, like a slug.**

**"What about what's-her-name, your friend — Yvonne?" **

**"On vacation in Majorca," snapped Aunt Petunia. **

**"You could just leave me here," AJ put in hopefully (she'd be able to watch what he wanted on television for a change and maybe get some more sleep with ever growing headache).**

**Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon.**

Fred and George made a note on the paper to bring lemons to private drive just for her.

**"And come back and find the house in ruins?" she snarled.**

**"I won't blow up the house," said AJ, but they weren't listening.**

**"I suppose we could take her to the zoo," said Aunt Petunia slowly, "… and leave her in the car…"**

Hermione turned cold eyes onto the headmaster and snarled out "That's child abuse! I'm so glad you left her in a safe, loving home!"

The normal bright, twinkling blue eyes were now dull and saddened; he didn't know how this could have happened.

**"That car's new; she's not sitting in it alone…"**

**Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact, he wasn't really crying — it had been years since he'd really cried — but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted**

"If any of you acted like that..." Molly let the threat hang in the air while her children shuddered.

**"Dinky Duddydums,**

Everyone laughed at that; even Snape had a hard time suppressing a snort of laughter at that.

**don't cry, Mummy won't let her spoil your special day!" she cried, flinging her arms around him. **

**"I… don't… want… her… t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge, pretend sobs. "She always sp-spoils everything!" He shot AJ a nasty grin through the gap in his mother's arms.**

"He's too spoiled!" Muttered Molly to Arthur who agreed wholeheartedly

**Just then, the doorbell rang — "Oh, good Lord, they're here!" said Aunt Petunia frantically — and a moment later, Dudley's best friend, Piers Polkiss, walked in with his mother. Piers was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat. He was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them. Dudley stopped pretending to cry at once.**

"He's not a real friend then." Ron said while sharing a look with his two best friends.

**Half an hour later, AJ, who couldn't believe her luck, was sitting in the back of the Dursleys' car with Piers and Dudley, on the way to the zoo for the first time in her life. Her aunt and uncle hadn't been able to think of anything else to do with her, but before they'd left, Uncle Vernon had taken AJ aside.**

**"I'm warning you," he had said, putting his large purple face right up close to AJ's, "I'm warning you now, girl — any funny business, anything at all — and you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas. As well as wishing you'd never been born." **

Kingsley took in the pained look AJ was desperately trying to cover up and said in a forced calm voice "You can press charges kid; these bast-people don't deserve your forgiveness."

**"I'm not going to do anything," said AJ, "honestly…" **

**But Uncle Vernon didn't believe her. No one ever did.**

**The problem was, strange things often happened around AJ and it was just no good telling the Dursleys she didn't make them happen.**

Sirius let out a bark like laugh "I always wanted to know about some of your accidental magic!"

**Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of AJ coming back from the hairdressers looking as though she hadn't been at all, had taken a pair of kitchen scissors and cut her hair so short she was almost bald except for her bangs, which she left "to hide that horrible scar." Dudley had laughed himself silly at AJ, who spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day, where she was already laughed at for her baggy clothes.**

**Next morning, however, she had gotten up to find her hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off.**

Everyone laughed at that

**She had been given a week in his cupboard for this and a beaten that night, even though she had tried to explain that she couldn't explain how it had grown back so quickly.**

The room went somber again thinking of the abuse AJ received.

**Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force her into a revolting old sweater of Dudley's (brown with orange puff balls). The harder she tried to pull it over her head, the smaller it seemed to become, until finally it might have fitted a hand puppet, but certainly wouldn't fit AJ.**

Ginny and Hermione gave her a thumbs up shuddering at the thought of even having that sweater in the house.

**Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to his great relief, AJ wasn't punished.**

Sirius and Remus let out a breaths they didn't even know they were holding.

**On the other hand, she'd gotten into terrible trouble for being found on the roof of the school kitchens. Dudley's gang had been chasing her as usual when, as much to AJ's surprise as anyone else's, there she was sitting on the chimney.**

Everyone turned to AJ in complete shock.

Ron was the first to find his voice "Did...did you apparated AJ?"

She shrugged and turned to Dumbledore with questioning eyes, he thought for a moment with a smile he replied "AJ may have flown Mr. Weasley."

**The Dursleys had received a very angry letter from AJ's headmistress telling them AJ had been climbing school buildings. But all she'd tried to do (as he shouted at Uncle Vernon through the locked door of his cupboard) was jump behind the big trashcans outside the kitchen doors. AJ supposed that the wind must have caught her in mid-jump.**

Before anyone had time to laugh AJ pulled her wand out and said in a cheerful voice "Not. One. Word."

**But today, nothing was going to go wrong. It was even worth being with Dudley and Piers to be spending the day somewhere that wasn't school, her cupboard, or Mrs. Figg's cabbage-smelling living room**.

**While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked to complain about things: people at work, AJ, the council, AJ, the bank, and AJ were just a few of his favorite subjects. This morning, it was motorcycles.**

"Now I could be wrong-"

"But your uncle-"

"Seems to love talking about you!" the twins said

**"… roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," he said, as a motorcycle overtook them.**

**"I had a dream about a motorcycle," said AJ, remembering suddenly. "It was flying."**

Ron shook his head "That was stupid mate."

AJ pinned him with a piercing glare but didn't say anything.

**Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front. He turned right around in his seat and yelled at AJ, his face like a gigantic beet with a mustache: "MOTORCYCLES DON'T FLY!"**

"YES THEY DO PIG!" Shouted Sirius much to the dismay of all the occupants in the room.

**Dudley and Piers sniggered. **

**"I know they don't," said AJ. "It was only a dream."**

**But she wished she hadn't said anything. If there was one thing the Dursleys hated even more than her asking questions, it was her talking about anything acting in a way it shouldn't, no matter if it was in a dream or even a cartoon — they seemed to think she might get dangerous ideas. **

**It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked AJ what she wanted before they could hurry her away, they bought her a cheap lemon ice pop.**

Dumbledore perked up at the thought of another lemon treat wondering where he could get some.

**It wasn't bad, either, AJ thought, licking it as they watched a gorilla scratching its head that looked remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn't blond.**

"You need to come pranking with us!" Fred and George begged, AJ just smiled and shook her head.

**AJ had the best morning she'd had in a long time. She was careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn't fall back on their favorite hobby of hitting her.**

The mood changed instantly.

**They ate in the zoo restaurant, and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbocker glory didn't have enough ice cream on top, Uncle Vernon bought him another one and AJ was allowed to finish the first. AJ felt, afterward, that she should have known it was all too good to last.**

Hermione shook her head sadly "You couldn't enjoy a nice day at the zoo could you?"

"It's not that big of a deal Mio, it's been four years I'm pretty sure I'm over it by now." AJ replied sarcastically

**After lunch they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark in there, with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone. Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick, man-crushing pythons. Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the place. It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon's car and crushed it into a trash can — but at the moment it didn't look in the mood. In fact, it was fast asleep. Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils. **

**"Make it move," he whined at his father. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge. **

"Don't move snake! Play dead." Laughed George

**"Do it again," Dudley ordered. Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on. **

**"This is boring," Dudley moaned. He shuffled away.**

**AJ moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. She wouldn't have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself — no company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard as a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up; at least she got to visit the rest of the house.**

**The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with AJ's. **

**It winked.**

"But snakes don't have eyelids cub...do they?" Remus said confused

**AJ stared. Then she looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. She looked back at the snake and winked, too.**

**The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave AJ a look that said quite plainly: **

**"I get that all the time." **

**"I know," AJ murmured through the glass, though she wasn't sure the snake could hear her. "It must be really annoying."**

"You can talk to snakes?" Tonks asked

AJ didn't want to have this conversation in fear of losing the two people that had become second parents to her, but she nodded her head avoiding the looks around her. But what shocked her was Sirius holding her tighter and Remus giving her a smile showing her it didn't matter to them.

**The snake nodded vigorously. **

**"Where do you come from, anyway?" AJ asked. **

**The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. AJ peered at it. **

**Boa Constrictor, Brazil. **

**"Was it nice there?"**

**The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and AJ read on: This specimen was bred in the zoo. "Oh, I see — so you've never been to Brazil?"**

**As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind AJ made both of them jump. "DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!" **

**Dudley came waddling toward them as fast as he could.**

Hermione, Tonks and Ginny laughed at their friends descriptions.

**"Out of the way, you," he said, punching AJ in the ribs. Caught by surprise, AJ fell hard on the concrete floor. **

**What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened— one second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with howls of horror.**

Sirius took in the smug look on AJ's face and knew whatever she did had to of been good.

**AJ sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished.**

Snape looked at her in surprise that was very powerful magic.

**The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. People throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits. **

**As the snake slid swiftly past him, AJ could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come… Thanksss, amigo."**

"Well what do ya know? Some snakes can actually be nice." Sirius smirked at the scowling potions master. Kingsley continued before things could get out of hand with the old school rivals.

**The keeper of the reptile house was in shock. **

**"But the glass," he kept saying, "where did the glass go?"**

"Oh that poor man must have been so confused." Molly fussed.

**The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong, sweet tea while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only gibber. As far as AJ had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed, but by the time they were all back in Uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death. But worst of all, for AJ at least, was Piers calming down enough to say, "AJ was talking to it, weren't you, AJ?"**

**Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on AJ.**

**He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, "Go — cupboard — stay — no meals," before he collapsed into a chair, and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy. **

**AJ lay in her dark cupboard much later, wishing he had a watch. She didn't know how long she had been here for but her head was killing her and she was sure her uncle's belt left a few welts on her back.**

Sirius and Remus started growling at the book thinking that Azkaban was too good for him.

**She didn't know what time it was and she couldn't be sure the Dursleys were asleep yet. Until they were, she couldn't risk sneaking to the kitchen for some food.**

Fred and George shared a grin knowing they had to get AJ pranking with them.

**She'd lived with the Dursleys almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as she could remember, ever since she'd been a baby and her parents had died in that car crash. She couldn't remember being in the car when her parents had died. Sometimes, when she strained her memory during long hours in her cupboard, she came up with a strange vision: a blinding flash of green light and a burning pain on her forehead.**

Everyone paled at that, no one should have to remember that.

**This, she supposed, was the crash, though she couldn't imagine where all the green light came from. She couldn't remember her parents at all.**

Snape actually started to feel a little guilty over his treatment of AJ over the years.

**Her aunt and uncle never spoke about them, and of course she was forbidden to ask questions. There were no photographs of them in the house.**

Remus swallowed down the recent assault of emotions and chocked out "Sirius and I have plenty of pictures you can have cub." AJ beamed at the thought of seeing more pictures of her parents.

**When she had been younger, AJ had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take her away, but it had never happened; the Dursleys were her only family. Yet sometimes she thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to know her. Very strange strangers they were, too.**

Snape sneered at the book "_stupid!"_

**A tiny man in a violet top hat had bowed to her once while out shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley. After asking AJ furiously if he knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the shop without buying anything. A wild-looking old woman dressed all in green had waved merrily at her once on a bus. A bald man in a very long purple coat had actually shaken her hand in the street the other day and then walked away without a word. The weirdest thing about all these people was the way they seemed to of vanished the second AJ tried to get a closer look.**

**At school, AJ had no one. Everybody knew that Dudley's gang hated that odd AJ Potter in her baggy old clothes, and nobody liked to disagree with Dudley's gang.**

Seeing the looks of pity AJ looked to Ron and Hermione and said "I have friends now, really good friends I can always count on." Hermione smiled at her, while Ron looked a little guilty at what happened the previous year.

Molly suggested that they continue after eating lunch, on the way in the dining room AJ turned to Remus and Sirius and gave them both a hug and kiss thanking them for being there for her.

After eating a hearty lunch they all went into the living room anxious to see what happened next. AJ once again sat in between Remus and Sirius, Tonks and Kingsley took the sofa next to the, Molly and Arthur took a seat on the couch across from AJ, Dumbledore and Snape occupied two cushioned chairs while the others sat on pillows on the floor.

Kingsley passed the book to Ginny who wanted to read next.

She cleared her throat and said **"The Letter's From No One..."**


	4. The Letters From No One

**The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned AJ her longest-ever punishment. It also earned her a really bad beating. She couldn't walk for days without wincing in pain. By the time she was allowed out of her cupboard again, the summer holidays had started**

"When exactly is Dudley's birthday kid?" a forced calm Kinsley asked

AJ hid a wince and said "April...but it was four years ago! It's not important anymore." Sirius and Remus shook their heads at her causal tone.

**and Dudley had already broken his new video camera, crashed his remote control airplane, and, first time out on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs. Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches. AJ was glad school was over, but there was no escaping Dudley's gang, who visited the house every single day. Piers, Dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon were all big and stupid, and they all liked to try to hurt AJ which made her have to run, but as Dudley was the biggest and stupidest of the lot, he was the leader. The rest of them were all quite happy to join in Dudley's favorite sport: AJ Hunting.**

The men in the room growled at that, they were raised in the homes of "Boys don't hit Girls" obviously Dudley didn't get the memo.

**This was not AJ's favorite game. This was why AJ spent as much time as possible out of the house, wandering around and thinking about the end of the holidays, where she could see a tiny ray of hope. When September came she would be going off to secondary school and, for the first time in her life, she wouldn't be with Dudley. Dudley had been accepted at Uncle Vernon's old private school, Smeltings. Piers Polkiss was going there too. AJ, on the other hand, was going to Stonewall High, the local public school. Dudley thought this was very funny.**

Tonks looked at the book in confusion, how was that funny?

**"They stuff people's heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall," he told AJ. "Want to come upstairs and practice?"**

The twins couldn't wait to test more pranks out on the little piggy, he deserved it for hurting their little sister.

**"No, thanks," said AJ. "The poor toilets never had anything as horrible as your head down it — it might be sick." Then she ran, before Dudley could work out what she'd said.**

"You needn't run Potter. He doesn't seem the type to understand that kind of remark." Snape sneered but it lacked his usual hatred he reserved for the girl.

**One day in July, Aunt Petunia took Dudley to London to buy his Smeltings uniform, leaving AJ at Mrs. Figg's. Which was surprisingly fine with her. Mrs. Figg wasn't as bad as usual. It turned out she'd broken her leg tripping over one of her cats, and she didn't seem quite as fond of them as before. She let AJ watch television and Tried to give her a piece of Chocolate cake that was rather old and had a funny taste so AJ offered to help make cake with her.**

"Feel free to make anything chocolate cub." Smiled Remus

**Smeltings' boys wore maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers, and flat straw hats called boaters. They also carried knobby sticks, used for hitting each other while the teachers weren't looking. This was supposed to be good training for later life.**

"And yet I don't see how that's possible." Hermione remarked

**As she looked at Dudley in his new knickerbockers, Uncle Vernon said gruffly that it was the proudest moment of his life. Aunt Petunia burst into tears and said she couldn't believe it was her Ickle Dudleykins, he looked so handsome and grown-up. AJ didn't trust herself to speak. She thought two of her ribs might already have cracked from trying not to laugh. There was a horrible smell in the kitchen the next morning when AJ went in for breakfast. It seemed to be coming from a large metal tub in the sink. She went to have a look. The tub was full of what looked like dirty rags swimming in gray water. **

**"What's this?" she asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips tightened as they always did if she dared to ask a question. **

**"Your new school uniform," she said. **

**AJ looked in the bowl again. **

**"Oh," she said, "I didn't realize it had to be so wet."**

Snape shook his head; she was rather funny if only her aunt knew what sarcasm was.

**"Don't be stupid," snapped Aunt Petunia. "I'm dying some of my old things gray for you. It'll look just like everyone else's when I've finished." **

**AJ seriously doubted this, but thought it best not to argue. **

**She sat down at the table and tried not to think about how she was going to look on her first day at Stonewall High — like she was wearing some really faded maids outfit minus the apron.**

**Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, both with wrinkled noses because of the smell from AJ's new uniform. Uncle Vernon opened his newspaper as usual and Dudley banged his Smelting stick, which he carried everywhere, on the table. They heard the click of the mail slot and flop of letters on the doormat. **

**"Get the mail, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper.**

Fred looked up in alarm "Now don't panic everyone!"

**"Make AJ get it." **

**"Get the mail, AJ."**

Fred pretended to wipe his forehead of sweat while George said "See? The world is back to normal."

**"Make Dudley get it." **

**"Poke her with your Smelting stick, Dudley." **

**AJ dodged the Smelting stick Dudley had tried to poke her with and went to get the mail. Three things lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, who was vacationing on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a bill and— a letter for AJ.**

Everyone brightened at this; this was an important part of every witch/wizards life.

**AJ picked it up and stared at it, her heart twanging like a giant elastic band. No one, ever, in her whole life, had written to her. Who would? She had no friends, no other relatives — she didn't belong to the library, so she'd never even got rude notes**

**asking for books back. Yet here it was, a letter, addressed so plainly there could be no mistake: **

**Miss. A. Potter **

**The Cupboard under the Stairs 4 Privet Drive**

Before anyone could turn on Dumbledore he said "It's a self-addressing quill. Which I'm certain will be gone when we finish these books."

**Little Whinging **

**Surrey**

**The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp. Turning the envelope over, her hand trembling, AJ saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion,**

Sirius, Remus, Hermione, Ginny, Ron, the twins and even Dumbledore cheered.

**an eagle,**

Kingsley cheered for his old house.

**a badger,**

Tonks cheered extra loud for her old house.

**and a snake**

Everyone turned to Snape expectantly; he raised an eyebrow and motioned for Ginny to continue with this hell they called a book.

**surrounding a large letter H.**

**"Hurry up, girl!" shouted Uncle Vernon from the kitchen. "What are you doing, checking for letter bombs?" He chuckled at his own joke.**

**AJ went back to the kitchen, still staring at her letter. She handed Uncle Vernon the bill and the postcard, sat down, and slowly began to open the yellow envelope. Uncle Vernon ripped open the bill, snorted in disgust, and flipped over the postcard. **

**"Marge's ill," he informed Aunt Petunia. "Ate a funny whelk…" **

**"Dad!" said Dudley suddenly. "Dad, AJ's got something!" AJ was on the point of unfolding her letter, which was written on the same heavy parchment as the envelope, when it was jerked sharply out of her hand by Uncle Vernon.**

"HEY!" was the outraged cry of most occupants

**"That's mine!" said AJ, trying to snatch it back. **

**"Who'd be writing to you?" sneered Uncle Vernon, shaking the letter open with one hand and glancing at it. His face went from red to green faster than a set of traffic lights. And it didn't stop there. Within seconds it was the grayish white of old porridge.**

Ron wrinkled his nose at that; he didn't think he would look at porridge the same again.

**"P-P-Petunia!" he gasped. **

**Dudley tried to grab the letter to read it, but Uncle Vernon held it high out of his reach. Aunt Petunia took it curiously and read the first line. For a moment it looked as though she might faint. She clutched her throat and made a choking noise. **

**"Vernon! Oh my goodness — Vernon!"**

"Oh for the love of Merlin! It's a letter you damn idiots" Sirius snarled wrapping an arm around AJ assuring himself she was there and okay.

**They stared at each other, seeming to have forgotten that AJ and Dudley were still in the room. Dudley wasn't used to being ignored. He gave his father a sharp tap on the head with his Smelting stick. **

**"I want to read that letter," he said loudly. **

**"I want to read it," said AJ furiously, "as it's mine." **

**"Get out, both of you," croaked Uncle Vernon, stuffing the letter back inside its envelope. **

**AJ didn't move. **

**"I WANT MY LETTER!" she shouted.**

Despite himself Remus let out a chuckle "You have your fathers temper, he wouldn't get mad often but when he did, it wasn't pretty." Everyone that was on the receiving end of James and AJ's temper shuttered.

**"Let me see it!" demanded Dudley. **

**"OUT!" roared Uncle Vernon and he took both AJ and Dudley by the scruffs of their necks and threw them into the hall, slamming the kitchen door behind them. AJ and Dudley promptly had a furious but silent fight over who would listen at the keyhole; AJ won because she kicked him in the balls. **

All the men in the room made a note to never make AJ Potter that angry.

**Dudley was laying on the floor groaning in pain as AJ leaned up against the door. **

**"Vernon," Aunt Petunia was saying in a quivering voice, "look at the address — how could they possibly know where she sleeps? You don't think they're watching the house?" **

**"Watching — spying — might be following us," muttered Uncle Vernon wildly.**

Snape sneered "Yes because we have nothing better to do then stalk the likes of you."

**But what should we do, Vernon? Should we write back? Tell them we don't want —" **

**AJ could see Uncle Vernon's purple face through the keyhole.**

**"No," he said finally. "No, we'll ignore it. If they don't get an answer… Yes, that's best… we won't do anything…" **

**"But —" **

**"I'm not having one in the house, Petunia! Didn't we swear when we took her in we'd stamp out that dangerous nonsense?"**

As soon as the words left Ginny's mouth the furniture began to shake and the windows began to raddle, everyone turned wide eyed to Dumbledore who was radiating off cold fury. When he finally calmed himself he said "I'm sorry but that is very dangerous, I'm sorry my dear girl I left you there, you will not be returning. Please continue Ms. Weasley. Ginny looked a little shocked but continued none the less.

**That evening when he got back from work, Uncle Vernon did something he'd never done before; he visited AJ in her cupboard.**

**"Where's my letter?" said AJ, the moment Uncle Vernon had squeezed through the door. "Who's writing to me?" **

**"No one. It was addressed to you by mistake," said Uncle Vernon shortly. "I have burned it." **

Sirius growled out through clenched teeth "A mistake? It had her cupboard on it with her name on it!" AJ burst out laughing shocking everyone; she just smiled and had Ginny continue.

**"It was not a mistake," said AJ said angrily, "it had my cupboard on it with my name!"**

Sirius let out a bark like laugh and pulled her into his side "We think alike pup!" Remus shook his head but had a fond smile on his face, happy to see his friend getting back to his old self.

**"SILENCE!" yelled Uncle Vernon, and a couple of spiders fell from the ceiling.**

**He took a few deep breaths and then forced his face into a smile, which looked quite painful. **

**"Er — yes, AJ — about this cupboard. Your aunt and I have been thinking… you're really getting a bit big for it...we think it might be nice if you moved into Dudley's second bedroom.**

**"Why?" said AJ.**

Snape gave AJ a look "Why did you question him Potter?" but it wasn't unkind

"I wasn't used to him being nice to me." Replied AJ

**"Don't ask questions!" snapped his uncle. "Take this stuff upstairs, now." **

**The Dursleys' house had four bedrooms:**

Tonks started muttering things along the lines of, bastards, arrested, present for Voldemort.

**one for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, one for visitors (usually Uncle Vernon's sister, Marge), one where Dudley slept, and one where Dudley kept all the toys and things that wouldn't fit into his first bedroom. It only took AJ one trip upstairs to move everything she owned from the cupboard to this room.**

Remus and Sirius made a mental note to spoil her come holidays, birthdays and just because they could.

**She sat down on the bed and stared around her. Nearly everything in here was broken. The month-old video camera was lying on top of a small, working tank Dudley had once driven over the next door neighbor's dog; in the corner was Dudley's first-ever television set, which he'd put his foot through when his favorite program had been canceled; there was a large birdcage, which had once held a parrot that Dudley had swapped at school for a real air rifle, which was up on a shelf with the end all bent because Dudley had sat on it. Other shelves were full of books. They were the only things in the room that looked as though they'd never been touched. **

**From downstairs came the sound of Dudley bawling at his mother, "I don't want her in there… I need that room...make her get out...and she has girl cooties."**

Hermione, Ginny and Tonks couldn't hold back snorts of laughter thinking of a boy acting like that.

**AJ sighed and stretched out on the bed. Yesterday she'd have given anything to be up here. Today she'd rather be back in his cupboard with that letter than up here without it.**

**Next morning at breakfast, everyone was rather quiet. Dudley was in shock. He'd screamed, whacked his father with his Smelting stick, been sick on purpose, kicked his mother, and thrown his tortoise through the greenhouse roof, and he still didn't have his room back. AJ was thinking about this time yesterday and bitterly wishing she'd opened the letter in the hall. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia kept looking at each other darkly. **

**When the mail arrived, Uncle Vernon, who seemed to be trying to be nice to AJ, made Dudley go and get it.**

**They heard him banging things with his Smelting stick all the way down the hall. Then he shouted, "There's another one! 'Miss. A. Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive —'"**

**With a strangled cry, Uncle Vernon leapt from his seat and ran down the hall, AJ right behind him. Uncle Vernon had to wrestle Dudley to the ground to get the letter from him, which was made difficult by the fact that AJ had kicked Uncle Vernon In the shin. She knew there would be hell to pay for that one moment of satisfaction.**

"That bastard needs to stop touching my cub before I got there on a full moon." Remus snarled out. AJ gave him a quick hug in hopes of calming down which to the surprise of most it worked.

**After a minute of confused fighting, in which everyone got hit a lot by the Smelting stick, Uncle Vernon straightened up, gasping for breath, with AJ's letter clutched in his hand. **

**"Go to your cupboard — I mean, your bedroom," he wheezed at AJ. "Dudley — go — just go." **

**AJ walked round and round her new room. Someone knew she had moved out of her cupboard and they seemed to know she hadn't received her first letter. Surely that meant they'd try again? And this time she'd make sure they didn't fail. She had a plan.**

Ron and Hermione groaned while AJ laughed at some of her "fool-proof" plans.

**The repaired alarm clock rang at six o'clock the next morning. AJ turned it off quickly and dressed silently. She mustn't wake the Dursleys. She silently went downstairs without turning on any of the lights. **

**She was going to wait for the postman on the corner of Privet Drive and get the letters for number four first. Her heart hammered as she crept across the dark hall toward the front door — **

**"AAAAARRRGH!"**

"What happened? What did you do?" The twins and Ron asked through laughter.

"If you let Ginny read you may find out." AJ smirked at their crestfallen faces.

**AJ leapt into the air; she'd trodden on something big and squashy on the doormat — something alive!**

"GO AJ!" Ron yelled

**Lights clicked on upstairs and to her horror AJ realized that the big, squashy something had been her uncle's face. Uncle Vernon had been lying at the foot of the front door in a sleeping bag, clearly making sure that AJ didn't do exactly what she'd been trying to do. He shouted at AJ for about half an hour and then told her to go and make a cup of tea. AJ shuffled miserably off into the kitchen and by the time she got back, the mail had arrived, right into Uncle Vernon's lap. AJ could see three letters addressed in green ink. **

**"I want —" she began, but Uncle Vernon was tearing the letters into pieces before his eyes. **

**Uncle Vernon didn't go to work that day. **

**He stayed at home and nailed up the mail slot. **

**"See," he explained to Aunt Petunia through a mouthful of nails, "if they can't deliver them they'll just give up." **

**"I'm not sure that'll work, Vernon." **

**"Oh, these people's minds work in strange ways, Petunia; they're not like you and me,"**

"And we thank Merlin for that every day." Sneered Snape. Before Molly could start a lecture Ginny began to read

**said Uncle Vernon, trying to knock in a nail with the piece of fruitcake Aunt Petunia had just brought him. **

**On Friday, no less than twelve letters arrived for AJ. As they couldn't go through the mail slot they had been pushed under the door, slotted through the sides, and a few even forced through the small window in the downstairs bathroom. **

**Uncle Vernon stayed at home again. After burning all the letters, he got out a hammer and nails and boarded up the cracks around the front and back doors so no one could go out. He hummed "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" as he worked, and jumped at small noises.**

"Such a brave lot they are." Snorted Kingsley

**On Saturday, things began to get out of hand. Twenty-four letters to AJ found their way into the house, rolled up and hidden inside each of the two-dozen eggs that their very confused milkman had handed Aunt Petunia through the living room window. While Uncle Vernon made furious telephone calls to the post office and the dairy trying to find someone to complain to, Aunt Petunia shredded the letters in her food processor. **

**"Who on earth wants to talk to you this badly?" Dudley asked AJ in amazement.**

"We all wrote to you! I'm sure Neville did too. Ginny wrote at least two-hundred." Ron informed her.

**On Sunday morning, Uncle Vernon sat down at the breakfast table looking tired and rather ill, but happy. **

**"No post on Sundays," he reminded them cheerfully as he spread marmalade on his newspapers, "no damn letters today —"**

Mr. Weasley perked up at that information "Really? No post on Sundays?"

Hermione replied with a small smile "No Mr. Weasley, it's a religious day to us."

**Something came whizzing down the kitchen chimney as he spoke and caught him sharply on the back of the head. Next moment, thirty or forty letters came pelting out of the fireplace like bullets. The Dursleys ducked, but AJ leapt into the air trying to catch one —**

"Why didn't you pick one off the floor?" Tonks asked kindly

"Unconsciously I was perfecting my seeker skills." AJ laughed

**"Out! OUT!" **

**Uncle Vernon seized AJ around the waist and pushed her into the wall making her skull smack against it very hard. When Aunt Petunia and Dudley had run out with their arms over their faces, Uncle Vernon slammed the door shut. They could hear the letters still streaming into the room, bouncing off the walls and floor. **

**"That does it," said Uncle Vernon, trying to speak calmly but pulling great tufts out of his mustache at the same time. "I want you all back here in five minutes ready to leave. We're going away. Just pack some clothes. No arguments!"**

"Damn kid, he's walking time bomb, I'm happy you won't be returning there again or there would be serious problems between them and us." Snarled a usually calm Kingsley. Just as Sirius was about to make his usual joke Remus covered his mouth with his hand and had Ginny continue.

**He looked so dangerous with half his mustache missing that no one dared argue. Ten minutes later they had wrenched their way through the boarded-up doors and were in the car, speeding toward the highway. Dudley was sniffling in the back seat; his father had hit him round the head for holding them up while he tried to pack his television, VCR, and computer in his sports bag.**

"Good." Snarled Sirius "You deserve it considering all you put my daughter through." Unaware of what he said or the hopeful looking green eyes staring at him, they continued reading.

**They drove. And they drove. Even Aunt Petunia didn't dare ask where they were going. Every now and then Uncle Vernon would take a sharp turn and drive in the opposite direction for a while. **

**"Shake 'em off… shake 'em off," he would mutter whenever he did this.**

**They didn't stop to eat or drink all day. By nightfall Dudley was howling. He'd never had such a bad day in his life. He was hungry, he'd missed five television programs he'd wanted to see, and he'd never gone so long without blowing up an alien on his computer.**

**Uncle Vernon stopped at last outside a gloomy-looking hotel on the outskirts of a big city. Dudley and AJ shared a room with twin beds and damp, musty sheets. Though aunt Petunia did insist that she had to put up a dividing sheet. Dudley snored but AJ stayed awake, sitting on the windowsill, staring down at the lights of passing cars and wondering who could be writing to her and why.**

**They ate stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast for breakfast the next day. They had just finished when the owner of the hotel came over to their table. **

**"'Scuse me, but is one of you Miss. A. Potter? Only I got about an 'undred of these at the front desk." She held up a letter so they could read the green ink address: **

**Miss. A. Potter **

**Room 17 **

**Railview Hotel **

**Cokeworth **

**AJ made a grab for the letter but Uncle Vernon knocked her hand out of the way. The woman stared. **

**"I'll take them," said Uncle Vernon, standing up quickly and following her from the dining room.**

"What an idiot! Obviously something isn't right, yet she just walks away!" yelled an outraged Hermione.

**"Wouldn't it be better just to go home, dear?" Aunt Petunia suggested timidly, hours later, but Uncle Vernon didn't seem to hear her.**

**Exactly what he was looking for, none of them knew. He drove them into the middle of a forest, got out, looked around, shook his head, got back in the car, and off they went again. The same thing happened in the middle of a plowed field, halfway across a suspension bridge, and at the top of a multilevel parking garage. **

**"Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Dudley asked Aunt Petunia dully late that afternoon.**

"Well Gred, he doesn't appear to be as stupid as he seems does he?"

"Too right you are Forge."

**Uncle Vernon had parked at the coast, locked them all inside the car, and disappeared. It started to rain. Great drops beat on the roof of the car. Dudley sniveled. **

**"It's Monday," he told his mother. "The Great Humberto's on tonight. I want to stay somewhere with a television." **

**Monday. This reminded AJ of something. If it was Monday — and you could usually count on Dudley to know the days the week, because of television — then tomorrow, Tuesday, was AJ's eleventh birthday.**

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY AJ!" everyone yelled much to her surprise.

**Of course, her birthdays were never exactly fun — last year; the Dursleys had given her a coat hanger and a pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks. Still, you weren't eleven every day.**

Seeing Hermione about to say something AJ threw a pillow at her "Chill Mio, I didn't mean in it in the literal sense."

**Uncle Vernon was back and he was smiling. He was also carrying a long, thin package and didn't answer Aunt Petunia when she asked what he'd bought. **

**"Found the perfect place!" he said. "Come on! Everyone out!" **

**It was very cold outside the car. Uncle Vernon was pointing at what looked like a large rock way out at sea. Perched on top of the rock was the most miserable little shack you could imagine. One thing was certain; there was no television in there. **

**"Storm forecast for tonight!" said Uncle Vernon gleefully, clapping his hands together. "And this gentleman's kindly agreed to lend us his boat!"**

"You didn't get sick did you dear?" Fretted Mrs. Weasley

AJ rolled her eyes much to Mrs. Weasleys annoyance "No Mrs. Weasley and it was four years ago for the hundredth time, please continue Gin."

**A toothless old man came ambling up to them, pointing, with a rather wicked grin, at an old rowboat bobbing in the iron-gray water below them. **

**"I've already got us some rations," said Uncle Vernon, "so all aboard!" **

**It was freezing in the boat. AJ sea spray and rain crept down their necks and a chilly wind whipped their faces. After what seemed like hours they reached the rock, where Uncle Vernon, slipping and sliding, led the way to the broken-down house. The inside was horrible; it smelled strongly of seaweed, the wind whistled through the gaps in the wooden walls, and the fireplace was damp and empty. There were only two rooms. Uncle Vernon's rations turned out to be a bag of chips each and four bananas.**

**He tried to start a fire but the empty chip bags just smoked and shriveled up. **

**"Could do with some of those letters now, eh?" he said cheerfully.**

**He was in a very good mood. Obviously he thought nobody stood a chance of reaching them here in a storm to deliver mail. AJ privately agreed, though the thought didn't cheer her up at all. As night fell, the promised storm blew up around them. Spray from the high waves splattered the walls of the hut and a fierce wind rattled the filthy windows. Aunt Petunia found a few moldy blankets in the second room and made up a bed for Dudley on the moth-eaten sofa. She and Uncle Vernon went off to the lumpy bed next door, and AJ was left to find the softest bit of floor she could and to curl up under the thinnest, most ragged blanket.**

AJ saw the looks Sirius and Remus were giving the book and she silently wondered how it didn't burst into flames.

**The storm raged more and more ferociously as the night went on. AJ couldn't sleep. She shivered and turned over, trying to get comfortable, her stomach rumbling with hunger. Dudley's snores were drowned by the low rolls of thunder that started near midnight. The lighted dial of Dudley's watch, which was dangling over the edge of the sofa on his fat wrist, told AJ she'd be eleven in ten minutes' time. She lay and watched her birthday tick nearer, wondering if the Dursleys would remember at all, wondering where the letter writer was now. **

**Five minutes to go. AK heard something creak outside. She hoped the roof wasn't going to fall in, although she might be warmer if it did.**

Sirius shook his head "I hate you think like that pup." AJ leaned into him more and inhaled his scent which always seemed to make her feel better. Mrs. Weasley had been watching the three of them and didn't like what she was seeing; she decided to talk to AJ later tonight.

**Four minutes to go. Maybe the house in Privet Drive would be so full of letters when they got back that she'd be able to steal one somehow. Three minutes to go. Was that the sea, slapping hard on the rock like that? And (two minutes to go) what was that funny crunching noise? Was the rock crumbling into the sea? One minute to go and she'd be eleven. Thirty seconds… twenty… ten… nine — maybe she'd wake Dudley up, just to annoy him**

"DO IT, DO IT, DO IT!" yelled the twins through laughter.

— **three… two… one… **

**BOOM. **

**The whole shack shivered and AJ sat bolt upright, staring at the door. Someone was outside, knocking to come in.**

Ginny set the book down "That was an interesting chapter."

"I'll read next, hopefully next chapter won't be bad." Muttered Hermione.

**"The Keeper of the Keys," **Hermione smirked thinking about how Hagrid would handle them, he was very protective of his friends especially AJ.


	5. Keeper of Keys

**BOOM.**

Everyone in the room jumped not expecting Hermione to shout.

**They knocked again. Dudley jerked awake. **

**"Where's the cannon?" he said stupidly. **

**There was a crash behind them and Uncle Vernon came skidding into the room. He was holding a rifle in his hands – now they knew what had been in the long, thin package he had brought with them. **

**"Who's there?" he shouted. "I warn you — I'm armed!" **

**There was a pause. Then — **

**SMASH! **

**The door was hit with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash landed flat on the floor. A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair. **

AJ frowned at that, it made it seem like he was scary or dangerous.

**The giant squeezed his way into the hut, stooping so that his head just brushed the ceiling. He bent down, picked up the door, and fitted it easily back into its frame. The noise of the storm outside dropped a little. He turned to look at them all. **

**"Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey…"**

Everyone chuckled, only Hagrid could do that and act completely calm.

**He strode over to the sofa where Dudley sat frozen with fear. **

**"Budge up, yeh great lump," said the stranger. **

No one could control their laughter at this point; this chapter was turning out to be better than the other.

**Dudley squeaked and ran to hide behind his mother, who was crouching, terrified, behind Uncle Vernon.**

**"An' here's AJ!" said the giant. **

**AJ looked up into the fierce, wild, shadowy face and saw that the beetle eyes were crinkled in a smile. **

**"Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby," said the giant. "Yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh've got yer mom's eyes." Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noise.**

"That's the first time I ever heard that, it never gets old either." AJ smiled sadly

**"I demand that you leave at once, sir!" he said. "You are breaking and entering!" **

**"Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune,"**

"GO HAGRID!" yelled the pranksters

**said the giant; he reached over the back of the sofa, jerked the gun out of Uncle Vernon's hands, bent it into a knot as easily as if it had been made of rubber, and threw it into a corner of the room. **

**Uncle Vernon made another funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on. **

**"Anyway — AJ," said the giant, turning his back on the Dursleys, "a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here — I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right."**

"Don't eat it kid! It'll break your teeth." Advised Kingsley

"Trust me AJ it won't hurt his feelings." Commented Tonks

"I think the house elves made it guys because it did taste good." Laughed AJ

**From an inside pocket of his black overcoat he pulled a slightly squashed box. AJ opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with Happy Birthday Alessandra written on it in green icing.**

"Why green?" remarked Ron

AJ rolled her eyes, her friend could act so childish at times over the littlest things.

**AJ looked up at the giant and said, "Thank you, but I don't really know who you are.**

**The giant chuckled**.

**True, I haven't introduced meself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts." **

**He held out an enormous hand and shook AJ's whole arm. **

**"What about that tea then, eh?" he said, rubbing his hands together. "I'd not say no ter summat stronger if yeh've got it, mind."**

Mrs. Weasley frowned at that "He shouldn't be drinking it front of a child."

"Well if you look at AJ now, you'll see she turned out fine from such a traumatic experience." Sirius remarked. Everyone laughed except Molly, even Snape had to admit the prankster could be funny when it wasn't directed at him.

**His eyes fell on the empty grate with the shriveled chip bags in it and he snorted. He bent down over the fireplace; they couldn't see what he was doing but when he drew back a second later, there was a roaring fire there. It filled the whole damp hut with flickering light and AJ felt the warmth wash over her as though she'd sunk into a hot bath. **

**The giant sat back down on the sofa, which sagged under his weight, and began taking all sorts of things out of the pockets of his coat: a copper kettle, a squashy package of sausages, a poker, a teapot, several chipped mugs, and a bottle of some amber liquid that he took a swig from before starting to make tea. Soon the hut was full of the sound and smell of sizzling sausage. Nobody said a thing while the giant was working, but as he slid the first six fat, juicy, slightly burnt sausages from the poker, Dudley fidgeted a little. Uncle Vernon said sharply, "Don't touch anything he gives you, Dudley." **

**The giant chuckled darkly. **

**"Yer great puddin' of a son don' need fattenin' anymore, Dursley, don' worry."**

"GO HAGRID!" Yelled the twins

**He passed the sausages to AJ, who was so hungry, she had never tasted anything so wonderful, but she still couldn't take his eyes off the giant. Finally, as nobody seemed about to explain anything, she said, "I'm sorry, but I still don't really know who you are." **

**The giant took a gulp of tea and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. **

**"Call me Hagrid," he said, "everyone does. An' like I told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts — yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course.**

**"Er — no," said AJ. **

**Hagrid looked shocked. **

**"Sorry," AJ said quickly.**

Dumbledore shook his head sadly "You have nothing to be sorry for AJ."

**"Sorry?" barked Hagrid, turning to stare at the Dursleys, who shrank back into the shadows. "It's them as should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learned it all?" **

**"All what?" asked AJ.**

"That's going to piss Hagrid off!" Remus said gleefully

**"ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered. **

**"Now wait jus' one second!" **

**He had leapt to his feet. In his anger he seemed to fill the whole hut. The Dursleys were cowering against the wall. **

**"Do you mean ter tell me," he growled at the Dursleys, "that this girl — this girl! — knows nothin' abou' — about ANYTHING?"**

Tonks snorted, poor Hagrid is going to make AJ feel like an idiot.

**AJ thought this was going a bit far. She had been to school, after all, and her marks weren't bad. **

**"I know some things," she said. "I can, you know, do math and science really well."**

**But Hagrid simply waved his hand and said, "About our world, I mean. Your world. My world. Yer parents' world." **

**"What world?" **

**Hagrid looked as if he was about to explode. **

**"DURSLEY!" he boomed. **

**Uncle Vernon, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded like "Mimblewimble." Hagrid stared wildly at AJ. "But yeh must know about yer mom and dad," he said. "I mean, they're famous. You're famous."**

**"What? My — my mom and dad weren't famous, were they?" **

**"Yeh don' know… yeh don' know…" Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, fixing Harry with a bewildered stare. **

**"Yeh don' know what yeh are?" he said finally. **

**Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice. **

**"Stop!" he commanded. "Stop right there, sir! I forbid you to tell the girl anything!"**

Sirius snorted at that, he would have loved to of seen someone like him stop Hagrid.

**A braver man than Vernon Dursley would have quailed under the furious look Hagrid now gave him; when Hagrid spoke, his every syllable trembled with rage. **

**"You never told her? Never told her what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer her? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An' you've kept it from her all these years?" **

**"Kept what from me?" said AJ eagerly. **

**"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled Uncle Vernon in panic. **

**Aunt Petunia gave a gasp of horror. **

**"Ah, go boil yer heads, both of yeh," said Hagrid. "AJ — yer a witch." **

**There was silence inside the hut. Only the sea and the whistling wind could be heard. **

**"I'm a what?" gasped AJ.**

"I said the same thing AJ, don't feel bad." Smiled Hermione.

**"A witch, o' course," said Hagrid, sitting back down on the sofa, which groaned and sank even lower, "an' a thumpin' good 'un, I'd say, once yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mum an' dad like yours, what else would yeh be? An' I reckon it's abou' time yeh read yer letter."**

"YES! Get the letter and take my kid out of there." Snarled Sirius, these Muggles were working on his last nerve.

**AJ stretched out her hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to Mr. A. Potter, The Floor, Hut-on-the-Rock, The Sea. She pulled out the letter and read: **

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY **

**Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE **

**(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards) **

**Dear Miss. Potter, **

**We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. **

**Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. **

**Yours sincerely, **

**Minerva McGonagall, **

**Deputy Headmistress **

**Questions exploded inside AJ's head like fireworks and she couldn't decide which to ask first. After a few minutes she stammered, "What does it mean, they await my owl?"**

"That was your first question? Of all things to ask." Ron smirked at his friend

"It was the last thing I read smart ass." AJ snarked back. Hermione could see Mrs. Weasley about to remark so she continued with a smile

**"Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me," said Hagrid, clapping a hand to his forehead with enough force to knock over a cart horse, and from yet another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled an owl — a real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl — a long quill, and a roll of parchment. With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note that AJ could read upside down: **

**Dear Professor Dumbledore, **

**Given AJ her letter. **

**Taking her to buy her things tomorrow. **

**Weather's horrible. Hope you're well. **

**Hagrid**

Kingsley looked impressed at that, not many could read his handwriting right side up let alone upside down.

**Hagrid rolled up the note, gave it to the owl, which clamped it in its beak, went to the door, and threw the owl out into the storm. Then he came back and sat down as though this was as normal as talking on the telephone.**

**AJ realized her mouth was open and closed it quickly. **

**"Where was I?" said Hagrid, but at that moment, Uncle Vernon, still ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved into the firelight. **

**"She's not going," he said.**

Snape snorted "I'd like to see him stop her."

**Hagrid grunted. **

**"I'd like ter see a great Muggle like you stop her," he said. **

**"A what?" said AJ, interested. **

**"A Muggle," said Hagrid, "it's what we call no magic folk like them. An' it's your bad luck you grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I ever laid eyes on." **

**"We swore when we took her in we'd put a stop to that rubbish," said Uncle Vernon, "swore we'd stamp it out of her! Witch indeed!" **

**"You knew?" said AJ. "You knew I'm a — a Witch?" **

**"Knew!" shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. "Knew! Of course we knew! How could you not be, my dratted sister being what she was?**

Sirius, Remus and Snape looked murderous at that. How anyone could insult the dead let alone someone like Lilly was beyond them.

**Oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that — that school — and came home every vacation with her pockets full of frog spawn, turning teacups into rats. I was the only one who saw her for what she was — a freak! But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they were proud of having a witch in the family!" **

**She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed she had been wanting to say all this for years. **

AJ leaned closer into Sirius, it was hard to hear those things being said about your parents.

**"Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and had you, and of course I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as — as —abnormal — and then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you!"**

"That bastard!" snarled Remus and they could actually see a shadow of the wolf.

**AJ had gone very white. As soon as she found her voice she said, "Blown up? You told me they died in a car crash!" **

**"CAR CRASH!" roared Hagrid, jumping up so angrily that the Dursleys scuttled back to their corner. "How could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal! AJ Potter not knowin' her own story when every kid in our world knows her name!"**

AJ grimaced at that, she hated her fame more than anything. Snape took in her look...maybe she didn't like her fame.

**"But why? What happened?" AJ asked urgently. **

**The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious. **

**"I never expected this," he said, in a low, worried voice. "I had no idea, when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of yeh, how much yeh didn't know. Ah, AJ, I don' know if I'm the right person ter tell yeh — but someone's gotta — yeh can't go off ter Hogwarts not knowin'." **

**He threw a dirty look at the Dursleys. **

**"Well, it's best yeh know as much as I can tell yeh — mind, I can't tell yeh everythin', it's a great myst'ry, parts of it…" **

**He sat down, stared into the fire for a few seconds, and then said, "It begins, I suppose, with — with a person called — but it's incredible yeh don't know his name, everyone in our world knows —"**

**"Who?" **

**"Well — I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does." **

**"Why not?" **

**"Gulpin' gargoyles, AJ, people are still scared. Blimey, this is difficult. See, there was this wizard who went… bad. As bad as you could go. Worse. Worse than worse. His name was…" **

**Hagrid gulped, but no words came out. **

**"Could you write it down?" AJ suggested.**

**"Nah — can't spell it. All right —Voldemort. "**

Everyone looked shocked and happy Hagrid said it. Sirius smiled proudly at AJ, she really was amazing.

**Hagrid shuddered. "Don' make me say it again. Anyway, this — this wizard, about twenty years ago now, started lookin' fer followers. Got 'em, too — some were afraid, some just wanted a bit o' his power, 'cause he was gettin' himself power, all right. Dark days, AJ. Didn't know who ter trust, didn't dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches… terrible things happened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him — an' he killed 'em. Horribly. One o' the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. Didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway. **

**"Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew. Head boy an' girl at Hogwarts in their day! Suppose the myst'ry is why You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before… probably knew they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the Dark Side. **

**"Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em… maybe he just wanted 'em outta the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all living, on Halloween ten years ago. You was just a year old. He came ter yer house an' — an' —" **

**Hagrid suddenly pulled out a very dirty, spotted handkerchief and blew his nose with a sound like a foghorn.**

Everyone but AJ and Snape were crying, but that was because neither had the strength to cry.

**"Sorry," he said. "But it's that sad — knew yer mum an' dad, an' nicer people yeh couldn't find — anywa… **

**"You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then — an' this is the real myst'ry of the thing — he tried to kill you, too. Wanted ter make a clean job of it, I suppose, or maybe he just liked killin' by then. But he couldn't do it. **

**Never wondered how you got that mark on yer forehead? That was no ordinary cut. That's what yeh get when a powerful, evil curse touches yeh — took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer house, even — but it didn't work on you, an' that's why yer famous, AJ. **

AJ looked furious at that. "How could anyone think I would want to be famous over that? I lost my parents to some psycho bastard and I lived, big whoop." She snarled out looking at Snape the whole time.

**No one ever lived after he decided ter kill 'em, no one except you, an' he'd killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age — the McKinnons, the Bones, the Prewetts **

— **an' you was only a baby, an' you lived." **

**Something very painful was going on in AJs mind. As Hagrid's story came to a close, she saw again the blinding flash of green light, more clearly than she had ever remembered it before — and she remembered something else, for the first time in her life: a high, cold, cruel laugh.**

Snape and AJ shuttered at that, that was not something you ever wanted to hear.

**Hagrid was watching her sadly. **

**"Took yeh from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought yeh ter this lot…." **

**"Load of old tosh," said Uncle Vernon. AJ jumped; she had almost forgotten that the Dursleys were there. Uncle Vernon certainly seemed to have got back his courage. He was glaring at Hagrid and his fists were clenched. **

**"Now, you listen here, girl," he snarled, "I accept there's something strange about you, probably nothing a good beating wouldn't have cured**

"You would know, you tried!" yelled Tonks

— **and as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdoes, no denying it, and the world's better off without them in my opinion **

— **asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types — just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end -"**

The mood in the room was going from bad to worse in a hurry, Hermione just wanted to finish this chapter before someone tried to kill them even though they deserved it.

**But at that moment, Hagrid leapt from the sofa and drew a battered pink umbrella from inside his coat. Pointing this at Uncle Vernon like a sword, he said, "I'm warning you, Dursley — I'm warning you — one more word…" **

**In danger of being speared on the end of an umbrella by a bearded giant, Uncle Vernon's courage failed again; he flattened himself against the wall and fell silent. **

**"That's better," said Hagrid, breathing heavily and sitting back down on the sofa, which this time sagged right down to the floor. **

**AJ, meanwhile, still had questions to ask, hundreds of them.**

**"But what happened to Vol-, sorry — I mean, You-Know-Who?" **

**"Good question, AJ. Disappeared. Vanished. Same night he tried ter kill you. Makes yeh even more famous. That's the biggest myst'ry, see… he was gettin' more an' more powerful — why'd he go? **

**"Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die.**

AJ shuddered at the reminder of Tom coming back, he was determined to make her life a living hell. Remus and Sirius held her a little tighter feeling her shudder, she didn't deserve this.

**Some say he's still out there, bidin' his time, like, but I don' believe it. People who was on his side came back ter ours. Some of 'em came outta kinda trances. Don' reckon they could've done if he was comin' back. **

**"Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers. Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about you finished him, AJ. There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on — I dunno what it was, no one does — but somethin' about you stumped him, all right."**

AJ smiled at that "Nope it was my mom and her love for me."

**Hagrid looked at AJ with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes, but AJ, instead of feeling pleased and proud, felt quite sure there had been a horrible mistake.**

"I can't imagine you not being a witch, Hogwarts wouldn't be the same." The twins smiled

**A witch? Her? How could she possibly be? She'd spent her life being tormented by Dudley, and bullied by Aunt Petunia and beaten by Uncle Vernon; if she was really a witch, why hadn't they been shocked or something every time they'd tried to lock her in her cupboard? If she'd defeated the greatest sorcerer in the world, how come Dudley and Uncle Vernon had always been able to kick her around?**

"It doesn't work like that kid, I wish it did but sadly it doesn't." Remarked Kingsley with Tonks nodding her head next to him in agreement.

**"Hagrid," she said quietly, "I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think I can be a witch." **

**To her surprise, Hagrid chuckled. **

**"Not a witch, eh? Never made things happen when you was scared or angry?" **

**AJ looked into the fire. Now she came to think about it… every odd thing that had ever made her aunt and uncle furious with her had happened when she, AJ, had been upset or angry… chased by Dudley's gang, she had somehow found herself out of their reach… dreading going to school with that ridiculous haircut, she'd managed to make it grow back… and the very last time Dudley had hit her, hadn't she got her revenge, without even realizing she was doing it? Hadn't she set a boa constrictor on him?**

"It was bloody brilliant too pup!" laughed out Sirius

**AJ looked back at Hagrid, smiling, and saw that Hagrid was positively beaming at her. **

**"See?" said Hagrid. "AJ Potter, not a witch — you wait, you'll be right famous at Hogwarts."**

**But Uncle Vernon wasn't going to give in without a fight. **

**"Haven't I told you she's not going?" he hissed. "She's going to Stonewall High and she'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters and she needs all sorts of rubbish — spell books and wands and —" **

**"If she wants ter go, a great Muggle like you won't stop her," growled Hagrid. "Stop Lily an' James Potter's daughter goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. Her name's been down ever since she was born. **

**She's off ter the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and she won't know herself. She'll be with youngsters of her own sort, fer a change, an' she'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had Albus Dumbled—" **

**"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" yelled Uncle Vernon.**

Everyone froze, no one made fun of Dumbledore in front of Hagrid, that was a dumb dumb move.

**But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head, "NEVER —" he thundered, "— INSULT — ALBUS — DUMBLEDORE — IN — FRONT — OF — ME!" He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley — there was a flash of violet light, a sound like a firecracker, a sharp squeal, and the next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot with his hands clasped over his fat bottom, howling in pain. When he turned his back on them, AJ saw a curly pig's tail poking through a hole in his trousers.**

Not a single person in the room wasn't laughing, good man Hagrid.

**There wasn't one person who wasn't laughing in the room now and it took 5 minutes for everyone to calm down and continue to read. Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley into the other room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door behind them. **

**Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard. **

**"Shouldn'ta lost me temper," he said ruefully, "but it didn't work anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do."**

"Brilliant!" the twins yelled, they needed to talk to Hagrid about ideas.

**He cast a sideways look at AJ under his bushy eyebrows. **

**"Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts," he said. "I'm — er — not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was allowed ter do a bit ter follow yeh an' get yer letters to yeh an' stuff — one o' the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job." **

**"Why aren't you supposed to do magic?" asked AJ. **

**"Oh, well — I was at Hogwarts meself but I — er — got expelled, ter tell yeh the truth. In me third year. They snapped me wand in half an' everything. But Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore." **

**"Why were you expelled?"**

"Alessandra!" Molly scolded "That was very rude! You shouldn't ask such a personal question!" Then she rounded on Sirius and Remus "And you two! You should be reprimanding her instead of egging her on! What kind of guardians are you?"

Before either could react AJ turned to Mrs. Weasley with a cold hatred in her eyes that was rarely seen, "I don't like being called by first name, and I prefer AJ. This was over four years ago like I've been saying but you can't seem to understand what I'm saying. I apologized to Hagrid afterwords but you wouldn't know that by jumping down my throat. Now as far as guardians go, my parents named Sirius my godfather and Remus is like my uncle. You're a great person Mrs. Weasley and I love your family, but no matter how hard you try you'll never be my family. Sirius and Remus are, they're the ones I'd die for, go to hell and back for. I don't appreciate you coming into my dad's home insulting the way he parents me, that is rude and uncalled for. If anyone is going to scold me for past actions it should be them." She didn't raise her voice or move an inch but the magic radiating off her at that moment would have had Voldemort shaking in his boots. Sirius and Remus smiled down at her and hugged her to them knowing she needed to know that they didn't mind her telling Molly off. Mrs. Weasley had gone very red and as she was about to open her mouth Hermione started reading very fast.

"**I'm sorry! That was rude of me." AJ said hoping that she hadn't offended the kind giant. **

AJ had a smug smirk on her face while Mrs. Weasley was muttering under her breath to Arthur who looked torn between siding with his wife and AJ.

**Hagrid gave her a small smile and then said "It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow," said Hagrid loudly. "Gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' that." **

**He took off his thick black coat and threw it to AJ. **

**"You can kip under that," he said. "Don' mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple o' doormice in one o' the pockets."**

Hermione set the book down looking relieved that it was over, "Who would like to read next?" she asked in a small voice.

Sirius who still had an arm around AJ looked at the upcoming chapter and smiled "I will!" he exclaimed, Diagon Alley was always amazing your first time he only wished he could have been with her.

"**Diagon Alley..."**

**AN: I kept the dialog kind of short in this one just because of all the talk about Voldemort and her parents being killed. **


	6. Diagon Alley

**"Diagon Alley," **a smiling Sirius read

**AJ woke early the next morning. Although she could tell it was daylight, she kept her eyes shut tight. **_**It was a dream, she told herself firmly. I dreamed a giant called Hagrid came to tell me I was going to a school for witches and wizards. When I open my eyes I'll be at home in my cupboard.**_

"You can be such a pessimist at times." Hermione shook her head

AJ raised an eyebrow at that "I know at I should be such an optimistic with all the good things that have happened to me in my life."

**There was suddenly a loud tapping noise. **

**And there's Aunt Petunia knocking on the door, AJ thought, her heart sinking.**

**But she still didn't open her eyes. It had been such a good dream.**

**Tap. Tap. Tap. **

**"All right," AJ mumbled, "I'm getting up." **

**She sat up and Hagrid's heavy coat fell off him. The hut was full of sunlight, the storm was over, Hagrid himself was asleep on the collapsed sofa, and there was an owl rapping its claw on the window, a newspaper held in its beak. **

**AJ scrambled to her feet, so happy she felt as though a large balloon was swelling inside her. She went straight to the window and jerked it open.**

**The owl swooped in and dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid, who didn't wake up. The owl then fluttered onto the floor and began to attack Hagrid's coat. **

**"Don't do that." **

**AJ tried to wave the owl out of the way, but it snapped its beak fiercely at her and carried on savaging the coat. **

**"Hagrid!" said AJ loudly. "There's an owl —" **

**"Pay him," Hagrid grunted into the sofa.**

"She won't know what that means Hagrid." Molly shook her head disapprovingly, of all the people to help AJ, they chose Hagrid.

**"What?" **

**"He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets." **

**Hagrid's coat seemed to be made of nothing but pockets — bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, teabags… finally, AJ pulled out a handful of strange-looking coins. **

**"Give him five Knuts," said Hagrid sleepily.**

"Now really" Snapped Molly "She has no idea what they are!"

"He was getting her used to currency Molly. He wasn't being rude or whatever you think!" Yelled Tonks

**"Knuts?" **

**"The little bronze ones." **

**AJ counted out five little bronze coins, and the owl held out her leg so AJ could put the money into a small leather pouch tied to it. Then he flew off through the open window. **

**Hagrid yawned loudly, sat up, and stretched.**

**"Best be off, AJ, lots ter do today, gotta get up ter London an' buy all yer stuff fer school." **

**AJ was turning over the wizard coins and looking at them. She had just thought of something that made her feel as though the happy balloon inside her had got a puncture.**

**"Um — Hagrid?" **

**"Mm?" said Hagrid, who was pulling on his huge boots. **

**"I haven't got any money — and you heard Uncle Vernon last night… he won't pay for me to go and learn magic." **

**"Don't worry about that," said Hagrid, standing up and scratching his head. "D'yeh think yer parents didn't leave yeh anything?" **

**"But if their house was destroyed —"**

Mr. Weasley turned to AJ "Do all muggles keep money in their homes?"

"Most do but some only keep credit cards which is electronic money" Seeing the confused yet excited look on Mrs. Weasleys face AJ continued "I'll explain more later, promise."

**"They didn' keep their gold in the house, girl! Nah, first stop fer us is Gringotts. Wizards' bank. Have a sausage, they're not bad cold — an' I wouldn' say no teh a bit o' yer birthday cake, neither." **

**"Wizards and Witches have banks?"**

Ron shook his head "Of course we have banks."

"Thanks Ron, I had no idea." AJ smirked

**"Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins." **

**AJ dropped the bit of sausage she was holding. **

**"Goblins?" **

**"Yeah — so yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it, I'll tell yeh that. Never mess with goblins, AJ.**

"I have a feeling AJ, Ms. Granger and young Mr. Weasley will rob the bank at some point." Chuckled Dumbledore

"We second that!" the twins agreed

Sirius and Remus shook their heads at seeing the smiles on the Golden Trios faces, it was possible with them.

**Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer anything yeh want ter keep safe — 'cept maybe Hogwarts. As a matter o' fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway. Fer Dumbledore. Hogwarts business." Hagrid drew himself up proudly. "He usually gets me ter do important stuff fer him. Fetchin' you — gettin' things from Gringotts — knows he can trust me, see." **

**"Got everythin'? Come on, then." AJ followed Hagrid out onto the rock. The sky was quite clear now and the sea gleamed in the sunlight. The boat Uncle Vernon had hired was still there, with a lot of water in the bottom after the storm. **

**"How did you get here?" AJ asked, looking around for another boat. **

**"Flew," said Hagrid. **

**"**_**Flew**_**?" **

**"Yeah — but we'll go back in this. Not s'pposed ter use magic now I've got yeh." **

**They settled down in the boat, AJ still staring at Hagrid, trying to imagine him flying.**

"So am I." giggled Ginny

**"Seems a shame ter row, though," said Hagrid, giving AJ another of his sideways looks. "If I was ter — er — speed things up a bit, would yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts?" **

**"Of course not," said AJ, eager to see more magic. Hagrid pulled out the pink umbrella again, tapped it twice on the side of the boat, and they sped off toward land. **

**"Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?" AJ asked. **

**"Spells — enchantments," said Hagrid, unfolding his newspaper as he spoke. "They say there's dragons guardin' the high security vaults. And then yeh gotta find yer way — Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London, see. Deep under the Underground. Yeh'd die of hunger tryin' ter get out, even if yeh did manage ter get yer hands on summat."**

Kingsley looked thoughtful for a moment "Didn't someone try to rob Gringotts a few years back?"

AJ snorted along with Hermione and Ron "Yeah by an idiot."

**AJ sat and thought about this while Hagrid read his newspaper, the Daily Prophet. AJ had learned from Uncle Vernon that people liked to be left alone while they did this, but it was very difficult, she'd never had so many questions in her life. **

**"Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual," Hagrid muttered, turning the page. **

**"There's a Ministry of Magic?" AJ asked, before she could stop herself. **

**"'Course," said Hagrid. "They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, o' course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the job. Bungler if ever there was one. So he pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, askin' fer advice."**

Sirius let out a low growl at that, they were and still are a bunch of idiots.

**"But what does a Ministry of Magic do?" **

**"Well, their main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there's still witches an' wizards up an' down the country."**

**"Why?" **

**"Why? Blimey, AJ, everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their problems. Nah, we're best left alone." **

**At this moment the boat bumped gently into the harbor wall. Hagrid folded up his newspaper, and they clambered up the stone steps onto the street. **

**Passersby stared a lot at Hagrid as they walked through the little town to the station. AJ couldn't blame them. Not only was Hagrid twice as tall as anyone else, he kept pointing at perfectly ordinary things like parking meters and saying loudly, "See that, AJ? Things these Muggles dream up, eh?" **

**"Hagrid," said AJ, panting a bit as she ran to keep up, "did you say there are dragons at Gringotts?" **

**"Well, so they say," said Hagrid. "Crikey, I'd like a dragon."**

Molly shuddered at the thought of him getting a dragon, while the golden trio held in their laughter thinking of Norbert.

**"You'd like one?" **

**"Wanted one ever since I was a kid — here we go." **

**They had reached the station. There was a train to London in five minutes' time. Hagrid, who didn't understand "Muggle money," as he called it, gave the bills to AJ so she could buy their tickets.**

**People stared more than ever on the train. Hagrid took up two seats and sat knitting what looked like a canary-yellow circus tent. **

**"Still got yer letter, AJ?" he asked as he counted stitches. **

**AJ took the parchment envelope out of her pocket. **

**"Good," said Hagrid. "There's a list there of everything yeh need." **

**AJ unfolded a second piece of paper she hadn't noticed the night before, and read: **

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY **

**UNIFORM **

**First-year students will require: **

**1. Three sets of plain work robes (black) **

**2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear **

**3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar) **

**4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings) **

**Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags **

**COURSE BOOKS **

**All students should have a copy of each of the following: **

**The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk **

**A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot **

**Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling **

**A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch **

**One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore **

**Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger **

**Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander **

**The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble **

**OTHER EQUIPMENT **

**1 wand **

**1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) **

**1 set of glass or crystal phials **

**1 telescope set **

**1 brass scales **

**Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad **

**PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS**

"You really need to change that rule" Remarked Sirius "It's a horrible rule Sir." Dumbledore just chuckled with that damn twinkle in his eye.

**"Can we buy all this in London?" AJ wondered aloud. **

**"If yeh know where to go," said Hagrid. **

**AJ had never been to London before. Although Hagrid seemed to know where he was going, he was obviously not used to getting there in an ordinary way. He got stuck in the ticket barrier on the Underground, and complained loudly that the seats were too small and the trains too slow. **

**"I don't know how the Muggles manage without magic," he said as they climbed a broken-down escalator that led up to a bustling road lined with shops.**

**"Hagrid," Everyone groaned rolling their eyes.**

**Hagrid was so huge that he parted the crowd easily; all AJ had to do was keep close behind him. They passed book shops and music stores, hamburger restaurants and cinemas, but nowhere that looked as if it could sell you a magic wand. This was just an ordinary street full of ordinary people. Could there really be piles of wizard gold buried miles beneath them? Were there really shops that sold**

**spell books and broomsticks? Might this not all be some huge joke that the Dursleys had cooked up?**

**If AJ hadn't known that the Dursleys had no sense of humor, she might have thought so; yet somehow, even though everything Hagrid had told her so far was unbelievable, AJ couldn't help trusting him.**

**"This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place." **

**It was a tiny, grubby-looking pub. If Hagrid hadn't pointed it out, AJ wouldn't have noticed it was there. The people hurrying by didn't glance at it. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at all. In fact, AJ had the most peculiar feeling that only she and Hagrid could see it.**

"Well you see-" began the twins but quickly stopped talking from one look of AJ's face.

**Before she could mention this, Hagrid had steered her inside. **

**For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a glass, saying, "The usual, Hagrid?" **

**"Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, clapping his great hand on AJ's shoulder and making AJ's knees buckle. **

**"Good Lord," said the bartender, peering at AJ, "is this — can this be —?" **

**The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.**

No one could imagine the Leaky Cauldron silent, it just wasn't heard of.

**"Bless my soul," whispered the old bartender, "Alessandra Potter… what an honor." **

**He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed toward AJ and seized her hand, tears in his eyes. **

**"Welcome back, Miss. Potter, welcome back." **

**AJ didn't know what to say. Everyone was looking at her. The old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out. Hagrid was beaming. **

**Then there was a great scraping of chairs and the next moment, AJ found herself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron.**

**"So proud, Miss. Potter, I'm just so proud." **

**"Always wanted to shake your hand — I'm all of a flutter." **

**"Delighted, Miss. Potter, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle." **

**"I've seen you before!" said AJ, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in his excitement. "You bowed to me once in a shop." **

Snape sneered at that, of course Potter would remember that, she soaked up her fame...didn't she?

**"She remembers!" cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. "Did you hear that? She remembers me!" AJ shook hands again and again — Doris Crockford kept coming back for more.**

**A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes was twitching. **

**"Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid. "AJ, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts." **

**"P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping AJ's hand, "c-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you."**

"Stupid, arrogant, bastard needs to burn in hell." Muttered AJ, Remus looked at her in alarm, she didn't usually sound so dark and cold when talking about people.

**"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?" **

**"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it. **

**"N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?"**

"Of course she needs it! She's only a young child." Molly growled.

AJ snorted at that "Mrs. Weasley, he was a horrible teacher and you'll see why at the end of the book so stop looking at me with that frown." Mrs. Weasley promptly turned away still fuming at AJ's manners towards her.

**He laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the very thought. **

**But the others wouldn't let Professor Quirrell keep AJ to himself. It took almost ten minutes to get away from them all. At last, Hagrid managed to make himself heard over the babble. **

**"Must get on — lots ter buy. Come on, AJ." **

**Doris Crockford shook AJ's hand one last time, and Hagrid led them through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds. **

**Hagrid grinned at AJ. **

**"Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you was famous. Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh — mind you, he's usually tremblin'." **

**"Is he always that nervous?"**

The golden trio and Snape scowled, he was a good actor that's for sure.

**"Oh, yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some firsthand experience… They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag — never been the same since. Scared of the students, scared of his own subject — now, where's me umbrella?" **

**Vampires? Hags? AJ's head was swimming. Hagrid, meanwhile, was counting bricks in the wall above the trash can. **

**"Three up… two across…" he muttered. "Right, stand back, AJ."**

**He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella. **

**The brick he had touched quivered — it wriggled — in the middle, a small hole appeared — it grew wider and wider — a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, an archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight. **

**"Welcome," said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley." **

**He grinned at AJ's amazement. They stepped through the archway. AJ looked quickly over her shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall. **

**The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. Cauldrons — All Sizes — Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver — Self-Stirring — Collapsible, said a sign hanging over them.**

**"Yeah, you'll be needin' one," said Hagrid, "but we gotta get yer money first." **

**AJ wished she had about eight more eyes.**

Everyone smiled at that, no matter how many times they went into Diagon Alley it still took their breath away.

**She turned her head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping. A plump woman outside an Apothecary was shaking her head as they passed, saying, "Dragon liver, sixteen Sickles an ounce, they're mad…"**

**A low, soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying Eeylops Owl Emporium — Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown, and Snowy. Several boys of about AJ's age had their noses pressed against a window with broomsticks in it. "Look," AJ heard one of them say, "the new Nimbus Two Thousand — fastest ever —"**

AJ smiled sadly at the mention of her old broom, it was a faithful broom if nothing else.

**There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments AJ had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon… **

**"Gringotts," said Hagrid. **

**They had reached a snowy white building that towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was — **

**"Yeah, that's a goblin," said Hagrid quietly as they walked up the white stone steps toward him. The goblin was about a head shorter than AJ.**

"At least you're taller than them." Snorted Tonks, AJ rolled her eyes at the funny Auror, she liked Tonks a lot and held AJ's respect which wasn't easy to gain.

**He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, AJ noticed, very long fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside. Now they were facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words engraved upon them: **

**Enter, stranger, but take heed **

**Of what awaits the sin of greed, **

**For those who take, but do not earn, **

**Must pay most dearly in their turn. **

**So if you seek beneath our floors **

**A treasure that was never yours, **

**Thief, you have been warned, beware **

**Of finding more than treasure there.**

**"Like I said, Yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it," said Hagrid.**

"He's just giving me the challenge now." Laughed AJ

**A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. Hagrid and AJ made for the counter. **

**"Morning," said Hagrid to a free goblin. "We've come ter take some money outta Miss. Alessandra Potter's safe." **

**"You have her key, sir?" **

**"Got it here somewhere," said Hagrid, and he started emptying his pockets onto the counter, scattering a handful of moldy dog biscuits over the goblin's book of numbers.**

"I don't think the goblin will like that" Snorted Ron " Bill told me they're very neat and don't like people messing with their things."

**The goblin wrinkled his nose. AJ watched the goblin on their right weighing a pile of rubies as big as glowing coals. **

**"Got it," said Hagrid at last, holding up a tiny golden key. **

**The goblin looked at it closely. **

**"That seems to be in order." **

**"An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid importantly, throwing out his chest. "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."**

The room snorted at that, you should never say something like that in front of a curious kid, let alone the child of Lilly and James.

**The goblin read the letter carefully. **

**"Very well," he said, handing it back to Hagrid, "I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"**

**Griphook was yet another goblin. Once Hagrid had crammed all the dog biscuits back inside his pockets, he and AJ followed Griphook toward one of the doors leading off the hall. **

**"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" AJ asked. **

**"Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that." **

**Griphook held the door open for them. AJ, who had expected more marble, was surprised. They were in a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downward and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks toward them. They climbed in — Hagrid with some difficulty — and were off. **

**At first they just hurtled through a maze of twisting passages. AJ tried to remember, 'left, right, right, left, middle fork, right, left, but it was impossible.**

"Damn kid, you've got a good memory. Ever think of being an Auror?" Remarked Kingsley.

Tonks nodded her head in agreement "You would be great AJ, think about it yeah?" AJ nodded but she wasn't sure if being an Auror was right for her especially after this war.

**The rattling cart seemed to know its own way, because Griphook wasn't steering. **

**AJ's eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but she kept them wide open. Once, she thought she saw a burst of fire at the end of a passage and twisted around to see if it was a dragon, but too late**

— **they plunged even deeper, passing an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor. **

**"I never know," AJ called to Hagrid over the noise of the cart, "what's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?"**

"Mio, I know now." Hermione had the decency to look sheepish.

**"Stalagmite's got an 'm' in it," said Hagrid. "An' don' ask me questions just now, I think I'm gonna be sick." **

**He did look very green, and when the cart stopped at last beside a small door in the passage wall, Hagrid got out and had to lean against the wall to stop his knees from trembling. **

**Griphook unlocked the door. A lot of green smoke came billowing out, and as it cleared, AJ gasped. Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns of silver. Heaps of little bronze Knuts.**

"That's just vault for school cub, you have another couple of vaults. Don't look so shocked, The Potters are one of the oldest blood lines in the wizarding world." Remus said. AJ couldn't help but notice the quick look of jealousy that passed in Ron's eyes.

**"All yours," smiled Hagrid. **

**All AJ's — it was incredible. The Dursleys couldn't have known about this or they'd have had it from him faster than blinking. How often had they complained how much AJ cost them to keep? And all the time there had been a small fortune belonging to her, buried deep under London. Hagrid helped AJ pile some of it into a bag. **

**"The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough. Right, that should be enough fer a couple o' terms, we'll keep the rest safe for yeh." He turned to Griphook. "Vault seven hundred and thirteen now, please, and can we go more slowly?"**

**"One speed only," said Griphook. **

**They were going even deeper now and gathering speed. The air became colder and colder as they hurtled round tight corners. They went rattling over an underground ravine, and AJ leaned over the side to try to see what was down at the dark bottom, but Hagrid groaned and pulled her back by the scruff of her neck.**

**Vault seven hundred and thirteen had no keyhole. **

**"Stand back," said Griphook importantly. He stroked the door gently with one of his long fingers and it simply melted away. **

**"If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there," said Griphook. **

**"How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" AJ asked. **

**"About once every ten years," said Griphook with a rather nasty grin.**

The Twins laughed "They are such a cheerful lot! I can see why Bill likes to work for them."

**Something really extraordinary had to be inside this top security vault, AJ was sure, and she leaned forward eagerly, expecting to see fabulous jewels at the very least — but at first she thought it was empty. Then she noticed a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor.**

"WHAT IS IT?" exclaimed the twins excitedly.

Mrs. Weasley frowned "None of your business, that's for sure."

"It's the philosopher's stone." Said Sirius "It's the title of the book pup, that's how I figured it out." AJ looked a little relieved at that.

**Hagrid picked it up and tucked it deep inside his coat. AJ longed to know what it was, but knew better than to ask. **

**"Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut," said Hagrid. **

**One wild cart ride later they stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts. AJ didn't know where to run first now that she had a bag full of money. She didn't have to know how many Galleons there were to a pound to know that she was holding more money than she'd had in her whole life — more money than even Dudley had ever had. **

**"Might as well get yer uniform," said Hagrid, nodding toward Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen, AJ, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts." He did still look a bit sick, so AJ entered Madam Malkin's shop alone, feeling nervous. **

**Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve. **

**"Hogwarts, dear?" she said, when AJ started to speak. "Got the lot here — another young man being fitted up just now, in fact."**

"Did you become friends?" Sirius asked

AJ snorted "No, I don't usually become friends with ferrets." Everyone who was there fourth year laughed while the others looked confused.

**In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood AJ on a stool next to her slipped a long robe over her head, and began to pin it to the right length. **

**"Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?" **

**"Yes," said AJ. **

**"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy. **

**He had a bored, drawling voice. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow." **

**AJ was strongly reminded of Dudley.**

**"Have you got your own broom?" the boy went on. **

**"No," said AJ. **

**"Play Quidditch at all?" **

**"No," AJ said again, wondering what on earth Quidditch could be.**

"The greatest sport ever!" remarked all the quidditch fans

**"I do — Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?" **

**"No," said AJ, feeling more stupid by the minute. **

**"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been — imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" **

Tonks went red from anger at that, she was very proud of her old house and when people insulted it she was usually the first to defend them.

**"Mmm," said AJ, wishing she could say something a bit more interesting. **

**"I say, look at that man!" said the boy suddenly, nodding toward the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at AJ and pointing at two large ice creams to show he couldn't come in. **

**"That's Hagrid," said AJ, pleased to know something the boy didn't. "He works at Hogwarts." **

**"Oh," said the boy, "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"**

**"He's the gamekeeper," said AJ. She was liking the boy less and less every second. **

**"Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage — lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed."**

**"I think he's brilliant," said AJ coldly. **

**"Do you?" said the boy, with a slight sneer. "Why is he with you? Where are your parents?" **

**"They're dead," said AJ shortly. She didn't feel much like going into the matter with this boy. **

**"Oh, sorry," said the other, not sounding sorry at all. **

Snape looked rather green at this, from what his godson had told him AJ was the one who was acting arrogant.

**"But they were our kind, weren't they?" **

**"They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean." **

**"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What's your surname, anyway?"**

**But before AJ could answer, Madam Malkin said, "That's you done, my dear," and AJ, not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy, hopped down from the footstool. **

**"Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose," said the drawling boy.**

"Wished we hadn't." snorted Ron

**AJ was rather quiet as she ate the ice cream Hagrid had bought her (chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts). **

**"What's up?" said Hagrid. **

**"Nothing," AJ lied. **

**They stopped to buy parchment and quills. AJ cheered up a bit when she found a bottle of ink that changed color as you wrote. When they had left the shop, she said, "Hagrid, what's Quidditch?"**

Sirius and Remus shook their heads sadly at that, James would be rolling in his grave at that.

**"Blimey, AJ, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know — not knowin' about Quidditch!" **

**"Don't make me feel worse," said AJ. She told Hagrid about the pale boy in Madam Malkin's. **

**"— and he said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed in —" **

**"Yer not from a Muggle family. If he'd known who yeh were — he's grown up knowin' yer name if his parents are wizardin' folk. You saw what everyone in the Leaky Cauldron was like when they saw yeh. Anyway, what does he know about it, some o' the best I ever saw were the only ones with magic in 'em in a long line o' Muggles — look at yer mum! Look what she had fer a sister!" **

**"So what is Quidditch?" **

**"It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like — like soccer in the Muggle world — everyone follows Quidditch — played up in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls — sorta hard ter explain the rules." **

**"And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?" **

**"School houses. There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers, but —"**

Tonks scowled at that, she would be talking to Hagrid about that latter.

**"I bet I'm in Hufflepuff," said AJ gloomily.**

"I'm sorry Tonks," AJ said seeing the look on her friends face "Hufflepuffs are great, I just didn't hear good things about any house other than Gryffindor at the time." Tonks smiled brightly at that and accepted her apology.

**"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," said Hagrid darkly. "There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one."**

**"Vol-, sorry —You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?" **

**"Years an' years ago," said Hagrid. **

**They bought AJ's school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all. Even Dudley, who never read anything, would have been wild to get his hands on some of these. Hagrid almost had to drag AJ away from Curses and Countercurses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More) by Professor Vindictus Viridian. **

**"I was trying to find out how to curse Dudley."**

The pranksters laughed at that. "You're amazing AJ!" The twins gasped out through laughter.

**"I'm not sayin' that's not a good idea, but yer not ter use magic in the Muggle world except in very special circumstances," said Hagrid. "An' anyway, yeh couldn' work any of them curses yet, yeh'll need a lot more study before yeh get ter that level." **

**Hagrid wouldn't let AJ buy a solid gold cauldron, either ("It says pewter on yer list"), but they got a nice set of scales for weighing potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope. Then they visited the Apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. While Hagrid asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for AJ, AJ herself examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule, glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop). **

**Outside the Apothecary, Hagrid checked AJ's list again. **

**"Just yer wand left — A yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present." **

**AJ felt herself go red. **

**"You don't have to —"**

"You're getting spoiled from now on pup." Sirius smiled at this daughter. Noticing she was about to protest Remus interjected

"Don't argue cub, we'll just spoil you more." He laughed

**"I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at**

— **an' I don' like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls, they're dead useful, carry yer mail an' everythin'." **

**Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes. AJ now carried a large cage that held a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head under her wing. She couldn't stop stammering her thanks, sounding just like Professor Quirrell. **

**"Don' mention it," said Hagrid gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursleys. Just Ollivanders left now — only place fer wands, Ollivanders, and yeh gotta have the best wand." **

**A magic wand… this was what AJ had been really looking forward to.**

"That was my favorite part too." Smiled Hermione to her best friend

**The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window. **

**A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Hagrid sat on to wait. AJ felt strangely as though she had entered a very strict library; she swallowed a lot of new questions that had just occurred to her and looked instead at the thousands**

**of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of her neck prickled. **

**The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.**

Everyone looked shocked at that, but no more than Snape. Dumbledore turned to her and with a huge smile said "You're a very powerful witch AJ, probably the most powerful witch of our time."

**"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. AJ jumped. Hagrid must have jumped, too, because there was a loud crunching noise and she got quickly off the spindly chair. **

**An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop. **

**"Hello," said AJ awkwardly. **

**"Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Alessandra Potter." It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."**

Ron looked shocked at that, "How does he remember that sir?"

Dumbledore looked thoughtful for a moment, "I believe a memory charm, and he does love his work and takes pride in Mr. Weasley."

**Mr. Ollivanders moved closer to AJ. AJ wished he would blink. Those silvery eyes were a bit creepy. **

**"Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it — it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."**

AJ smiled happily "Just like my daddy in transfiguration!"

**Mr. Ollivanders had come so close that he and AJ were almost nose to nose. AJ could see herself reflected in those misty eyes. **

**"And that's where…" **

**Mr. Ollivanders touched the lightning scar on AJ's forehead with a long, white finger.**

Hermione snorted at that, that wouldn't be considered creepy at all.

**"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly. "Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands… well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do…" **

**He shook his head and then, to AJ's relief, spotted Hagrid. **

**"Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again… Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?" **

**"It was, sir, yes," said Hagrid. **

**"Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" said Mr. Ollivander, suddenly stern. **

**"Er — yes, they did, yes," said Hagrid, shuffling his feet. "I've still got the pieces, though," he added brightly. **

**"But you don't use them?" said Mr. Ollivander sharply. **

**"Oh, no, sir," said Hagrid quickly.**

"Oh no, of course not." Laughed the twins, they loved Hagrid

**AJ noticed he gripped his pink umbrella very tightly as he spoke.**

"You're really observant AJ." Remarked Tonks

**"Hmmm," said Mr. Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look. "Well, now — Miss. Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?" **

**"Er — well, I'm right-handed," said AJ. **

**"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured AJ from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round her head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Miss. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons.**

**No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's or witches wand."**

"Why is that?" asked Ginny quietly

"The wand chooses the witch or wizard Gin." AJ said with a smile knowing Ginny still didn't feel one hundred percent comfortable around her.

**AJ suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring between her nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes. **

**"That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Miss. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. just take it and give it a wave." **

**AJ took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of her hand almost at once. **

**"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try —" **

**AJ tried — but she had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander. **

**"No, no — here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, and try it out."**

"How many did you end up trying Potter?" Snape asked

AJ thought for a moment, "I don't know, maybe forty-five, he seemed to like a challenge."

**AJ tried. And tried. She had no idea what Mr. Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Mr. Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become. **

**"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere — I wonder, now — yes, why not — unusual combination — holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple." **

**AJ took the wand. She felt a sudden warmth in her fingers. **

**She raised the wand above her head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. **

**Hagrid whooped and clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well… how curious… how very curious…"**

Once the excitement of getting the correct wand died down Ron asked "what's curious?"

AJ smirked but didn't reply much to his annoyance.

**He put AJ's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious… curious…" **

**"Sorry," said AJ, "but what's curious?" **

**Mr. Ollivander fixed AJ with his pale stare. **

**"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Miss. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather — just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother — why, its brother gave you that scar."**

No one other than Ron seemed to have an issue with this, "What do you mean that's the brother to his wand!"

AJ raised an eyebrow at him and asked calmly "Is that a problem Ron? Are you afraid that I'm evil all of a sudden? But then again if I was evil I wouldn't have saved your sister right?"

Mrs. Weasley couldn't hold back any longer "There's no need to get snappy AJ, Ron just asked a simple question." It seemed like Sirius and Remus had reached their breaking points also but before they could even say a word Dumbledore spoke up

"AJ is not evil and her wand is very special, no wand is evil but the person who holds it can do evil things with it. Please continue Sirius."

Sirius continued in what would have been a calm voice if his teeth weren't clenched together.

**AJ swallowed. **

**"Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember… I think we must expect great things from you, Miss. Potter… After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things — terrible, yes, but great."**

Before anyone could attack the poor wand maker AJ spoke up "He's admiring the magic behind the things he did, it takes a lot to be able to have that magic ability. Obviously he couldn't handle it."

**AJ shivered. She wasn't sure she liked Mr. Ollivander too much. She paid seven gold Galleons for her wand, and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his shop. **

**The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky as AJ and Hagrid made their way back down Diagon Alley, back through the wall, back through the Leaky Cauldron, now empty. AJ didn't speak at all as they walked down the road; she didn't even notice how much people were gawking at them on the Underground, laden as they were with all their funny-shaped packages, with the snowy owl asleep in its cage on AJ's lap. Up another escalator, out into Paddington station; AJ only realized where they were when Hagrid tapped her on the shoulder. **

**"Got time fer a bite to eat before yer train leaves," he said. **

**He bought AJ a hamburger and they sat down on plastic seats to eat them. AJ kept looking around. Everything looked so strange, somehow. **

**"You all right, AJ? Yer very quiet," said Hagrid. **

**AJ wasn't sure she could explain. She'd just had the best birthday of her life — and yet — she chewed her hamburger, trying to find the words.**

**"Everyone thinks I'm special," she said at last.**

"You are my dear." Murmured Dumbledore

**"All those people in the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr. Ollivander… but I don't know anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things? I'm famous and I can't even remember what I'm famous for. I don't know what happened when Vol-, sorry — I mean, the night my parents died." **

**Hagrid leaned across the table. Behind the wild beard and eyebrows he wore a very kind smile. **

**"Don' you worry, AJ. You'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the beginning at Hogwarts, you'll be just fine. Just be yerself. I know it's hard. Yeh've been singled out, an' that's always hard. But yeh'll have a great time at Hogwarts — I did — still do, 'smatter of fact."**

**Hagrid helped AJ on to the train that would take her back to the Dursleys, then handed her an envelope. **

**"Yer ticket fer Hogwarts, " he said. "First o' September — King's Cross — it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me…. See yeh soon, AJ." **

**The train pulled out of the station. AJ wanted to watch Hagrid until he was out of sight; she rose in her seat and pressed her nose against the window, but she blinked and Hagrid had gone.**

"How did you get onto the train?" Tonks looked a little worried for her

AJ smirked at the Weasleys, "I get on just fine, don't worry. How about you read next Ron."

Ron shrugged and picked up the book then scowled at her...**"** **The Journey From Platform Nine and Three-Quarters..."**


	7. The Journey From Platform Nine and Three

**AJ's last month with the Dursleys wasn't fun.**

Ron snorted at that, did she ever have fun there?

**True, Dudley was now so scared of AJ, he wouldn't stay in the same room, while Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't shut AJ in her cupboard, force her to do anything, or shout at her — in fact, they didn't speak to her at all.**

Tonks looked at her "Wouldn't that be better than shouting?"

AJ shook her head "Not really, they were completely indifferent towards me at that point; they didn't care if I lived or died." Tonks' hair went a mousy brown at that; it wasn't fair AJ couldn't have loving relatives.

**Half terrified, half furious, they acted as though any chair with AJ in it were empty. Although this was an improvement in many ways, it did become a bit depressing after a while. AJ kept to her room, with her new owl for company. She had decided to call her Hedwig, a name she had found in A History of Magic. Her school books were very interesting.**

Ron, the Twins and Sirius all look scandalized at the thought, while Hermione was positively beaming at that.

**She lay on her bed reading late into the night, Hedwig swooping in and out of the open window as she pleased. It was lucky that Aunt Petunia didn't come in to vacuum anymore, because Hedwig kept bringing back dead mice. Every night before she went to sleep, AJ ticked off another day on the piece of paper she had pinned to the wall, counting down to September the first.**

Sirius nodded his head; he had done the same thing, AJ gave him a reassuring hug. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Snape grimace, she felt that maybe he had the same upbringing.

**On the last day of August she thought she'd better speak to her aunt and uncle about getting to King's Cross station the next day, so she went down to the living room where they were watching a quiz show on television. She cleared her throat to let them know she was there, and Dudley screamed and ran from the room.**

Kingsley snorted at that; if only they knew how powerful AJ actually was they all would have gone running towards the hills.

**"Er — Uncle Vernon?" **

**Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listening. **

**"Er — I need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to — to go to Hogwarts." **

**Uncle Vernon grunted again. **

**"Would it be all right if you gave me a lift?" **

**Grunt. AJ supposed that meant yes.**

"You shouldn't have assumed AJ, what would have happened if that meant no?" Mrs. Weasley frowned

"I would have made an ass out of me and you then I suppose." Laughed AJ, no one other than Molly and Arthur could hold in their laughter, AJ always did have a sharp tongue.

**"Thank you."**

"You still remain polite? You amaze me kid." Kinsley chuckled

**She was about to go back upstairs when Uncle Vernon actually spoke. **

**"Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?" **

**AJ knew they were illegal but kept her mouth shut knowing her Uncle didn't care one or the other.**

**"Where is this school, anyway?"**

"**Scotland." Replied AJ a little smug**

**"I have to take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock," she read. **

**Her aunt and uncle stared. **

**"Platform what?" **

**"Nine and three-quarters." **

**"Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon. "There is no platform nine and three-quarters."**

"Really?" snarled Remus "We must have been mistaken all these years."

**"It's on my ticket." **

**"Barking," said Uncle Vernon, "howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. You just wait. All right, we'll take you to King's Cross. We're going up to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother." **

**"Why are you going to London?" AJ asked, trying to keep things friendly.**

**"Taking Dudley to the hospital," growled Uncle Vernon. "Got to have that ruddy tail removed before he goes to Smeltings."**

"Damn" Muttered Tonks "nothing turns a girl on like a pigs tail."

AJ busted out laughing despite Mrs. Weasleys warning glare, she liked Tonks more and more.

**AJ woke at five o'clock the next morning and was too excited and nervous to go back to sleep. **

**She got up and pulled on her jeans because she didn't want to walk into the station in her wizard's robes —she'd change on the train. She checked her Hogwarts list yet again to make sure she had everything she needed, saw that Hedwig was shut safely in her cage, and then paced the room, waiting for the Dursleys to get up. **

**Two hours later, AJ's huge, heavy trunk had been loaded into the Dursleys' car, Aunt Petunia had talked Dudley into sitting next to AJ, and they had set off.**

AJ snorted at that, more like bribed him.

**They reached King's Cross at half past ten. Uncle Vernon dumped AJ's trunk onto a cart and wheeled it into the station for her.**

Dumbledore shook his head at that; there must have been a catch in there somehow, he was really regretting leaving AJ there.

**AJ thought this was strangely kind until Uncle Vernon stopped dead, facing the platforms with a nasty grin on his face. **

**"Well, there you are, girl. Platform nine — platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?" **

**He was quite right, of course. There was a big plastic number nine over one platform and a big plastic number ten over the one next to it, and in the middle, nothing at all. **

**"Have a good term," said Uncle Vernon with an even nastier smile. He left without another word. AJ turned and saw the Dursleys drive away. All three of them were laughing.**

Everyone looked at the book with hatred in their eyes, Snape was beyond furious at Petunia; she knew how to get onto the platform.

**AJ's mouth went rather dry. What on earth was she going to do? She was starting to attract a lot of funny looks, because of Hedwig. She'd have to ask someone. She stopped a passing guard, but didn't dare mention platform nine and three-quarters. The guard had never heard of Hogwarts and when AJ couldn't even tell him what part of the country it was in, he started to get annoyed, as though AJ was being stupid on purpose. Getting desperate, AJ asked for the train that left at eleven o'clock, but the guard said there wasn't one. **

**In the end the guard strode away, muttering about time wasters. AJ was now trying hard not to panic. According to the large clock over the arrivals board, she had ten minutes left to get on the train to Hogwarts and she had no idea how to do it; she was stranded in the middle of a station with a trunk she could hardly lift, a pocket full of wizard money, and a large owl. **

**Hagrid must have forgotten to tell her something you had to do, like tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley. She wondered if she should get out her wand and start tapping the ticket inspector's stand between platforms nine and ten.**

"You didn't actually do that did you?" snorted Ron

"No I didn't! It was a thought!" snarled AJ, she didn't know what Rons problem was lately but judging by the look on Hermiones face she didn't know either.

**At that moment a group of people passed just behind her and she caught a few words of what they were saying. **

**"— packed with Muggles, of course —" **

**AJ swung round. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. **

**Each of them was pushing a trunk like AJ's in front of him — and they had an owl.**

**Heart hammering, AJ pushed her cart after them. They stopped and so did she, just near enough to hear what they were saying. **

**"Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother. **

**"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also red-headed, who was holding her hand, "Mom, can't I go…"**

As Ginny blushed fire engine red Sirius turned to Molly "Why ask if you're with them? It seems kind of repetitive if you ask me."

Molly looked very offended at Sirius scolding her on parental styles.

**"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first." **

**What looked like the oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and ten. **

**AJ watched, careful not to blink in case she missed it — but just as the boy reached the dividing barrier between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of her and by the time the last backpack had cleared away, the boy had vanished. **

**"Fred, you next," the plump woman said. **

**"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"**

**"Sorry, George, dear." **

**"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went.**

"It was actually George who said that. Your guys magic has different auras, just slightly but different." AJ said to the shocked people in the room.

**His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later, he had gone — but how had he done it? Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier he was almost there — and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere. There was nothing else for it. **

**"Excuse me," AJ said to the plump woman. **

**"Hello, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too."**

**She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin, and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.**

"Thanks for the description AJ, you're so sweet." Snarled a red faced Ron while the twins were on the floor laughing hysterically.

"No problem mate, always here to lift your spirits up." AJ rolled her eyes

**"Yes," said AJ. "The thing is — the thing is, I don't know how to —" **

**"How to get onto the platform?" she said kindly, and AJ nodded. **

**"Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron." **

**"Er — okay," said AJ. **

**She pushed her trolley around and stared at the barrier. It looked very solid.**

**She started to walk toward it. People jostled her on their way to platforms nine and ten. AJ walked more quickly. She was going to smash right into that barrier and then she'd be in trouble — leaning forward on her cart, she broke into a heavy run — the barrier was coming nearer and nearer — she wouldn't be able to stop — the cart was out of control — she was a foot away — she closed her eyes ready for the crash — It didn't come… she kept on running… she opened her eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts' Express, eleven o'clock. AJ looked behind her and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it, she had done it.**

"Good job pup! New you could do it." Chuckled Sirius

"You're hilarious; you should have a microphone in one hand and a brick wall behind you." Joked AJ

**Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks. **

**The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. AJ pushed her cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat. She passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again."**

**"Oh, Neville," she heard the old woman sigh. **

**A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd. **

**"Give us a look, Lee, go on." **

**The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.**

"Whatever happened to that little guy?" Asked George

Fred shook his head "I don't know, he kind of disappeared."

"Hedwig ate it guys." Laughed AJ at their shocked faces

**AJ pressed on through the crowd until she found an empty compartment near the end of the train. She put Hedwig inside first and then started to shove and heave her trunk toward the train door. She tried to lift it up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice she dropped it painfully on her foot. **

**"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins he'd followed through the barrier. **

**"Yes, please," AJ panted. **

**"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!" **

**With the twins' help, AJ's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment. **

**"Thanks," said AJ, pushing her sweaty hair out of her eyes. **

**"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at AJ's lightning scar. **

**"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you —?" **

**"She is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to AJ. **

**"What?" said AJ. **

**"Alessandra Potter." chorused the twins. **

**AJ grimaced at her given name "Yes I am, but AJ is fine."**

**The two boys gawked at her, and AJ felt herself turning red. Then, to her relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door.**

"Sorry AJ." Murmured the twins seeing the looks on Sirius and Remus' faces, it didn't take a genius to figure out they weren't happy.

**"Fred? George? Are you there?" **

**"Coming, Mom." **

**With a last look at AJ, the twins hopped off the train. **

**AJ sat down next to the window where, half hidden, she could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying.**

Sirius and Remus shared a grin at that, their little marauder in training!

**Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief. **

**"Ron, you've got something on your nose." **

**The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose. **

**"Mom— geroff" He wriggled free. **

**"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins. **

**"Shut up," said Ron. **

**"Where's Percy?" said their mother. **

**"He's coming now." **

**The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and AJ noticed a red and gold badge on his chest with the letter **_**P**_** on it.**

All the Weasley children look disgusted with their brother while Mr. and Mrs. Weasley looked upset that their son turned his back on them.

**"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves —" **

**"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea." **

**"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once —" **

**"Or twice —" **

**"A minute —" **

**"All summer —"**

Snapes upper lip curled a little at that though he would never admit to thinking the Weasley twins were funny.

**"Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect. **

**"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins. **

**"Because he's a prefect," said their mother fondly. "All right, dear, well, have a good term — send me an owl when you get there."**

AJ couldn't help but snort at how Mrs. Weasley picked favorites with her children, it was going to bite her in the ass one day.

**She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins. **

**"Now, you two — this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've — you've blown up a toilet or —"**

**"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet." **

**"Great idea though, thanks, Mom."**

Remus, Sirius, Tonks and Kingsley laughed at that, once Tonks got her laughing under control she choked out "Never give a prankster an idea Molly."

**"Molly some advice, never give a prankster ideas." Remus said. Molly nodded her head.**

**"It's not funny. And look after Ron." **

**"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us." **

**"Shut up," said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it. **

**"Hey, Mom, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?" **

**AJ leaned back quickly so they couldn't see her looking. **

**"You know that black-haired girl who was near us in the station? Know who she is?" **

**"Who?" **

**" Alessandra Potter! But she prefers AJ." **

**AJ heard the little girl's voice. **

**"Oh, Mom, can I go on the train and see her, Mom, eh please…"**

Ginny couldn't stop blushing at that while Hermione looked at her through narrowed eyes, she sounded like a stalker or a junior stalker really.

**"You've already seen her, Ginny, and the poor girl isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is she really, Fred? How do you know?" **

**"Asked her. Saw her scar. It's really there — like lightning." **

**"Poor dear — no wonder she was alone, I wondered. She was ever so polite when she asked how to get onto the platform." **

**"Never mind that, do you think she remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"**

"I'm sure she doesn't." grumbled an irate Kingsley

**Their mother suddenly became very stern. **

Sirius snorted at that, when wasn't she stern.

**"I forbid you to ask her, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though she needs reminding of that on her first day at school." **

**"All right, keep your hair on." **

**A whistle sounded. **

**"Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry. **

"Do you have to notice everything AJ?" yelled Ginny

AJ looked at her like she was crazy, "It was years ago Ginny, no one cares trust me."

**"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls." **

**"We'll send you a Hogwarts' toilet seat."**

**"George!"**

**"Only joking, Mom." **

**The train began to move. AJ saw the boys' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed, then she fell back and waved. AJ watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. AJ felt a great leap of excitement. She didn't know what she was going to — but it had to be better than what she was leaving behind.**

**The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy came in. **

**"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite AJ. "Everywhere else is full." **

Kingsley looked a little shocked at that "Was it really all full or did you just want a glimpse of AJ Potter?"

**AJ shook her head and the boy sat down. He glanced at AJ and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. AJ saw he still had a black mark on his nose.**

**"Hey, Ron." **

**The twins were back. **

**"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train — Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there." **

**"Right," mumbled Ron. **

**"AJ," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then."**

**"Bye," said AJ and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them. **

**"Are you really AJ Potter?" Ron blurted out. **

**AJ nodded. **

**"Oh — well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you really got — you know…" **

**He pointed at AJ's forehead. **

**AJ pulled back her bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron stared.**

"That was really rude Ron, for once you should have listen to your mother." Sirius said looking at Ron in a new light.

Remus nodded in agreement, "That wasn't the best opener."

Ron blushed profusely at this, he was just a kid, he wasn't like that now...was he?

**"So that's where You-Know-Who —?"**

**"Yes," said AJ, "but I can't remember it." **

**"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.**

**"Well — I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else." **

**"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at AJ for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again. **

**"Are all your family wizards?" asked AJ, who found Ron just as interesting as Ron found him.**

Ron looked shocked at that, why would she find him interesting?

**Er — Yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."**

**"So you must know loads of magic already." **

**The Weasleys were clearly one of those old wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Alley had talked about.**

**"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like?" **

**"Horrible — well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. I wouldn't mind having a couple older brothers."**

**"Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. **

**"I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left — Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."**

The Weasleys looked at Ron in shocked, he was very important to them, didn't he see that?

**Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was asleep. "His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff — I mean, I got Scabbers instead." **

**Ron's ears went pink.**

**He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window. AJ didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, she'd never had any money in her life until a month ago, and she told Ron so, about not having anything new and never getting anything from her so called family that wasn't considered a necessity. This seemed to cheer Ron up.**

Hermione shook her head sadly at that, Ron was a great friend but he thought about money way too much.

**"… and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a witch or about my parents or Voldemort —" **

**Ron gasped. **

**"What?" said AJ. **

**"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people —" **

**"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said AJ, "I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn… I bet," she added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying her a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the class."**

Everyone who went to school with or taught AJ laughed at that. AJ was a very intelligent witch, even Snape had to admit that.

**"You won't be. There are loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quickly enough." **

**While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past. Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?" **

**AJ, who hadn't had any breakfast, leapt to her feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. AJ went out into the corridor. She had never had any money for candy with the Dursleys, and now that she had pockets rattling with gold and silver she was ready to buy as many Chocolate Turtles as she could carry — but the woman didn't have any. What she did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things AJ had never seen in her life. Not wanting to miss anything, she got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts. **

**Ron stared as AJ it all back in to the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat. **

**"Hungry, are you?" **

**"Starving," said AJ, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty. **

**Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef…"**

Molly had the decency to look sheepish at that "Sorry dear, I'll try and remember."

Ron just waved her off, it wasn't that big of a deal.

**"Swap you for one of these," said AJ, holding up a pasty. "Go on —" **

**"You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us." **

**"Go on, have a pasty," said AJ, who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all AJ's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten). **

**"What are these?" AJ asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs.**

**"They're not really frogs, are they?" She was starting to feel that nothing would surprise her. **

**"No," said Ron. "But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa."**

Remus thought for a moment, "I have four of her." Remus scowled at Sirius muttering something about a chocolate addiction and needing help. Ron looked at Remus with jealousy.

**"What?" **

**"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know — Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside them, you know, to collect — famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy." **

**AJ unwrapped her Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair, beard, and mustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.**

"I'm very happy and honored that I was you first chocolate frog AJ." Smiled Dumbledore

"I was too Sir." Laughed AJ

**"So this is Dumbledore!" said AJ. **

**"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron.**

**"Ron I was raised by muggles." AJ said slowly, as if talking to a 5 year old. Ron blushed and looked down.**

**"Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa — thanks —" **

**AJ turned over her card and read: **

**ALBUS DUMBLEDORE **

**CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS **

**Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling. **

**AJ turned the card back over and saw, to her astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared. **

**"He's gone!" **

**"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron.**

"Pictures don't move in the Muggle world, correct?"

AJ and Hermione looked shocked at Mr. Weasley but nodded their heads.

**"He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her… do you want it? You can start collecting." **

**Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped. "Help yourself," said AJ. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos."**

"Dad and AJ are alike!" smirked the twins

**"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "Weird!" **

**AJ stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on his card and gave him a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but AJ couldn't keep her eyes off them. Soon she had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, and Merlin. She finally tore her eyes away from the Druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. **

**"You want to be careful with those," Ron warned AJ. "When they say every flavor, they mean every flavor — you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a booger-flavored one once."**

"I did." Exclaimed George while Dumbledore held back a tear thinking of his sister.

**Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully, and bit into a corner. **

**"Bleaaargh — see? Sprouts." **

**Every Flavor Beans. AJ got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny gray one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper. **

**The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills. **

**There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy AJ had passed on platform nine and three-quarters came in. He looked tearful. **

**"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?" **

**When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"**

**"He'll turn up," said AJ with a smile hoping to cheer the boy up.**

**"Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him…" **

**He left. **

**"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."**

Sirius, Remus, Hermione and AJ scowled at the book. That damn rat caused more problems.

**The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap. **

**"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look…" **

**He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end. **

**"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway —"**

"That's not good Mr. Weasley that can cause problems to your spells." Remarked Dumbledore to the ever blushing teen.

**He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes. **

**"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.**

Before Hermione could comment AJ smiled at her "Sorry Mio, no one has a good description, if you want I will write a strongly worded letter to the author." Hermione couldn't hold back her laughter at her best friend.

**"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand. **

**"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then." **

**She sat down. Ron looked taken aback. **

**"Er — all right." **

**He cleared his throat. **

**"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."**

**He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep. AJ was pretty sure it wasn't a real spell so she just smiled at him.**

Sirius kissed the top of her head, "you're very sweet." He smiled down at her.

**Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it? **

**I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard — I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough — I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"**

Hermione looked like she wanted to kick herself for acting like that.

**She said all this very fast. **

**AJ looked at Ron, and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learned all the course books by heart either. **

**"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered. **

**"AJ Potter," said AJ. **

**"Are you really?" said Hermione. **

**"I know all about you, of course — I got a few extra books, for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."**

"**Thanks for that, I had no idea." AJ said with a slight edge to it.**

**"Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad… Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon." And she left, taking the toadless boy with her. **

**"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron.**

Hermione looked upset at that, but Ron being Ron didn't notice. AJ reached over and gave her hand a squeeze letting her know she was there for support.

**He threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell — George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud." **

**"What house are your brothers in?" asked AJ. **

**"Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. "Mom and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin." **

**"That's the house Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?" **

**"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed. **

**"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," said AJ, trying to take Ron's mind off houses. **

**"So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?" **

**AJ was wondering what a witch or wizard did once they'd finished school.**

"The best ones become Auroras." Kingsley said in a hopeful voice that AJ would consider it, they needed someone like her.

**"Plenty of things. But you will find out all this next year." Bill said. AJ smiled at him and nodded.**

**"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Egypt doing something for Gringotts," said Ron. **

**"Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles — someone tried to rob a high security vault." **

**AJ stared. **

**"Really? What happened to them?" **

**"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. **

**My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."**

"He was." Snarled the golden trio, while Sirius and Remus shared concerned looks. What in the hell happened at that school?

**AJ turned this news over in her mind. She was starting to get a prickle of fear every time You-Know-Who was mentioned. She supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying. **

**"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked. **

**"Er — I don't know any." AJ confessed.**

**"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world —" And he was off, explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money. He was just taking AJ through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy, or Hermione Granger this time. Three boys entered, and AJ recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop.**

**He was looking at AJ with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley. **

**"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Alessandra Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?" **

**"It's AJ," said AJ. She was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards.**

Snape couldn't help but snort at that, that's all they were to his godson.

**"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where AJ was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." **

**Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him. **

**"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford." **

**He turned back to AJ. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."**

Tonks looked at Sirius "Can you believe we're related to that git?" Sirius shook his head, it was still a mystery to him after all these years how his cousin could of married that jerk.

**He held out his hand to shake AJ's, but AJ didn't take it. **

**"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," she said coolly. **

**Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks. **

**"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents.**

Snape growled lowly at that, Lilly didn't deserve death and Potter...well Potter was an idiot but not even he deserved that fate.

AJ curled herself into Sirius and Remus soaking up their comfort, it felt good to have it even if it was years after the fact.

**They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you." **

**Both AJ and Ron stood up. **

**Before Ron could say anything AJ looked Malfoy in the eye "Do you want to repeat that? Because I'm certain I didn't hear you correctly."**

**"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered. **

**"Unless you get out now," said AJ, more bravely than she felt, because Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than her or Ron. **

**"But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some." **

**Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron — Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell. **

**Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle**

"Only good thing that bastard did." Snarled out Sirius and Remus.

— **Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once. Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in. **

**"What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail. **

**"I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to AJ. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No — I don't believe it — he's gone back to sleep."**

**And so he had. **

**"You've met Malfoy before?" **

**AJ explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley. **

**"I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side." He turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?" **

**"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"**

**"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"**

"You do realize AJ is a girl too right? A bad ass one but a girl none the less." Tonks smirked

**"All right — I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice. **

**"And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"**

Ron turned a glare on Hermione who stared right back, "What Ron? Like AJ has been saying all along its years ago, no need to cry over spilled milk." Seeing some confused looks she shook her head "Muggle saying."

**Ron glared at her as she left. AJ peered out of the window. It was getting dark. She could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down. She and Ron took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes. Ron's were a bit short for him, you could see his sneakers underneath them. **

**A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately." **

**AJ's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, she saw, looked pale under his freckles. They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor. The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. AJ shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and AJ heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, AJ?"**

AJ smiled at that, Hagrid was such a good friend.

**Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads. **

**"C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" **

**Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that AJ thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice. **

**"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here." **

**There was a loud "Oooooh!" **

**The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers. **

**"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. AJ and Ron were followed into their boat by Neville and Hermione. **

**"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then — FORWARD!" **

**And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.**

AJ and Sirius smiled dreamily at that, it was both of their first homes, it was a magical place and not just for the actual magic held there.

**"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles. **

**"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them. **

**"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. **

**They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door. **

**"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"**

Dumbledore smiled at that, Hagrid cared for all the students of Hogwarts.

**Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.**

Sirius placed the book down, "That's the end of that chapter. Who wants to read next."

Remus picked the book up and looked at the next chapter, he was glad the be reading about his cubs sorting, **"The Sorting Hat," **he said in his normal calm voice...


	8. The Sorting Hat

**The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and AJ's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.**

Sirius snorted at that "She's a big softy at heart, the times she let your dad and I off the hook proves that." Remus shook his head fondly at his husband; he always found humor in any given situation.

**"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.**

**"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."**

**She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.**

Kingsley shook his head at AJ with a small smile on his face, she really was observant.

**They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Jasmine could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right — the rest of the school must already be here — but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.**

**"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. **

**The four houses are called **

**Gryffindor, **

"The bravest!" shouted AJ, Hermione, Ginny, Ron, The Twins, Remus and Sirius

**Hufflepuff, **

"The most loyal!" yelled Tonks

**Ravenclaw, **

"The smartest!" Kingsley laughed at the death glairs he was receiving.

**and Slytherin.**

"The most cunning. Happy?" sneered Snape

**Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."**

**"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."**

**Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose.**

"Two people told you that and yet you haven't done anything about it?" laughed Tonks

**AJ pulled her hair into a ponytail out of habit.**

**"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."**

**She left the chamber. AJ swallowed.**

**"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" she asked Ron.**

**"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."**

"I have some advice Ron and I hope you listen, stop taking advice from the twins, they're pranksters." Sighed Sirius

Ron turned red at that, he thought the twins wouldn't lie about that, noticing the look on Rons face Remus turned to Sirius "Siri, be nice love." Sirius smiled apologetically to Ron while giving Remus' hand a squeeze.

**While she thought Ron should listen to his brothers a lot less than he does, AJ's heart gave a horrible jolt. A test in front of the whole school? AJ had never been so glad for her eidetic memory before. **

Remus stopped reading that and everyone turned to the girl who was trying to hide her face in her godfather's chest.

The twins shared a look before asking "What's an eidetic memory?"

Dumbledore was the first to get over his shock so he answered in his ever calm voice "AJ has the ability to visualize and reproduce accurately the image of objects or events previously seen or imagined. That also means anything she reads she memorizes and is stored in her mind, that is very interesting gift my dear, very rare."

Remus and Sirius shared proud looks; their daughter in all but blood was amazing. Remus decided to save AJ more embarrassment continued but if one looked closely had a smug smile on his face.

**She looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified, too. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was annoyingly whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. AJ tried hard not to listen to her. She'd never been more nervous, never, not even when she'd had to take a school report home to the Dursleys saying that she'd somehow turned her teacher's wig blue. **

Everyone laughed at that, she had such fun accidental magic.

**She kept her eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would come back .Then something happened that made her eyes widen— several people behind her screamed. **

**"What the —?"**

**She blinked.**

Arthur laughed at that, "You don't react normal to anything do you AJ?"

"No, I like to separate myself from the crowd." She chuckled back

**The people around her gasped loudly. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing.**

**What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance —"**

**"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost — I say, what are you all doing here?"**

**A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.**

**Nobody answered.**

**"New students!" said the Fat Fryer, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"**

**A few people nodded mutely.**

**"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."**

**"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."**

**Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.**

**"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."**

**Feeling oddly as though her legs had turned to lead, AJ got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, with Ron behind her, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.**

"It's always amazing to see the Great Hall for the first time." Hermione said with a dreamy like quality.

**AJ had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, AJ looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. She heard Hermione whisper, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."**

**AJ already knew this, but it was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens.**

"I love your descriptions AJ, they are simply amazing." Remarked Dumbledore

AJ smiled back, she loved Hogwarts and everything-well maybe not everything-in it.

**AJ quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house. **

The twins shared a grin wondering if Professor Dumbledore would mind them borrowing the hat for an hour or a week.

**Maybe they had to try and get a rabbit out of it, AJ thought amusedly, that seemed the sort of thing— noticing that everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat, she stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth — and the hat began to sing:**

**"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,**

**But don't judge on what you see,**

**I'll eat myself if you can find**

**A smarter hat than me.**

**You can keep your bowlers black,**

**Your top hats sleek and tall,**

**For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat**

**And I can cap them all.**

**There's nothing hidden in your head**

**The Sorting Hat can't see,**

**So try me on and I will tell you**

**Where you ought to be.**

**You might belong in Gryffindor,**

**Where dwell the brave at heart,**

**Their daring, nerve, and chivalry**

**Set Gryffindor's apart;**

**You might belong in Hufflepuff,**

**Where they are just and loyal,**

**Those patient Hufflepuffs are true**

**And unafraid of toil;**

**Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,**

**if you've a ready mind,**

**Where those of wit and learning,**

**Will always find their kind;**

**Or perhaps in Slytherin**

**You'll make your real friends,**

**Those cunning folk use any means**

**To achieve their ends.**

**So put me on! Don't be afraid!**

**And don't get in a flap!**

**You're in safe hands (though I have none)**

**For I'm a Thinking Cap!"**

"All our songs were rather depressing, we were at war obviously but when that happens the Hat gives warnings that can be really upsetting especially to first years." Sirius said running a hand through AJ's hair upset that his baby girl would be in the middle of this war much like the last. Remus sighed at that, completely understanding where his husband was coming from,

**The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.**

**"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to AJ. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."**

The golden trio hid their snorts of laughter at that, thinking about the troll incident wasn't something they wanted to read about anytime soon.

**AJ smiled weakly. Yes, trying on the hat was a lot better than having to do a spell, but she did wish they could have tried it on without everyone watching. The hat seemed to be asking rather a lot; AJ didn't feel brave or quick-witted or any of it at the moment. If only the hat had mentioned a house for people who felt a bit queasy, that would have been the one for him.**

**Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.**

**"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"**

**A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause —**

**"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.**

**The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table AJ saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.**

**"Bones, Susan!"**

**"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.**

**"Boot, Terry!"**

**"RAVENCLAW!"**

**The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.**

**"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; AJ could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling.**

**"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was AJ's imagination, after all she'd heard about Slytherin, but she thought they looked like an unpleasant lot.**

"They really aren't." Muttered Ron

AJ looked thoughtful for a moment "It's really not their fault though, a lot of their parents were death eaters before they were even born. So to discriminate against them for what their parents have done really isn't fair, there's a Muggle saying "The sins of the father will be brought down upon the children a thousand times over" obviously that's happening right now. Don't give me that look Ron. I don't like Malfoy because he's arrogant but if he were to change I would give him a chance. Act your age not your shoe size for once." AJ closed her eyes and rested her head against her godfathers shoulder ignoring the looks of pure shock from the room,

**"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"**

**"HUFFLEPUFF!"**

**Sometimes, AJ noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. **

**"Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy next to AJ in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.**

**"Granger, Hermione!" Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.**

"Excited much?" chuckled Kingsley to the blushing girl

**"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat.**

**Ron groaned.**

**AJ wanted this moment to be over with, she knew everyone would stop and stare much like at the Leaky Cauldron.**

**When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool.**

**When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag."**

**Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"**

**Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.**

**There weren't many people left now. "Moon"…,**

**"Nott"… , **

**"Parkinson"… , **

**then a pair of twin girls, "Patil"**

**and "Patil"… , **

**then "Perks, Sally-Anne"… ,**

**"Hufflepuff!"**

**and then, at last —**

**"Potter, Alessandra!"**

**As AJ stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.**

**"Potter, did she say?"**

**"The Alessandria Potter?"**

**The last thing AJ saw before the hat dropped over her eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at her. Next second she was looking at the black inside of the hat. She waited.**

**"Hmm," said a small voice in her ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, A my goodness, yes — and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting… So where shall I put you?"**

Dumbledore looked a little shocked at that, she could have gone anywhere...curious.

**AJ gripped the edges of the stool and thought, Not Slytherin, not Slytherin. She knew the house probably wasn't that bad, but the thought of spending more time then necessary with Malfoy made her want to vomit.**

**"Not Slytherin, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that — no?**

AJ had already told Hermione during one of their late night talks so she didn't seem fazed, surprisingly no one did. Sirius told her green was her color, Remus said she would brighten up the place and everyone else just smiled at her letting her know it didn't change who she was...except Ron. He looked much like Aunt Petunia when she asked a question, AJ couldn't hold back anymore she got out of the loving arms of her father and looked at Ron with piercing green eyes that seemed to have gotten a shade darker "You know you have something to say, so why not share with the rest of the class?" snarked AJ

It appeared that was all it took for Ron to snap "Slytherin? Come on AJ! You could have gone into one of the darkest houses there is! That house is filled with death eaters and if you haven't noticed all the death eaters children end up in that house. First we find out you can talk to snakes and now we find out you belonged with the snakes? What's next we find out you actually were the cause of Cedric's death?" Ron knew he went too far, the temperature in the room dropped to the point where Kingsley and Tonks contemplated producing patronesses. But AJ didn't even flinch but you could feel cold fury radiating off her to the point where everyone backed away except Sirius and Remus who glared daggers at the youngest Weasley son.

"If you ever and I mean ever bring up Cedric like that again Merlin himself won't be able to save your sorry ass. You can attack me all you want but let the dead rest in peace. Do. You. Understand. Me?" AJ said in a deathly calm voice. But it seemed that Ron lost the ability to talk, minutes ticked by with everyone glancing between Ron and AJ when two people cleared their throats.

There stood Charlie and Bill, both of who wondered what was going on to cause this little stare off.

Before anyone could process what happened AJ jumped out of Sirius and Remus' arms and ran to Charlie who caught her in mid stride. AJ loved everything about Charlie, his hands were that of a working man, calloused and rough but the palms were somehow soft, his strong arms held her close to his warm chest where she felt he could protect her from anything. But what she loved most was the way he smelled, he smelled like a rainstorm on hot summer night but he had an underlining fragrance of burning wood. She associated this home, because that was what Charlie was to her. Home.

"Miss me punk?" murmured Charlie into AJ's hair while Bill explained getting a letter about books and coming here.

AJ grinned "Of course I did Char."

When AJ and Charlie finally broke apart, Charlie set her down but kept an arm around her shoulder almost making sure she was really here with him. AJ turned to Sirius and Remus who looked about to kill Charlie for even thinking about touching their little girl. AJ knew damage control was in order so she sat next to Sirius and Remus and put on her best puppy dog look and spoke softly almost childlike "Daddy, papa" seeing them begin to crumble she continued "Charlie and I have been together awhile, please accept him. He makes me happy and he's a good man"

Sirius and Remus looked at her then back at a pale looking Charlie who was standing next to Bill for protection smiled tentatively at the irate fathers. Sirius spoke first "Okay fine. I'll accept that you're dating AJ but so help me if you hurt her remember I have no problems going back to Azkaban!" he snarled out

Remus however spoke calmly even though his eyes were darker and more narrowed "You can see AJ but there better not be any funny business! Like my husband Azkaban doesn't scare me dragon boy. Got it?" Charlie nodded slowly and took a tentative seat next to the small family on the couch and held AJ's hand much to their annoyance.

Slowly everyone began to sit back down, Molly and Arthur were in complete shock at first but decided not to comment yet.

AJ turned back to Ron with the same cold eyes and snarled out "I think we're done with this conversation don't you?" Ron could only nod his head and asked Remus to continue reading, who did but not before glaring at Ron then at Charlie

**Well, if you're sure — better be GRYFFINDOR!"**

**AJ heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. She took off the hat and walked toward the Gryffindor table. She was so relieved to have been chosen and not put in Slytherin, she hardly noticed that she was getting the loudest cheer yet. Percy the Prefect got up and shook her hand vigorously, while the Weasley twins yelled, "We got her! We got Potter!"**

They decided to lighten the mood by doing it again, Hermione threw a pillow at them to make them stop so they could finish the reading sometime in the near future,

**She could see the High Table properly now. At the end nearest her sat Hagrid, who caught her eye and gave her the thumbs up. AJ grinned back. And there, in the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. AJ recognized him at once from the card she'd gotten out of the Chocolate Frog on the train. Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. AJ spotted Professor Quirrell, too, the nervous young man from the Leaky Cauldron. He was looking very peculiar in a large purple turban.**

"Stupid bastard." Muttered Charlie who had heard about the whole thing.

**And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean," a Black boy even taller than Ron, joined AJ at the Gryffindor table.**

**"Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now.**

**AJ crossed her fingers under the table and a second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"**

**AJ clapped loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair next to her.**

**"Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy Weasley pompously across Jasmine as "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.**

**AJ looked down at her empty gold plate. She had only just realized how hungry she was. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages ago.**

Sirius groaned at the thought of food. "Moooony" he whined but Remus only pecked him on the lips before continuing with the reading

**Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.**

**"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!**

"Nice speech professor." Said Bill who was sitting in an arm chair next to Snape

**"Thank you!"**

**He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. AJ didn't know whether to laugh or not.**

"When it comes to Dumbledore, it's best to laugh kid." Kingsley smiled at the girl currently trying not to jump in her boyfriends lap, he chuckled at that, Sirius and Remus were gonna have fun with those two.

**"Is he — a bit mad?" she asked Percy uncertainly.**

AJ laughed at her old question "Of course he is, but he's great none the less."

Mrs. Weasley seemed to have found her voice "That is enough! That was very rude! Apologize to the headmaster!"

Just as AJ was about to defend herself Charlie jumped at the chance much to the surprise of Sirius and Remus. "Mom! What in the bloody hell is wrong with you lately? You're acting like you're AJ's mother and last time I checked Lilly had passed on. She has Sirius and Remus and they're doing a great job and if she needs to be scolded they'll do it but not in front of everyone so she'll be embarrassed. You always do that to us and it's not right, leave AJ alone mother." He finished with a glare. Remus looked at his husband and saw not only shock but a little bit of respect in those grey blue eyes he loved so much. No one was sure what was going on with the Weasley family but it was getting pretty weird,

**"Mad?" said Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, AJ?"**

**AJ's mouth fell open.**

**The dishes in front of her were now piled with food. She had never seen so many things she liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.**

**The Dursleys had tried starving AJ multiple times as punishment, but she always pulled through somehow, even if she hadn't eaten for days on end.**

Everyone growled at the thought of those bastards. Tonks couldn't wait to get them in prison where they belonged.

**Dudley had always taken anything that AJ really wanted, even if it made him sick. AJ piled her plate with a bit of everything except the peppermints and began to eat. It was all delicious.**

**"That does look good," said the ghost in the ruff sadly, watching Jasmine cut up her steak.**

**"Can't you —?"**

Snape smiled a little at that, that was something Lilly would have asked. He caught AJ staring at him with those damn green eyes and for once didn't try to look away as soon as possible.

**"I haven't eaten for nearly five hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."**

**"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you — you're Nearly Headless Nick!"**

**"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy —" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.**

**"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"**

Hermione and Ginny groaned at that, why did one person always have to ask that.

**Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted. **

**"Like this," he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces, Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said, "So — new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row!**

Sirius and Remus scowled at that, how could Gryffindor let that happen?

**The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable — he's the Slytherin ghost."**

**AJ looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained with silver blood.**

**He was right next to Malfoy who, AJ was pleased to see, didn't look too pleased with the seating arrangements.**

**"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus with great interest.**

**"I've never asked," said Nearly Headless Nick delicately.**

Charlie noticed Sirius smirking asked "How many times did you ask Sir?" Sirius looked at him with a calculating look before answering

"Like a million, but call me Sirius. I'm too young to be called "sir". Don't laugh moony!" snapped Sirius playfully

**When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding...** **As AJ helped herself to a treacle tart, the talk turned to their friends about their families.**

**"I'm half-and-half," said Seamus. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."**

**The others laughed, but AJ wasn't among those who did. A lot of muggles hated magic and judging by how the Dursleys acted towards her and her mother it was still happening today.**

Snape gave a barely there nod and the reminder of his father.

**"What about you, Neville?" said Ron.**

**"Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," said Neville, "but the family thought I was all-Muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me — he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned — but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced — all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here — they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad." On AJ's other side, Percy Weasley and Hermione were talking about lessons("I do hope they start right away, there's so much to learn, I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult —"; "You'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of thing — "). AJ, who was starting to feel warm and sleepy, looked up at the High Table again. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Professor Quirrell, in his absurd turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin.**

Everyone turned to Snape at that, odd how accurate the description was.

**It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell's turban straight into AJ's eyes — and a sharp, hot pain shot across the scar on AJ's forehead.**

Remus looked puzzled by that while Sirius threw a glare at Snape, that jerk better of left his baby alone.

**"Ow!" AJ clapped a hand to her head in surprise more than pain.**

**"What is it?" asked Percy.**

**"N-nothing."**

**The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Harder to shake off was the feeling AJ had gotten from the teacher's look — a feeling that he didn't like AJ at all.**

Snape rolled his eyes as Sirius looked ready to murder him in cold blood.

**"Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" she asked Percy.**

**"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to — everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."**

**AJ watched Snape for a while, but Snape didn't look at her again.**

**At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.**

**"Ahem — just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you."**

**"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."**

**Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.**

Molly looked angry at that but one look around the room told her to be quiet for the time being.

**"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."**

All the adults besides Snape stared at Dumbledore in shock. "A painful death?" snapped Bill

Ginny gave Bill a sideways glance, since when did Bill snap at people?

**AJ didn't laugh like the few in the Hall that did, instead she considered that last rule.**

**"He's not serious?" she muttered to Percy.**

**"Must be," said Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere — the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least."**

**"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. AJ noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.**

**Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.**

**"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"**

**And the school bellowed:**

**"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,**

**Teach us something please,**

**Whether we be old and bald**

**Or young with scabby knees,**

**Our heads could do with filling**

**With some interesting stuff,**

**For now they're bare and full of air,**

**Dead flies and bits of fluff,**

**So teach us things worth knowing,**

**Bring back what we've forgot,**

**just do your best, we'll do the rest,**

**And learn until our brains all rot."**

**Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march.**

Ginny snorted at her brothers, they were the coolest in her opinion.

**Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.**

**"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"**

**The Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. AJ's legs were like lead again, but only because she was so tired and full of food. She was too sleepy even to be surprised that the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed, or that twice Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet, and AJ was just wondering how much farther they had to go when they came to a sudden halt. A bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair ahead of them, and as Percy took a step toward them they started throwing themselves at him.**

**"Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years. "A poltergeist." He raised his voice, "Peeves — show yourself."**

**A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered.**

**"Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?"**

The twins shook their heads at that, Percy was no fun.

**There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross-legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks.**

**"Oooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!"**

**He swooped suddenly at them. They all ducked.**

**"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" barked Percy.**

**Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on Neville's head. They heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armor as he passed.**

**"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy, as they set off again. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are."**

**At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.**

"She used to be a lot nicer you know, until she was attacked." Remarked AJ offhandedly. Sirius just laughed and kissed her head.

**"Password?" she said.**

**"Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled through it — Neville needed a leg up — and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs.**

"Your common room seems nice," Tonks smiled at the Gryffindors while Kingsley nodded in agreement.

**Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase — they were obviously in one of the towers — they found their beds at last: five four-posters hung with deep red and purple curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their pajamas and fell into bed.**

**"I can't wait to find out what lessons we have tomorrow." Hermione muttered to AJ through the hangings.**

**AJ was going to ask Hermione why she was so intense all the time but fell asleep once hitting the pillow.**

**Perhaps AJ had eaten a bit too much, because she had a very strange dream. She was wearing Professor Quirrell's turban, which kept talking to her, telling her she must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was her destiny. AJ told the turban she didn't want to be in Slytherin; it got heavier and heavier; she tried to pull it off but it tightened painfully — and then there was a laugh that became high and cold — there was a burst of green light and AJ woke, sweating and shaking.**

Charlie wrapped an arm around her knowing her dreams could go from bad to worse in a second.

**She rolled over and fell asleep again, and when she woke next day, she didn't remember the dream at all.**

Remus set the book down, "Well that's that chapter." He passed the book to Snape, "You'll like this chapter I'm sure." He said with a laugh wrapping an arm around Sirius shoulder while looking at his daughter and Charlie out of the corner of his eye.

"**The Potions Master..." **Snape read out in that deadpan voice of his...


	9. The Potions Master

**"There, look."**

**"Where?"**

**"Next to the tall kid with the red hair."**

**"Did you see her face?"**

**"Did you see her scar?"**

"That probably got annoying really quick." Bill snorted

Tonks had a faint blush at seeing AJ nod; she had been one of the few to ogle at the poor kids scar.

**Whispers followed AJ from the moment she left her dormitory the next day. People lining up outside classrooms stood on tiptoe to get a look at her, or doubled back to pass her in the corridors again, staring.**

**AJ wished they wouldn't, because she was trying to concentrate on finding her way to classes.**

"They should have been helping you not treating you like a sideshow act." AJ smiled sweetly at the dragon keeper and gave him a kiss on the cheek while Sirius and Remus were torn between wanting to kill him and hug him for standing up for their little girl.

**There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts:**

"You counted?" laughed Ginny

Hermione rolled her eyes "Of course she didn't it's in Hogwarts A History."

**wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. Even with her memory she had trouble keeping track of everything worked within the castle.**

**The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other, and AJ was sure the coats of armor could walk.**

Just as the twins were about to comment Snape silenced them with a death glare, he needed this chapter over because he knew he was unfair to AJ.

**The ghosts didn't help, either. It was always a nasty shock when one of them glided suddenly through a door you were trying to open. Nearly Headless Nick was always happy to point new Gryffindors in the right direction, but Peeves the Poltergeist was worth two locked doors and a trick staircase if you met him when you were late for class.**

**He would drop wastepaper baskets on your head, pull rugs from under your feet, pelt you with bits of chalk, or sneak up behind you, invisible, grab your nose, and screech, "GOT YOUR CONK!"**

"Moony taught him that!" Sirius let out a laugh.

Hermione shook her head at her favorite professor, he always did that to her at the worst possible times.

**Even worse than Peeves, if that was possible, was the caretaker, Argus Filch. AJ and Ron managed to get on the wrong side of him on their very first morning. **

**Filch found them trying to force their way through a door that unluckily turned out to be the entrance to the out-of-bounds corridor on the third floor.**

**He wouldn't believe they were lost, was sure they were trying to break into it on purpose, and was threatening to lock them in the dungeons when they were rescued by Professor Quirrell, who was passing.**

"Yeah right, more like making sure it was still there." Muttered Hermione and AJ. Remus looked at his daughter questioningly but all he got in return was her patented sweet smile that made people cave at the sight of it.

**Filch owned a cat called Mrs. Norris, a scrawny, dust-colored creature with bulging, lamp like eyes just like Filch's. She patrolled the corridors alone. Break a rule in front of her, put just one toe out of line, and she'd whisk off for Filch, who'd appear, wheezing, two seconds later.**

**Filch knew the secret passageways of the school better than anyone (except perhaps the Weasley twins) and could pop up as suddenly as any of the ghosts. The students all hated him, and it was the dearest ambition of many to give Mrs. Norris a good kick.**

"I did that a few times, that damn cat always got me into trouble." Seeing their shocked faces Kingsley asked "What? Why is that so hard to believe?"

"Most adults wouldn't admit that." Sneered Snape

**And then, once you had managed to find them, there were the classes themselves. There was a lot more to magic, everyone quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a few funny words. **

**They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets. Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, where they learned how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi, and found out what they were used for. Easily the most boring class was History of Magic, which was the only one taught by a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff room fire and got up next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Binns droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates, and got Emetic the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up.**

**Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their first class he took the roll call, and when he reached AJ's name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight.**

"Charms is one of my best subjects." AJ remarked

Remus smiled at that "It was your mothers' best subject cub." AJ beamed at that, happy that she gained something from her mother.

**Professor McGonagall was again different. AJ had been quite right to think she wasn't a teacher to cross. Strict and clever, she gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class.**

**"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."**

**Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time but even after hearing that AJ was still excited about this class, it seemed like one of the most interesting.**

**After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. AJ had done it instantly, you had to visualize what the needle looked like and you had to remember the feel of the metal in your hand almost.**

Everyone looked at her in complete shock. Dumbledore cleared his throat "That's very impressive my dear you're a natural much like your father."

AJ smiled at that "Thank you sir, I love that class even though it is easy." Remus and Sirius shared proud looks, that was their daughter alright...they decided after this chapter they would look up blood adoption.

**Hermione looked a little jealous at first but then gave AJ a small smile.**

**The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days. His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story. For one thing, when Seamus Finnigan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about the weather;**

Bill and Charlie snorted at that, he seemed like such a good teacher.

**for another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went.**

AJ and Hermione glared at the book while Ron was still trying to understand what happened in such a short amount of time.

**AJ was very relieved to find out that she wasn't miles behind everyone else. Lots of people had come from Muggle families and, like her, hadn't had any idea that they were witches and wizards. There was so much to learn that even people like Ron didn't have much of a head start.**

"You thought...you thought you were behind?" Snape asked but it didn't have any hate in it.

"I didn't know I was considered advanced." AJ shrugged like it was no big deal.

**Friday was an important day for AJ and Ron. They finally managed to find their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast without getting lost once. AJ had already knew how to get there but Ron didn't so she insisted he lead them till he didn't get lost.**

The twins smirked at their brother "Congrats! We're beyond proud."

"Boys be nice to your brother." Molly scolded

"Mom they're just having fun, leave them alone for once." Bill said tiredly, his family was falling apart and he had an idea of why.

**"What have we got today?" AJ asked Ron as she poured sugar on her porridge.**

**"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron. "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favors them — we'll be able to see if it's true."**

**"Wish McGonagall favored us," said AJ.**

**Professor McGonagall was head of Gryffindor House, but it hadn't stopped her from giving them a huge pile of homework the day before.**

**Just then, the mail arrived. AJ had gotten used to this by now, but it had given her a bit of a shock on the first morning, when about a hundred owls had suddenly streamed into the Great Hall during breakfast, circling the tables until they saw their owners, and dropping letters and packages onto their laps. Hedwig hadn't brought AJ anything so far. She sometimes flew in to nibble her ear and have a bit of toast before going off to sleep in the owlery with the other school owls.**

Sirius kissed the top of her head, he would send her something once a day, and she deserved to know she was loved. Almost as if she was reading his mind AJ slipped out of her embrace with Charlie and hugged her dad "Love you dad, a lot." The smile on Sirius face was that of the one he used to wear as a Hogwarts student,

"Love you too pup."

**This morning, however, she fluttered down between the marmalade and the sugar bowl and dropped a note onto AJ's plate.**

**AJ tore it open at once. It said, in a very untidy scrawl:**

**Dear AJ,**

**I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig.**

**Hagrid**

Charlie smiled at that. Hagrid was awesome and he protected AJ even though she would never admit to needing protection of any kind.

**AJ borrowed Ron's quill, scribbled Yes, please, see you later on the back of the note, and sent Hedwig off again.**

**It was lucky that AJ had tea with Hagrid to look forward to, because the Potions lesson turned out to be the worst thing that had happened to her so far.**

**At the start-of-term banquet, AJ had gotten the idea that Professor Snape disliked her. By the end of the first Potions lesson, she knew she'd been wrong. Snape didn't dislike AJ**

Everyone's eyebrows went up with this, maybe he let the grudge against her dad and Sirius go.

— **he hated her.**

Sirius scowled at that, he had no right to hate her. Remus slipped his hand into his husbands not wanting to strangle the man sitting across from them.

"Hate is a very strong word Potter." Remarked Snape

AJ sighed at that "I'm aware of that sir that's why I used it." She snuggled back into Charlie wanting his comfort more than anything at the moment.

**Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.**

**Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at AJs name.**

**"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Alessandra Potter. Our new — celebrity."**

Everyone glared at him, she obviously hated her fame but he was too stubborn to see that. Snape had the decency to shift a little at that, he knew his anger was wrongly placed but how to fix it after all these years?

**Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.**

**"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word — like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort.**

**"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stopper death— if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."**

"Great speech." Bill commented at Snapes nod he continued "until you called them dunderheads." Before he could snarl out a reply Dumbledore interrupted

"We will be talking later Severus."

**More silence followed this little speech. AJ and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.**

**"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"**

"That's not something a first year would know!" Snapped Tonks but she didn't see the smug look on AJ's face.

"**Drought of the living dead sir." AJ replied immediately**

Tonks looked shocked at that along with some of the others.

**Snape looked shocked so he seemed to try and through her off again. **

**"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" **

**Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat, but **

**"In the stomach of a goat sir." AJ knew he was testing her and trying to make her look like an idiot, **_**well good luck with that**_** she thought.**

Hermione laughed at that, proving AJ wrong was always difficult.

**Snape looked like someone had just slapped him. **

**"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolsbane?" **

**"There the same thing sir." **

**"Well at least someone from Gryffindor knows something Snape sneered "And a point will be given Gryffindor House" He said reluctantly.**

The twins looked shocked at that "We actually got a point?" they muttered to each other, they never thought they would live to see the day.

**But things got worse for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.**

"Was he okay?" asked a concerned Arthur

Snape nodded he was starting to see how unfair he could be.

**"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"**

**Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.**

**"Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on AJ and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.**

**"You — Potter — why didn't you tell him not to add the quills?**

"Because it wasn't her damn potion Snape!" Sirius couldn't hold back anymore "How dare you treat my daughter like that, she isn't James and she isn't me!"

"Shut up mutt! I am the teacher and I can do what I like in my class." Snarled Snape.

Noticing they weren't going to back down anytime soon Kingsley looked at both of them "Look we need to finish these books; we can talk about these things after this chapter. Okay?" Snape and Sirius reluctantly nodded

**Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's two points you've lost for Gryffindor."**

**That was complete bullshit just as AJ opened her mouth to argue, but Ron kicked her behind their cauldron.**

**"Don't push it," he muttered, "I've heard Snape can turn very nasty."**

**As they climbed the steps out of the dungeon an hour later, AJ's mind was racing and her spirits were low. She'd lost two points for Gryffindor in her very first week**

—**why did Snape hate her so much?**

Sirius glared at Snape it was a wonder he wasn't in flames.

**"Cheer up," said Ron, "Snape's always taking points off Fred and George. Can I come and meet Hagrid with you?"**

"Nice change of topic Ron." Smirked Remus

**At five to three they left the castle and made their way across the grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door.**

**When AJ knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "Back, Fang —back."**

**Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.**

**"Hang on," he said. "Back, Fang."**

**He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.**

**There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling; a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.**

**"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked.**

"Watch out for the ones with cute names." Advice AJ with a smile trying to lighten the mood.

**"This is Ron," AJ told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate.**

**"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles.**

**"I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest."**

"What were you doing near the forest!" screeched Molly

"Growing flowers what else?" this surprisingly came from Snape; he couldn't handle that woman a moment longer.

**The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth, but AJ and Ron pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid all about their first lessons.**

**Fang rested his head on AJ's knee and drooled all over her robes.**

**AJ and Ron were delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch "that old git."**

**"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her — Filch puts her up to it."**

**AJ told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like Ron, told AJ not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students.**

**"But he seemed to really hate me."**

**"Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?"**

**Yet AJ couldn't help thinking that Hagrid didn't quite meet her eyes when he said that.**

Dumbledore chuckled at that, Hagrid was a horrible liar.

**"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron. "I liked him a lot — great with animals."**

Charlie beamed at that, AJ loved when he smiled, it could light up a room.

**AJ wondered if Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose. While Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons, AJ picked up a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cozy. It was a cutting from the Daily Prophet:**

**GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST**

_**Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown. Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day.**_

_**"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokes goblin this afternoon.**_

Bill laughed at that "Goblins are very territorial, they don't like when we get into their business."

**AJ remembered Ron telling her on the train that someone had tried to rob Gringotts, but Ron hadn't mentioned the date.**

**"Hagrid!" said AJ, "that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"**

**There was no doubt about it; Hagrid definitely didn't meet AJ's eyes this time. He grunted and offered her another rock cake. AJ read the story again. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied earlier that same day. Hagrid had emptied vault seven hundred and thirteen, if you could call it emptying, taking out that grubby little package. Had that been what the thieves were looking for?**

**As AJ and Ron walked back to the castle for dinner, their pockets weighed down with rock cakes they'd been too polite to refuse,**

"You are my favorite daughter and smartest." Laughed Sirius. Remus shook his head at this husband; he really was too cute when he acted like this.

**AJ thought that none of the lessons she'd had so far had given her as much to think about as tea with Hagrid. **

Hermione looked at her with a questioningly look.

"I have an eidetic memory Mio; I didn't have to review my lessons right away." AJ laughed at the blush her friend was sporting.

**Had Hagrid collected that package just in time? Where was it now? And did Hagrid know something about Snape that he didn't want to tell AJ?**

Snape set the book down "That's the end; I'm not reading again either."

"I believe it's time to have a little chat before dinner." Dumbledore suggested.


	10. Chats

"Hey AJ," Sirius looked towards his daughter and her...friend that she was cuddled up to. "Why don't you guys go upstairs for a bit so we have a chat with Snape. Don't give me that look pup we'll tell you later what we're discussing. Promise."

AJ looked to her friends who all nodded in agreement, just as Charlie and Bill go up Remus pulled Charlie aside "No funny business. Got it?" Charlie gave a weak nod in reply, man parents were a bitch to handle.

***UPSTAIRS***

Charlie and AJ fell onto her bed cuddling up to one another while Hermione and Bill took seats on the other bed. Ron and Ginny sat closet to the door in case something happened and the twins took seats on the chairs by the window.

"I deal with dragons on a daily basis and I manage to remain calm, but when it comes to your fathers I'm terrified!" no one could hold their laughter in at the shocked looking dragon handler.

Once AJ stopped laughing she kissed with as much passion and love as she could muster, when they pulled away she looked into his eyes "Don't worry love, I'll protect you." That set off another round of laughter, Charlie rolled his eyes playfully at her.

"Are you going to tell Sirius and Remus about the Dursleys AJ?" Asked Hermione "They have a right to know what happened all those years."

"I know they do, but talking about it again isn't on my bucket list." AJ laughed at her best friends' mock glare.

"We can all do it together you know," George said in a serious voice

Fred nodded in agreement "We won't let you go through this alone." Ron and Ginny were looking at all of them with wonder, how had they all become so divided so quickly?

"Thanks guys, I may take you up on that offer." Noticing the looks Ginny and Ron were giving off AJ looked at them with a stony face "What is the matter with you two? Ginny you're acting like a fan girl and Ron you're acting like I did something to you, which I didn't!"

Ron didn't know how to reply at first but when he collected his thoughts he bit out "I still think you're hiding things from us and to be completely honest I don't know if I trust you one hundred percent anymore with everything we've been reading." Ginny nodded her head vigorously which reminded AJ of a bobble head, a retarded bobble head but a bobble head none the less.

Bill shook his head sadly at his little brother, he was acting more and more like their mother every day "Look Ron, AJ has been through a lot and by the looks of it she's told Hermione about her past more so than you because you have a tendency to judgmental. Now I don't know if your friendship with Hermione and AJ can be saved but by the looks of it, it can't. You made your bed now lie in it."

"Wow Billy, didn't know you were so much like Arthur." Bill playfully shoved Hermione with a small smile on his face.

AJ smiled at her best friend, she was always there for AJ and always knew when AJ needed her lighten the mood, she couldn't imagine life without these people and she didn't want to either.

"Are you okay Bill?" asked a concerned Charlie

Bill shook his head "Ever since Percy left moms been unbearable lately, I don't even want to come home for a visit anymore because she treats me as if I was a young kid who needs to ask for her permission to do things. Our family is falling apart because mom doesn't know when to back off and dad doesn't stand up for himself when it comes to mom. I think there's going to come a time when mom will see the error of her ways I just hope it's not too late." Hermione smiled a sad smile at him and gave his hand a squeeze while the others contemplated what Bill just said.

***DOWNSTAIRS***

Sirius and Remus watched the kids leave the room then sat back down and turned to Snape with unreadable expressions.

"I don't think killing him will solve any problems guys." Smirked Kingsley

Tonks laughed at that "Yeah I mean, I doubt you guys could get a joint cell in Azkaban, we could put in a good word but it's rather doubtful."

But Sirius and Remus didn't acknowledge which seriously worried Dumbledore, you never know what to expect from either of them. But then Sirius asked something that no one ever thought would be directed at Snape "We...Remus and myself need to ask you for a favor Severus."

Snape was taken back at that, since when did the mutt call him by his given name let alone ask a favor of him. But never the less he replied with a simple "Yes?" his facial expression was blank but if you looked closely in those cold black eyes you would see what looked like intrigue mixed with worry.

Seeing that his husband couldn't find the right words Remus continued for him "We want to blood adopt AJ" there was a collective gasp heard around the room "she's our daughter and we want to make it official, we're sure Lilly and James wouldn't mind. In fact we're sure that they would want this for their daughter. We need a potions master for this, if you don't want to do it for us do it for Lilly because AJ is her daughter through and through. Please Severus."

Before Snape could agree or disagree Molly decided to put her two cense in "I don't think this is a good idea. You can't possibly think this is a good idea."

But Dumbledore smiled and said "It's an excellent idea, AJ would have no need to return to the Dursleys because the blood wards would be wherever Sirius and Remus are. This is not up to you Molly so if you would be so kind as to leave them alone it would be much appreciated. I understand you're upset about young Mr. Weasley leaving the family to follow alongside the ministry but you seem to be placing this anger and hurt on the wrong people, you're holding too tightly to your family and it's suffocating them and I feel William is seeing that. Molly you need to calm down and let your children follow their own paths in life. Now then, Severus what do you think?" For once Molly didn't have anything to say to that...she needed to take a step back and look at what she's doing.

Severus thought it over, Lilly's daughter deserved better than what this life had thrown at her, he knew if she was alive Lilly would be kicking him in the ass for all he's done to her daughter. He looked into a pair of blue-grey and honey colored eyes "Yes. I'll start on the potion now, it'll be ready by the time the next reading is over."

Kingsley and Tonks exchanged a look of shock and happiness, AJ would get the family she deserved. Remus and Sirius had tears in their eyes "Thank you Severus, this means a lot to us." They smiled at him who in return gave a curt nod and left to start on the potion. Molly and Arthur got up to start dinner while Remus and Sirius headed up the stairs to get their daughter and tell her the good news.

As they approached the door they heard laughter coming from Charlie and Bill while AJ and Hermione yelled at the twins for not helping, sharing a look they opened the door and saw feathers all over the place. With a small smirk on his face Sirius said "What happened in here?"

AJ and Hermione pretended to pout while blaming Charlie, Bill and the twins for staring a pillow fight that Hermione and herself were completely innocent in the entire situation "Daddy you believe me right?" Sirius of course knew it was a ploy to get out of cleaning up the mess but nodded and mock glared at the boys for hurting his baby and her friend.

When things finally calmed down in the feather covered room Remus draped an arm around AJ "Hey cub, Sirius and I were talking and we wanted your opinion on something. We-uh well we asked Severus to brew up a blood adoption potion. We want to blood adopt you, we love you like our own and we just want to make it official. When the readings are done Sirius' name will be cleared and we can file it. What do you say?" AJ stared in shock for a minute till Hermione slapped the back of her head to get her to focus which always seemed to work wonders.

"YES! Of course!" she yelled "When do we take the potion?"

Sirius enveloped her in a tight hug "Right after the reading of the next chapter it should be done. You have no idea how happy you are making us right now pup. We love you." AJ smiled in return then hugged Remus

"Love you papa"

"Love you too cub, so much." Remus smiled with a tear in his eye

Hermione was practically bouncing on the bed she was so happy for AJ while Bill smiled widely at them, the twins were beaming at AJ while Ron and Ginny smiled weakly for their friend well ex friend now.

Charlie smiled at the family "Well I guess you'll be fathers-in-law soon. I mean-I mean not in the near future, like in twenty years more like it." Charlie amended after receiving a glare from the fathers. But the twins caught the slight look of mischief in their eyes and held back their laughter, their brother was such a dork. AJ rolled her eyes at them and went to go sit on the bed next to Hermione who jumped on her with tears in her eyes because she was so happy.

"I think maybe we should talk about the Dursleys pup, Kingsley and Tonks are already planning on working with Amelia Bones on a case. We can discuss it in private if you want." Sirius suggested.

"No." AJ said immediately "I'd rather talk with everyone here, they're my family-our family." She corrected. Remus and Sirius took seats on the bed that was usually occupied by Ron. So AJ began her story of the verbal abuse she would receive on a daily basis and how the beatings continued from the time she was four till the present. She told them of how the Dursleys would react if she even dared get a higher grade then Dudley in school which was very hard with her intelligence and Dudley's nonexistent intelligence. By the time they were done AJ had on her "it doesn't matter" face while Hermione was softly crying, Bill, Charlie and the twins were planning a big prank that involved Africa the sorting hat and something about a Goblin. Remus and Sirius hugged their daughter close promising it would all be okay.

Remus cleared his throat "I think we should head down and eat then read the next chapter."

Dinner was a typical dinner with the only exception of Molly not scolding everyone that breathed. Kingsley and Tonks discussed the Dursleys, Remus, Sirius and Arthur discussed the blood adoption and where they planned to live, Dumbledore asked Bill if he would consider taking the History teacher position for he knew he loved history, Bill readily agreed to that he felt he needed to be closer to home during a time like this. AJ, Hermione and Charlie were laughing each other's stories about Hogwarts and what they considered doing after Hermione and AJ graduated.

When they all piled into the living room for the final reading of the night Dumbledore picked up the book and read out in an intrigued voice **"The Midnight Duel..."**


	11. Midnight Duel

AJ rolled her eyes at the book, stupid Malfoy couldn't even show up.

**AJ had never believed she would meet a boy she hated more than Dudley, but that was before she met Draco Malfoy. Still, first-year Gryffindor's only had Potions with the Slytherins, so they didn't have to put up with Malfoy much. Or at least, they didn't until they spotted a notice pinned up in the Gryffindor common room that made them all groan. Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday — and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together. **

"**Sure put the Gryffindor and the Slytherins together, they're not rivals in the least so we'll put them together for flying lessons!" AJ muttered darkly**

"A little annoyed kid?" smiled Kingsley

**She had been looking forward to learning to fly more than anything else.**

**"You'll do great," said Ron reasonably. "Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."**

Hermione laughed at that, it was true. Malfoy couldn't play quidditch to save his life.

**Malfoy certainly did talk about flying a lot. He complained loudly about first years never getting on the house Quidditch teams and told long, boastful stories that always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters.**

"I want to see him fly." Charlie smirked "He probably never even went that high."

AJ laughed at that, it was a known fact Malfoy on a broom was never a good thing.

**He wasn't the only one, though: the way Seamus Finnigan told it, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the countryside on his broomstick. Even Ron would tell anyone who'd listen about the time he'd almost hit a hang glider on Charlie's old broom. Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly.**

**Ron had already had a big argument with Dean Thomas, who shared their dormitory, about soccer. Ron couldn't see what was exciting about a game with only one ball where no one was allowed to fly.**

**AJ had caught Ron prodding Dean's poster of West Ham soccer team, trying to make the players move.**

Ron blushed at that, he didn't think anyone had noticed.

**Neville had never been on a broomstick in his life, because his grandmother had never let him near one. Privately, AJ felt she'd had good reason, because Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground. Hermione Granger was almost as nervous about flying as Neville was.**

**This was something you couldn't learn by heart out of a book — not that she hadn't tried. At breakfast on Thursday she bored them all stupid with flying tips she'd gotten out of a library book called Quidditch Through the Ages.**

"You can't learn how to fly from a book Hermione." Sirius gave her a gentle smile

Hermione sighed "I know that now and I prefer my feet on the ground."

**Neville was hanging on to her every word, desperate for anything that might help him hang on to his broomstick later, but everybody else was very pleased when Hermione's lecture was interrupted by the arrival of the mail. AJ hadn't had a single letter since Hagrid's note, something that Malfoy had been quick to notice, of course. Malfoy's eagle owl was always bringing him packages of sweets from home, which he opened gloatingly at the Slytherin table.**

Remus snarled at that, he would send her plenty of chocolates this year.

**A barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. He opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke.**

**"It's a Remembrall!"**

"I love those!" exclaimed Tonks

Kingsley shook his head "But they don't tell you what you've forgotten, they're useless."

"They're neat." Tonks bit out

Dumbledore shook his head at the aurors

**he explained. "Gran knows I forget things — this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red — oh…" His face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet, "… you've forgotten something…"**

**Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand.**

**AJ and Ron jumped to their feet. AJ was half hoping for a reason to punch Malfoy, but Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash.**

"Would you have really punched him?" Ginny asked

Without hesitation AJ nodded "Of course I would've, I just needed him to make the first move to cover my ass in the end." Sirius let out a laugh at that, AJ was very clever.

**"What's going on?"**

**"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor."**

**Scowling, Malfoy quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table.**

**"Just looking,"**

"Last time I heard you looked with your eyes not your hands." Hermione said

**he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him.**

**At three-thirty that afternoon, AJ, Ron, and the other Gryffindor's hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.**

"It's not that bad in there really." AJ remarked before she had a chance to shut her mouth.

Sirius snapped his head in her direction so fast she was surprised it didn't break "Just what were you doing in the forest young lady?" he looked just like an angry father and oddly enough that made AJ feel good,

"Detention dad, that's all." Ron and Hermione threw her looks but she ignored them in favor of studying her and Charlie's intertwined hands

**The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. AJ had heard Fred and George Weasley complain about the school brooms, saying that some of them started to vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left. Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk. **

**"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."**

**AJ glanced down at her broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles.**

**"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"**

**"UP" everyone shouted.**

**AJ's broom jumped into her hand at once, but it was one of the few that did.**

"That's my baby!" shouted Sirius forgetting momentarily about the forest.

Charlie grinned and gave her a sweet kiss "You're a natural Punk."

**Hermione Granger's had simply rolled over on the ground, and Neville's hadn't moved at all. Perhaps brooms, like horses, could tell when you were afraid, thought AJ; there was a quaver in Neville's voice that said only too clearly that he wanted to keep his feet on the ground. Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips. AJ and Ron were delighted when she told Malfoy he'd been doing it wrong for years.**

**"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle — three — two —"**

**But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.**

**"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle — twelve feet — twenty feet. AJ saw his scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp, slip sideways off the broom and —**

**WHAM — a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay face down on the grass in a heap.**

"Ouch" winced Tonks sympathetically, she'd done that before and it always hurt.

**His broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight.**

**Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.**

**"Broken wrist," AJ heard her mutter. "Come on, boy — it's all right, up you get."**

**She turned to the rest of the class.**

**"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."**

Hermione and AJ stifled laughter at that with great difficulty.

**Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.**

**No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter.**

**"Did you see his face, the great lump?"**

**The other Slytherins joined in.**

**"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.**

**"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati."**

**"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."**

"If it's so stupid why does he insist on touching it?" Bill looked over to Hermione

She shrugged "I don't know, he doesn't like when others get things I suppose."

**The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.**

**"Give that here, Malfoy," said AJ quietly. Everyone stopped talking to watch.**

**Malfoy smiled nastily.**

**"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find — how about — up a tree?"**

**"Give it here!" AJ yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. He hadn't been lying, he could fly well.**

**Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"**

**AJ grabbed her broom.**

**"No!" shouted Hermione Granger. "Madam Hooch told us not to move — you'll get us all into trouble."**

Ginny snorted "That's all you care about? Getting into trouble?"

"Actually I was concerned about AJ getting hurt but I didn't know how to say that because we weren't friends' yet smart ass!" everyone was shocked at Hermiones outburst, she usually didn't swear.

**AJ ignored her. Blood was pounding in her ears. She mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up, up she soared; air rushed through her hair, and her robes whipped out behind her — and in a rush of fierce joy she realized she'd found something she could do without being taught — this was easy, this was wonderful.**

**She pulled her broomstick up a little to take it even higher, and heard screams and gasps of girls back on the ground and an admiring whoop from Ron.**

**She turned her broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in midair. Malfoy looked stunned.**

"I'm sure he was!" Tonks laughed "You were raised by asshole muggles and have never been on a broom and you're already flying really well."

Charlie couldn't help but brag a little "She is an amazing flyer." AJ elbowed him in the stomach at that.

**"Give it here," AJ called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"**

"Please do." Smiled Bill

**"Oh, yeah?" said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but looking worried.**

**AJ knew, somehow, what to do. She leaned forward and grasped the broom tightly in both hands, and it shot toward Malfoy like a javelin. Malfoy only just got out of the way in time; AJ made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady. A few people below were clapping.**

**"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," AJ called.**

**The same thought seemed to have struck Malfoy.**

**"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground.**

**AJ saw, as though in slow motion, the ball rise up in the air and then start to fall. She leaned forward and pointed her broom handle down — next second she was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball — wind whistled in her ears, mingled with the screams of people watching — she stretched out her hand — a foot from the ground she caught it, just in time to pull her broom straight, and she toppled gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in her fist.**

Everyone cheered for AJ at that. "On a school broom you did that?" Arthur asked amazed

AJ just nodded her head.

**"ALESSANDRA POTTER!"**

**Her heart sank faster than she'd just dived. Professor McGonagall was running toward them.**

**She got to her feet, trembling.**

Remus looked sadly at his daughter, she shouldn't be afraid of getting scolded. He leaned into Sirius who wrapped an arm around his husband in hopes of calming them both down.

**"Never — in all my time at Hogwarts —"**

**Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "— how dare you — might have broken your neck —"**

**"It wasn't her fault, Professor —"**

**"Be quiet, Miss Patil —"**

**"But Malfoy —"**

**"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."**

**AJ caught sight of Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle's triumphant faces as she left, walking numbly in Professor McGonagall's wake as she strode toward the castle. Would they expel her for this or just give her a detention?**

"Worse case scenario is detention with Filch." The twins commented straight faced

AJ nodded her head solemnly at that.

**She wanted to say something to defend herself, but she knew it was useless. Every time Uncle Vernon punished her she had tried to defend her actions but that just made the punishment worse. She hoped they would go easy on her but the chances were slim to none with that.**

"You dad, papa and I will never let anyone or anything hurt you again." Charlie kissed her head while Sirius squeezed her knee comfortingly.

**AJ shuddered at the thought. Professor McGonagall hadn't noticed, she was still walking determinedly .**

**Up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside, and still Professor McGonagall didn't say a word to her. She wrenched open doors and marched along corridors with AJ trotting miserably behind her. Maybe she was taking her to Dumbledore. She thought of Hagrid, maybe he would let her become his assistant she thought amusedly. But watching the others becoming proper witches and wizards made her stomach clench.**

"How would that be for irony?" George laughed

Fred laughed out "The girl who lived never becoming a proper witch!"

AJ glared at them "And with my long life goal to find irony you could see how happy that would make me."

**Professor McGonagall stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door and poked her head inside.**

**"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?"**

**Wood? thought AJ, terrified; was Wood a cane she was going to use on her?**

"No one as long as I am headmaster will ever be beaten as a form of punishment." Dumbledore said looking grave at the thought of anyone being treated like that.

**But Wood turned out to be a person, a burly fifth-year boy who came out of Flitwick's class looking confused.**

**"Follow me, you two," said Professor McGonagall, and they marched on up the corridor, Wood looking curiously at AJ.**

**"In here."**

**Professor McGonagall pointed them into a classroom that was empty except for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard.**

Tonks turned to a blushing Kingsley "You taught him that! How did you end up in Ravenclaw?" busted out Bill

"I enjoy a good prank every now and then too ya know." He cleared his throat.

**"Out, Peeves!" she barked. Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which clanged loudly, and he swooped out cursing. Professor McGonagall slammed the door behind him and turned to face the two students.**

**"Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood — I've found you a Seeker."**

**Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight.**

Sirius jumped up and hugged AJ tight while twirling her around "You made the team your first year! I am so proud!" he laughed

Remus laughed at his two most important people "Congratulations cub." Once Sirius stopped dancing with AJ Dumbledore continued with a smile and a laugh in his voice.

**"Are you serious, Professor?"**

**"Absolutely," said Professor McGonagall crisply. "The girl's a natural. I've never seen anything like it. Was that your first time on a broomstick, Potter?"**

**AJ nodded silently. She didn't have a clue what was going on, but she didn't seem to be being expelled, and some of the feeling started coming back to her legs.**

**"She caught that thing in her hand after a fifty-foot dive," Professor McGonagall told Wood. "Didn't even scratch herself. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it."**

**Wood was now looking as though all his dreams had come true at once.**

**"Ever seen a game of Quidditch, Potter?" he asked excitedly.**

**"Wood's captain of the Gryffindor team," Professor McGonagall explained.**

**"She's just the build for a Seeker, too," said Wood, now walking around AJ and staring at her. "Light —speedy — we'll have to get her a decent broom, Professor — a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven, I'd say."**

**"I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the first-year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year. Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks…"**

Sirius laughed at that, McGonagall was more of a quidditch nut than any other teacher.

**Professor McGonagall peered sternly over her glasses at AJ.**

**"I want to hear you're training hard, Potter, or I may change my mind about punishing you."**

**Then she suddenly smiled.**

**"Your father would have been proud," she said. "He was an excellent Quidditch player himself."**

**"You're joking."**

"He was!" barked out Sirius "He would be really offended if he could hear you now."

Ron looked sheepish at that but said "This was different conversation." Remus chuckled at the on his husbands face,

**It was dinnertime. AJ had just finished telling Ron what had happened when she'd left the grounds with Professor McGonagall. Ron had a piece of steak and kidney pie halfway to his mouth, but he'd forgotten all about it. **

**"Seeker?" he said. "But first years never — you must be the youngest house player in about —"**

**" — a century," said AJ, eating more than she usually would. She felt particularly hungry after the excitement of the afternoon. "Wood told me."**

**Ron was so amazed, so impressed, he just sat and gaped at AJ.**

**"I start training next week," said AJ. "Only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret."**

**Fred and George Weasley now came into the hall, spotted AJ, and hurried over.**

**"Well done," said George in a low voice. "Wood told us. We're on the team too — Beaters."**

AJ smiled at the twins "best beaters we ever had."

"Thanks AJ!" the twins hugged her that was high praise coming from AJ

**"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year," said Fred. "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, AJ, Wood was almost skipping when he told us."**

**"Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."**

**"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you."**

Remus looked mildly impressed at that but they were nowhere near where the marauders were at one time.

**Fred and George had hardly disappeared when someone far less welcome turned up: Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.**

**"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"**

**"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said AJ coolly. There was of course nothing at all little about Crabbe and Goyle, but as the High Table was full of teachers, neither of them could do more than crack their knuckles and scowl.**

**"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only — no contact.**

**What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"**

**"Of course she has," said Ron, wheeling around. "I'm her second, who's yours?"**

"You shouldn't have accepted on behalf of AJ that could be very dangerous." Bill shook his head

Ron snarled "I know that now Bill! Lay off." He was sick of everyone attacking him.

Bill looked shocked but quickly recovered "Chill out Ron, I'm just talking and remember you're not too old to go over my knee." He said in a low voice so he wouldn't embarrass him.

Ron quickly looked away but still had a scowl on his face.

**Malfoy looked at Crabbe and Goyle, sizing them up.**

**"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."**

**When Malfoy had gone, Ron and AJ looked at each other.**

"**What is wrong with you? It's obviously a trick!" AJ practically yelled. "He won't even show up I bet. Wait...what does it mean that you're my second?"**

**"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," said Ron casually, getting started at last on his cold pie. Catching the look on AJ's face, he added quickly, "But people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway."**

"**Real wizards? So the six hundred students here aren't real?" snarked AJ**

Everyone laughed at AJ's sense of humor.

**"Excuse me."**

**They both looked up. It was Hermione Granger.**

**"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron.**

**Hermione ignored him and spoke to AJ.**

**"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying —"**

**"Bet you could," Ron muttered.**

**"— and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."**

"That was a low blow Hermione." Remarked Tonks

Hermione blushed but didn't say anything, her and AJ already talked about it.

**"And it's really none of your business," said AJ.**

**"Good-bye," said Ron.**

**All the same, it wasn't what you'd call the perfect end to the day, AJ thought, as she lay awake much later listening to Lavender and Parvati talking. Hermione was already asleep having read most of a book before going to sleep. Ron had spent all**

**evening giving her advice such as "If he tries to curse you, you'd better dodge it, because I can't remember how to block them."**

"We didn't learn them yet that's why." Laughed AJ

Ron didn't find it funny though, she was such a know-it-all like Hermione.

**Before going up to bed himself.**

**There was a very good chance they were going to get caught by Filch or Mrs. Norris, and AJ felt she was pushing her luck, breaking another school rule today. On the other hand, Malfoy's sneering face kept looming up out of the darkness — this was her big chance to beat Malfoy face-to-face. She couldn't miss it.**

**"Half-past eleven," AJ thought to herself, "I better go and find Ron"**

**AJ crept past the giggling girls and down the stairs for the girls dormitories, she found Ron in the common room. A few embers were still glowing in the fireplace, turning all the armchairs into hunched black shadows. They had almost reached the portrait hole when a voice spoke from the chair nearest them, "I can't believe you're going to do this, AJ."**

**A lamp flickered on. It was Hermione Granger, wearing a pink bathrobe and a frown.**

"You're a good actress by the way."

Hermione gave her a smile "Thanks AJ."

**"You!" said Ron furiously. "Go back to bed!"**

**"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped, "Percy — he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this."**

**AJ couldn't believe anyone could be so interfering. She was also sure that Hermione had been asleep.**

**"Come on," she said to Ron. She pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and climbed through the hole.**

**Hermione wasn't going to give up that easily. She followed Ron through the portrait hole, hissing at them like an angry goose.**

"An angry goose?" laughed Remus

"You'll have to do that impersonation for us sometime." Tonks snorted

**"Don't you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves, I don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells."**

**"Go away."**

**"All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so —"**

"I can't see them getting expelled for something like that." Remarked Sirius kindly

Hermione mock glared and turned away much to the amusement of Bill.

**But what they were, they didn't find out. Hermione had turned to the portrait of the Fat Lady to get back inside and found herself facing an empty painting. The Fat Lady had gone on a night time visit and Hermione was locked out of Gryffindor tower.**

"Karma is a bitch sweetheart." Laughed AJ

**"Now what am I going to do?" she asked shrilly.**

**"That's your problem," said Ron. "We've got to go, we're going to be late."**

**They hadn't even reached the end of the corridor when Hermione caught up with them.**

**"I'm coming with you," she said.**

**"You are not."**

**"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch me? If he finds all three of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying to stop you, and you can back me up."**

"Right." Snorted Bill "Filch just loved kids so he'll listen."

**"You've got some nerve —" said Ron loudly.**

**"Shut up, both of you!" said AJ sharply. "I heard something."**

**It was a sort of snuffling.**

**"Mrs. Norris?" breathed Ron, squinting through the dark.**

**It wasn't Mrs. Norris. It was Neville. He was curled up on the floor, fast asleep, but jerked suddenly awake as they crept nearer.**

**"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours, I couldn't remember the new password to get in to bed."**

**"Keep your voice down, Neville. The password's 'Pig snout' but it won't help you now, the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere."**

**"How's your arm?" said AJ**

"You're so sweet AJ" smiled Sirius

**"Fine," said Neville, showing them. "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute."**

**"Good — well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later —"**

**"Don't leave me!" said Neville, scrambling to his feet, "I don't want to stay here **

**alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."**

"I somehow doubt it's pure coincidence either." Snarled Remus

**Ron looked at his watch and then glared furiously at Hermione and Neville.**

**"If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you."**

**Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to tell Ron exactly how to use the Curse of the Bogies,**

**but AJ hissed at her to be quiet and beckoned them all forward.**

**They flitted along corridors striped with bars of moonlight from the high windows. At every turn AJ expected to run into Filch or Mrs. Norris, but they were lucky. They sped up a staircase to the third floor and tiptoed toward the trophy room.**

**Malfoy and Crabbe weren't there yet.**

Bill smirked at that "That's because they won't show."

Kingsley laughed "Never listen to a Slytherin I suppose."

**The crystal trophy cases glimmered where the moonlight caught them. Cups, shields, plates, and statues winked silver and gold in the darkness. They edged along the walls, keeping their eyes on the doors at either end of the room. AJ took out her wand in case Malfoy leapt in and started at once.**

**The minutes crept by.**

**"He's late, maybe he's chickened out," Ron whispered.**

**Then a noise in the next room made them jump. AJ had only just raised her wand when they heard someone speak — and it wasn't Malfoy.**

"Good thinking raising your wand, that was very smart." Tonks remarked

**"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."**

**It was Filch speaking to Mrs. Norris. Horror-struck, AJ waved madly at the other three to follow her as quickly as possible; they scurried silently toward the door, away from Filch's voice. Neville's robes had barely whipped round the corner when they heard Filch enter the trophy room. **

**"They're in here somewhere," they heard him mutter, "probably hiding."**

**"This way!" AJ mouthed to the others and, petrified, they began to creep down a long gallery full of suits of armor. They could hear Filch getting nearer. Neville suddenly let out a frightened squeak and broke into a run he tripped, grabbed Ron around the waist, and the pair of them toppled right into a suit of armor. The clanging and crashing were enough to wake the whole castle.**

"Run kid! Run!" Kingsley was getting caught up in the story.

**"RUN!" AJ yelled, and the four of them sprinted down the gallery, not looking back to see whether Filch was following — they swung around the doorpost and galloped down one corridor then another, AJ in the lead, **

"No surprise there, you're the fastest in our year." Hermione shook her head

**without any idea where they were or where they were going — they ripped through a tapestry and found themselves in a hidden passageway, hurtled along it and came out near their Charms classroom, which they knew was miles from the trophy room.**

**"I think we've lost him," AJ panted, leaning against the cold wall and wiping her forehead. Neville was bent double, wheezing and spluttering.**

**"I —told — you," Hermione gasped, clutching at the stitch in her chest, "I — told — you."**

"Now's not the time to gloat Hermione!" snapped Remus clutching his husbands hand in a vive like grip.

**"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," said Ron, "quickly as possible."**

**"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione said to AJ. "You realize that, don't you? **

**AJ turned to Hermione "I knew that from the beginning! Let's go."**

**It wasn't going to be that simple. They hadn't gone more than a dozen paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of a classroom in front of them. It was Peeves. He caught sight of them and gave a squeal of delight.**

**"Shut up, Peeves — please — you'll get us thrown out."**

**Peeves cackled.**

**"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."**

**"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please."**

**"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his eyes glittered wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."**

**"Get out of the way," snapped Ron, taking a swipe at Peeves this was a big mistake.**

Sirius whistled "Big mistake right there."

The twins shook their heads at their brother, how could have he not known how to handle Peeves.

**"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"**

**Ducking under Peeves, they ran for their lives, right to the end of the corridor where they slammed into a door — and it was locked.**

**"This is it!" Ron moaned, as they pushed helplessly at the door, "We're done for! This is the end!"**

**They could hear footsteps, Filch running as fast as he could toward Peeves' shouts.**

**"Oh, move over," Hermione snarled.**

**She grabbed AJ's wand, tapped the lock, and whispered, "Alohomora!"**

**The lock clicked and the door swung open — they piled through it, shut it quickly, and pressed their ears against it, listening.**

Dumbledore paled at this, he knew why that door was locked and he hoped they got out of there soon.

**"Which way did they go, Peeves?" Filch was saying. "Quick, tell me."**

**"Say 'please.'"**

**"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now where did they go?"**

**"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," said Peeves in his annoying singsong voice.**

**"He used a double negative." Was all Sirius said.**

**"All right —please."**

**"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha ha! Haaaaaa!"**

**And they heard the sound of Peeves whooshing away and Filch cursing in rage.**

**"He thinks this door is locked," AJ whispered. "I think we'll be okay — get off, Neville!"**

**For Neville had been tugging on the sleeve of AJ's bathrobe for the last minute. "What?"**

"Why does everyone cling to me in times of danger?" AJ asked

Remus gave her a smile "You're always level headed cub, they trust you to protect them I suppose."

AJ wasn't sure how she felt about that,

**AJ turned around — and saw, quite clearly, what. For a moment, she was sure she'd walked into the nightmare from hell- this was too much on top of everything that had already happened.**

"WHAT HAPPENED?" yelled Sirius and Remus who were clutching each other with all their might

**They weren't in a room, as she had supposed. They were in a corridor. The forbidden corridor on the third floor. **

**And now they knew why it was forbidden.**

**They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction; three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs.**

"Alessandra James Potter get out of there!" Bellowed an irate Sirius

Remus grabbed AJ and sat her in his lap much to her amusement

**It was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at them, yet when AJ looked down briefly she saw that it was standing on a trapped door, but she didn't have time to dwell on that, and AJ knew that the only reason they weren't already dead was that their sudden appearance had taken it by surprise, but it was quickly getting over that, there was no mistaking what those thunderous growls meant.**

**AJ groped for the doorknob — between Filch and death, she'd take Filch.**

Remus and Sirius held her tighter "You better take Filch AJ" rumbled Remus

**They fell backward — AJ slammed the door shut, and they ran, they almost flew, back down the corridor. Filch must have hurried off to look for them somewhere else, because they didn't see him anywhere, but they hardly cared — all they wanted to do was put as much space as possible between them and that monster. They didn't stop running until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor.**

**"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, looking at their bathrobes hanging off their shoulders and their flushed, sweaty faces.**

Seeing that she was finally out of danger Remus set AJ back down next to Charlie who wrapped an arm around whispering he loved her in her ear.

**"Never mind that — pig snout, pig snout," panted AJ, and the portrait swung forward. They scrambled into the common room and collapsed, trembling, into armchairs. It was a while before any of them said anything. Neville, indeed, looked as if he'd never speak again.**

**"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" said Ron finally. "If any dog needs exercise, that one does."**

**Hermione had got both her breath and her bad temper back again. "You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" she snapped. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"**

**"Yes I did actually Hermione. It was standing on a trapped door." AJ stated calmly as if they were discussing the weather.**

"I know you hate when I do that Mio." Laughed AJ

**She glared at her, clearly she did not like other people noticing things and saying them first instead of her.**

"I love you AJ." Laughed Hermione at her friends pout

AJ mock glared "You better Mio."

**She stood up and continued to glare at AJ.**

**"I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed — or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."**

Fred and George stared at her wide eyed "You're joking right?" noticing her blush they busted out laughing at the ever reddening face.

**Ron stared after her, his mouth open.**

**"No, we don't mind," he said. "You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you."**

**But Hermione had given AJ something to think about. The dog was guarding something… What had Hagrid said? Gringotts was the safest place in the world for something you wanted to hide — except perhaps Hogwarts.**

**"Yup Hogwarts is defiantly safe." AJ said sarcastically, thinking back to the years she had been here for. Sirius wasn't sure he liked the sound of that.**

**It looked as though AJ had found out where the grubby little package from vault seven hundred and thirteen was.**

Tonks and Kingsley looked impressed at that, not many eleven year olds could figure that out that fast.

"You really are a bright witch AJ." Smiled Arthur

AJ just smiled back and leaned into Charlie with legs on her father's laps.

"That's the end of that chapter." Said a relieved Dumbledore. Just then Snape came in holding three goblets.

"I just need a drop of each of your blood and it will be complete." Snape turned to AJ "Potter you'll notice a difference in your appearance tomorrow and your senses will be heightened. I suggest you do this now before you all head up to bed."

Remus, Sirius and AJ all smiled and nodded, each gave a drop of their blood and watched the potion glow a reddish orange color then went back to clear. They all looked at each other than drank down the potion.

AJ could feel the coolness of the potion affect her bones, it felt like someone had dropped an ice cube down her shirt.

"Goodnight dad, goodnight papa." AJ said smiling sweetly to them, she ran off upstairs with Bill, Charlie and Hermione with Ron and Ginny running behind.

After talking for about an hour Tonks, Kingsley, Dumbledore, Remus and Sirius all went upstairs to their respected rooms. Remus and Sirius checked in on AJ and Hermione to make sure they were both sleeping peacefully, AJ had already started to change a little much to their happiness. After kissing AJ goodnight on the forehead they left to their own room to enjoy one another's company.

Once he was sure they left Charlie got out of the closet and spooned up against his giggling girlfriend.

"Is something funny punk?" he mock scowled

AJ fought hard to suppress more laughter "No Char, nothing at all. Goodnight."

"Goodnight punk." He said with one more sweet kiss.

***NEXT MORNING***

AJ and Charlie woke up before anyone else so they could take a shower together and enjoy one another without being caught. When they got out AJ looked in the mirror and was shocked at what she saw, her hair was much smoother and was easier to handle, her eyes were still green but had a hint of blue to them with flecks of gold. Her cheek bones were more pronounced and her nose was that of Sirius', she looked like her dads now and it felt good. Charlie wrapped an arm around her "You still look beautiful punk."

AJ smiled at him "Thanks, we better hurry up before we get caught." She laughed at the horrified look on the dragon tamers face.

Hermione was dressed already when the two emerged "AJ you look so good! You look like the daughter of Sirius and Remus now. But Charlie you need to get back to your room, Sirius and Remus already knocked on the door and I can only come up with so many covers!" she giggled at the looks on their faces

When everyone made it downstairs Sirius and Remus got up right away to hug AJ and tell her adorable she looked which made her blush a little.

After breakfast they went into the living room to read the next chapter. Charlie picked up the book "I'll read next...**"Halloween..."**


	12. Halloween

Snape looked mildly intrigued at the title; he would finally know what happened.

**Malfoy couldn't believe his eyes when he saw that AJ and Ron were still at Hogwarts the next day, looking tired but perfectly cheerful. Indeed, by the next morning AJ and Ron thought that meeting the three-headed dog had been an excellent adventure, and they were quite keen to have another one.**

**In the meantime, AJ filled Ron in about the package that seemed to have been moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts, and they spent a lot of time wondering what could possibly need such heavy protection.**

"Call me crazy-"

"But I think-"

"It could be-"

"The philosopher's stone!" the twins said as if talking to a three year old. AJ glared at them but it had no heat behind it.

**"It's either really valuable or really dangerous," said Ron.**

"Or both." Smirked Snape while AJ laughed loudly at that

**"Or both," said AJ**

Snape looked a little green at the thought of saying the same thing as AJ.

**But as all they knew for sure about the mysterious object was that it was about two inches long, they didn't have much chance of guessing what it was without further clues. Neither Neville nor Hermione showed the slightest interest in what lay underneath the dog and the trapdoor. **

Hermione slapped AJ on the arm who was currently smirking at her.

**All Neville cared about was never going near the dog again. Hermione was now refusing to speak to AJ and Ron, but she was such a bossy know-it-all that Ron saw this as an added bonus.**

**All they really wanted now was a way of getting back at Malfoy, and to their great delight, just such a thing arrived in the mail about a week later.**

**As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by a long, thin package carried by six large screech owls. AJ was just as interested as everyone else to see what was in this large parcel, and was amazed when the owls soared down and dropped it right in front of her, knocking her bacon to the floor.**

"Who sent you something?" Tonks asked

AJ shook her head "If Charlie reads the next couple sentences you may find out." Tonks responded in a very adult way by throwing a pillow at her.

**They had hardly fluttered out of the way when another owl dropped a letter on top of the parcel.**

**AJ ripped open the letter first, which was lucky, because it said:**

**DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE.**

**It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock for your first training session.**

**Professor McGonagall**

**AJ was so excited her hair turned purple and gave the note to Ron who didn't seem to notice her hair at all.**

"Wait" said Tonks "Are you a metamorphmagus?"

AJ shrugged, "I can change my hair and eye color at will but not much else."

Tonks laughed a little "Could you try contorting your nose into a ducks bill? I think you may have gained that ability when Sirius blood adopted you because he is my cousin." AJ did as Tonks asked and before everyone could blink AJ turned her face into that of a duck and then back again. Tonks was bouncing up and down while Kingsley looked impressed, everyone else knew of her ability with her hair and eyes. "AJ this is so fun! You have more control over your powers than I do but it's still really neat!"

Charlie looked at Tonks with amusement "I'll just get back to the reading now"

**"A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron moaned enviously. "I've never even touched one."**

**They left the hall quickly, wanting to unwrap the broomstick in private before their first class, but halfway across the entrance hall they found the way upstairs barred by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy seized the package from AJ and felt it.**

**"That's a broomstick," he said, throwing it back to AJ with a mixture of jealousy and spite on his face. "You'll be in for it this time, Potter, first years aren't allowed them."**

**Ron couldn't resist it.**

Bill shook his head at his little brother, he needed to stop rising to Malfoy's bait.

**"It's not any old broomstick," he said, "It's a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?"**

**Ron grinned at AJ. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus."**

**"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Malfoy snapped back. "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig."**

AJ rolled her eyes changing her hair to the electric blue she preferred while she said "He needs to get some new insults."

**Before Ron could answer, Professor Flitwick appeared at Malfoy's elbow.**

**"Not arguing, I hope, children?" he squeaked.**

**"Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor," said Malfoy quickly.**

**"Yes, yes, that's right," said Professor Flitwick, beaming at AJ. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?"**

**"A Nimbus Two Thousand, it is," said AJ, fighting not to laugh at the look of horror on Malfoy's face. "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that I've got it," she added.**

The twins high fived AJ, she really needed to prank with them!

**AJ and Ron headed upstairs, smothering their laughter at Malfoy's obvious rage and confusion.**

**"Well, it's true," AJ chortled as they reached the top of the marble staircase, "If he hadn't stolen Neville's Remembrall I wouldn't be on the team…"**

**"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules?" came an angry voice from just behind them. Hermione was stomping up the stairs, looking disapprovingly at the package in AJ's hand. "What happened to your hair AJ?"**

**Ron looked at AJ as if he had never seen her before, "You can change your appearance?"**

Hermione shook her head while Sirius looked at Ron "You didn't notice her hair went from black to bright purple till then?"

Ron went red at all the shocked looks he was getting. "I think you should pay attention to details more Ron if you want to be an Auror." Kingsley remarked.

"**Yes I can. Yes I know that it's a rare quality." AJ said noticing Hermione was about to say something. "I thought you weren't talking to us?"**

**"Yes, don't stop now;" said Ron, "it's doing us so much good."**

Remus winced at that, that was a low blow to say to a girl.

**Hermione marched away with her nose in the air.**

**AJ had a lot of trouble keeping her mind on her lessons that day. It kept wandering up to the dormitory where her new broomstick was lying under her bed, or straying off to the Quidditch field where she'd be learning to play that night.**

**She bolted her dinner that evening without noticing what she was eating, and then rushed upstairs with Ron to unwrap the Nimbus Two Thousand at last.**

**"Wow," Ron sighed, as the broomstick rolled onto the floor of the common room, no one else was there yet.**

**Even AJ, who knew nothing about the different brooms, thought it looked wonderful. Sleek and shiny, with a mahogany handle, it had a long tail of neat, straight twigs and Nimbus Two Thousand written in gold near the top.**

Charlie looked as if his mouth was about to water

**As seven o'clock drew nearer, AJ left the castle and set off in the dusk toward the Quidditch field. Held never been inside the stadium before. Hundreds of seats were raised in stands around the field so that the spectators were high enough to see what was going on. At either end of the field were three golden poles with hoops on the end. They reminded AJ of the little plastic sticks Muggle children blew bubbles through, except that they were fifty feet high.**

"My dad used to get those for me when I was kid." Tonks commented sill excited that she had someone to bond with over their abilities

**Too eager to fly again to wait for Wood, AJ mounted her broomstick and kicked off from the ground. What a feeling — she swooped in and out of the goal posts and then sped up and down the field. The Nimbus Two Thousand turned wherever she wanted at her lightest touch.**

**"Hey, Potter, come down!"**

**Oliver Wood had arrived. He was carrying a large wooden crate under his arm. AJ landed next to him.**

**"Very nice," said Wood, his eyes glinting. "I see what McGonagall meant… you really are a natural. I'm just going to teach you the rules this evening, than you'll be joining team practice three times a week."**

AJ and the twins all sighed at the reminder over only practice three times a week; it was so nice back then.

**He opened the crate. Inside were four different-sized balls.**

**"Right," said Wood. "Now, Quidditch is easy enough to understand, even if it's not too easy to play. There are seven players on each side. Three of them are called Chasers."**

Sirius smiled at that "James was an amazing chaser AJ and he would be proud of you just like I am." AJ beamed at that, what could she say she was a daddy's girl.

**"Three Chasers," AJ repeated, as Wood took out a bright red ball about the size of a soccer ball.**

**"This ball's called the Quaffle," said Wood. "The Chasers throw the Quaffle to each other and try and get it through one of the hoops to score a goal. Ten points every time the Quaffle goes through one of the hoops. Follow me?"**

**"The Chasers throw the Quaffle and put it through the hoops to score," AJ recited. "So — that's sort of like basketball on broomsticks with six hoops, isn't it?"**

"What's basketball?" asked an excited Arthur

Charlie looked up "It's a Muggle sport dad, I'll explain later. What? AJ taught me what it was." Ginny quickly looked away

**"What's basketball?" said Wood curiously.**

**"Never mind," said AJ quickly.**

**"Now, there's another player on each side who's called the Keeper — I'm Keeper for Gryffindor. I have to fly around our hoops and stop the other team from scoring."**

**"Three Chasers, one Keeper," said AJ, who was determined to remember it all. "And they play with the Quaffle. Okay, got that. So what are they for?" She pointed at the three balls left inside the box.**

**"I'll show you now," said Wood. "Take this."**

**He handed AJ a small club, a bit like a short baseball bat.**

**"I'm going to show you what the Bludgers do," Wood said. "These two are the Bludgers."**

**He showed AJ two identical balls, jet black and slightly smaller than the red Quaffle. AJ noticed that they seemed to be straining to escape the straps holding them inside the box.**

**"Stand back," Wood warned AJ. He bent down and freed one of the Bludgers.**

**At once, the black ball rose high in the air and then pelted straight at AJ's face. AJ swung at it with the bat to stop it from breaking her nose, and sent it zigzagging away into the air — it zoomed around their heads and then shot at Wood, who dived on top of it and managed to pin it to the ground.**

**"See?" Wood panted, forcing the struggling Bludger back into the crate and strapping it down safely. "The Bludgers rocket around, trying to knock players off their brooms. That's why you have two Beaters on each team — the Weasley twins are ours — it's their job to protect their side from the Bludgers and try and knock them toward the other team. So — think you've got all that?"**

"Sirius and I were beaters, damn good beaters at that." Smirked Remus to his husband who had a small smile on his face remembering all the good times they had in school.

**"Three Chasers try and score with the Quaffle; the Keeper guards the goal posts; the Beaters keep the Bludgers away from their team," AJ reeled off that would be simple to remember.**

**"Very good," said Wood.**

**"Er — have the Bludgers ever killed anyone?" AJ asked casually**

Hermione laughed at her friends sick sense of humor while Ginny looked pale at that "How could you ask that casually?"

"It seems like a cool way to go out I suppose." AJ laughed at the look of horror on the youngest Weasleys face.

**"Never at Hogwarts. We've had a couple of broken jaws but nothing worse than that. Now, the last member of the team is the Seeker. That's you. And you don't have to worry about the Quaffle or the Bludgers —"**

**"— unless they crack my head open."**

"I love your sense of humor." Fred snorted and pretended to flirt which Charlie did not find humorous.

**"Don't worry, the Weasleys are more than a match for the Bludgers — I mean, they're like a pair of human Bludgers themselves."**

**Wood reached into the crate and took out the fourth and last ball. Compared with the Quaffle and the Bludgers, it was tiny, about the size of a large walnut. It was bright gold and had little fluttering silver wings.**

AJ loved the snitch, it was the coolest part of the game.

**"This," said Wood, "is the Golden Snitch, and it's the most important ball of the lot. It's very hard to catch because it's so fast and difficult to see. It's the Seeker's job to catch it. You've got to weave in and out of the Chasers, Beaters, Bludgers, and Quaffle to get it before the other team's Seeker, because whichever Seeker catches the Snitch wins his or her team an extra hundred and fifty points, so they nearly always win.**

"Not always," Snorted Ron "sorry." Ron apologized with the glare he was receiving from Remus

**That's why Seekers get fouled so much. A game of Quidditch only ends when the Snitch is caught, so it can go on for ages — I think the record is three months, they had to keep bringing on substitutes so the players could get some sleep.**

**"Well, that's it any questions?"**

**AJ shook her head. She understood what she had to do all right, it was doing it that was going to be the problem.**

**"We won't practice with the Snitch yet," said Wood, carefully shutting it back inside the crate, "it's too dark, we might lose it. Let's try you out with a few of these."**

**He pulled a bag of ordinary golf balls out of his pocket and a few minutes later, he and AJ were up in the air, Wood throwing the golf balls as hard as he could in every direction for AJ to catch.**

**AJ didn't miss a single one,**

Charlie smiled proudly at that

**and Wood was delighted. After half an hour, night had really fallen and they couldn't carry on.**

**"That Quidditch Cup will have our name on it this year," said Wood happily as they trudged back up to the castle. "I wouldn't be surprised if you turn out better than Charlie Weasley, and he could have played for England if he hadn't gone off chasing dragons."**

Everyone laughed at the disgruntled look on Charlie's face. "I happen to like chasing dragons." He barked out

**Perhaps it was because she was now so busy, what with Quidditch practice three evenings a week on top of all her homework, but AJ could hardly believe it when she realized that she'd already been at Hogwarts two months. The castle felt more like home than Privet Drive ever had. Her lessons, too, were becoming more and more interesting now that they had mastered the basics.**

"I'm pretty sure you already had the basics down kid." Kingsley smiled

Remus and Sirius looked proudly at their daughter, she was very intelligent and very kind. They couldn't be prouder.

**On Halloween morning they woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors. Even better, Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to try since they'd seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom.**

**Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. AJ's partner was Seamus Finnigan (which was a relief, because Neville had been trying to catch her eye).**

Molly was ready to comment but one look from Remus had her changing her mind.

**Ron, however, was to be working with Hermione Granger.**

**It was hard to tell whether Ron or Hermione was angrier about this. She hadn't spoken to either of them since the day AJ's broomstick had arrived.**

**"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor**

**Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too — never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."**

Remus looked at his husband who happened to be blushing while Snape looked smug.

**It was actually very easy, but charms came easy to AJ.**

**AJ and Seamus swished and flicked, but only AJ managed to get the feather to fly out of the pair of them. She earned Gryffindor 10 points, Seamus got so impatient that he prodded it with his wand and set fire to it — AJ had to put it out with his hat.**

**Ron, at the next table, wasn't having much more luck.**

**"Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.**

"You're saying it wrong Weasley." Snorted Snape, honestly that child was so impatient with his studies.

**"You're saying it wrong," AJ heard Hermione snap. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."**

**"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.**

**Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"**

**Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.**

**"Oh, well done!" professor Flitwick said, "5 points to Gryffindor." Hermione shot AJ a glare and AJ couldn't figure out why. **

Just as the blushing girl was about to apologized for acting like a stuck up bitch, AJ shook her head, honestly it was four years ago they moved past that.

**Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of the class.**

**"It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said to AJ as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor, "she's a nightmare, honestly."**

**Someone knocked into AJ as they hurried past him. It was Hermione. AJ caught a glimpse of her face — and was startled to see that she was in tears.**

Bill glared darkly at his little brother who didn't look the least bit apologetic.

**"I think she heard you."**

**"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."**

**"Ron! That's really mean, she's just trying to make friends." AJ said feeling guilty. Ron looked at her like she was crazy. She sighed and shook her head.**

"Thanks pookie bear" Hermione said in a baby voice trying diffuse the tension in the room

AJ changed her hair from blue to pink "You're welcome lamb chop, meet me in the broom closet later." She said in a very flirty voice. Everyone laughed at the pair, forgetting how mean Ron was.

**Hermione didn't turn up for the next class and wasn't seen all afternoon. On their way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, AJ and Ron overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that Hermione was crying in the girls' bathroom and wanted to be left alone. Ron looked still more awkward at this, but a moment later they had entered the Great Hall, where the Halloween decorations put Hermione out of their minds if only for a moment. A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter. The feast appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet.**

"The Halloween feasts are the best Sir." Remarked the twins

"Thank you boys, we do try to keep things festive." Smiled Dumbledore

**AJ was just helping herself to a baked potato when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, "Troll — in the dungeons — thought you ought to know."**

**He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.**

Remus snarled at that, there was something wrong with that man.

**There was uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.**

**"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"**

**Percy was in his element.**

**"Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"**

Molly and Arthur were beaming at the thought of their son being so responsible while the other Weasley children pretended to gag

**"How could a troll get in?" AJ asked as they climbed the stairs.**

**"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid," said Ron. "Maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke."**

**"Even Peeves wouldn't do that." Fred said.**

**They passed different groups of people hurrying in different directions. As they jostled their way through a crowd of confused Hufflepuffs, AJ suddenly grabbed Ron's arm.**

**"I've just thought — Hermione."**

Tonks gasped at that "You didn't know!"

**"What about her?"**

**"She doesn't know about the troll."**

**Ron bit his lip.**

**"Oh, all right," he snapped. "But Percy'd better not see us."**

"My God Ron!" snarled Bill "That troll could kill her and you're acting as if she was outside during a thunderstorm!" Hermione grabbed his hand and shook her head letting him know she didn't care.

**Ducking down, they joined the Hufflepuffs going the other way, slipped down a deserted side corridor, and hurried off toward the girls' bathroom. They had just turned the corner when they heard quick footsteps behind them.**

**"Percy!" hissed Ron, pulling AJ behind a large stone griffin.**

**Peering around it, however, they saw not Percy but Snape. He crossed the corridor and disappeared from view.**

**"What's he doing?" AJ whispered. "Why isn't he down in the dungeons with the rest of the teachers?"**

**"Search me."**

**Quietly as possible, they crept along the next corridor after Snape's fading footsteps.**

**"He's heading for the third floor," AJ said, but Ron held up his hand.**

**"Can you smell something?"**

**AJ sniffed and a foul stench reached her nostrils, a mixture of old socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean.**

"The troll." Muttered a nervous Sirius

**And then they heard it — a low grunting, and the shuffling footfalls of gigantic feet. Ron pointed — at the end of a passage to the left, something huge was moving toward them. They shrank into the shadows and watched as it emerged into a patch of moonlight. It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite gray, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long.**

**The troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside. It waggled its long ears, making up its tiny mind, then slouched slowly into the room.**

"**The key is in the lock." Ron said "We could lock it in."**

"NO!" Yelled Remus much to the amusement of AJ and Hermione

"**We can't lock it in the bathroom! That's where Hermione is!" snapped AJ she could see her long hair turning red with anger.**

**AJ pulled the door open and they ran inside.**

**Hermione Granger was shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if she was about to faint. The troll was advancing on her, knocking the sinks off the walls as it went.**

**"Confuse it!" AJ said desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, she threw it as hard as she could against the wall.**

"Good idea!" a pale looking Sirius approved

Kingsley and Tonks nodded their heads in agreement

**The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw AJ. It hesitated, then made for her instead, lifting its club as it went.**

**"Oy, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning its ugly snout toward Ron instead, giving AJ time to run around it.**

**"Come on, run, run!" AJ yelled at Hermione, trying to pull her toward the door, but she couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall, her mouth open with terror.**

Bill looked ready to faint while Molly and Arthur were staring at Ron in horror, they could have lost their baby.

**The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape.**

**AJ pulled her hair back and then did something that was both very brave and very stupid:**

Sirius and Remus looked at AJ reminding themselves she was alive and well

**She took a great running jump and managed to fasten her arms around the troll's neck from behind. The troll couldn't feel AJ hanging there, but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and AJ's wand had still been in her hand when she'd jumped – it had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils. Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with AJ clinging on for dear life; she had the faint idea that the Dursleys would be receiving their Christmas gift early this year.**

Charlie read that part through clenched teach absolutely livid at the Dursleys for even existing.

**Hermione had sunk to the floor in fright; Ron pulled out his own wand — not knowing what he was going to do he heard himself cry the first spell that came into his head: "Wingardium Leviosa!"**

**The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over — and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.**

Molly and Arthur let out long deep breaths while clutching Ron to them, Sirius and Remus turned to their daughter, Sirius narrowed his eyes at her "Pup, never jump on a trolls back."

Remus smirked "There are plenty of ways around that cub." AJ just laughed at her family.

**AJ got to her feet. She was shaking and out of breath. Ron was standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done.**

**It was Hermione who spoke first.**

**"Is it — dead?"**

**"I don't think so," said AJ, "I think it's just been knocked out."**

**She bent down and pulled her wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy gray glue.**

**"Urgh — troll boogers."**

Fred and George eyed AJ's wand as if they were expecting it to be covered in troll boogers.

**She wiped it on the troll's trousers.**

**A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the three of them look up. They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart.**

**Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron, AJ and Hermione. AJ had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were white.**

Kingsley looked to Remus "Ever make her that mad mate?"

Remus and Sirius blushed a little at that but Sirius answered never the less "She caught us having sex when we skipped history one day." Snape looked like a wanted to be sick while Dumbledore was looking at the ceiling wondering why his students insisted on having intercourse doing school hours.

Remus turned to AJ "Word to the wise don't let McGonagall catch you, it's not a pretty sight." He winked at the gaping face looking back at him.

**Hopes of winning fifty points for Gryffindor faded quickly from AJ's mind.**

**"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice. AJ looked at Ron, who was still standing with his wand in the air. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"**

**Snape gave AJ a swift, piercing look. AJ looked at the floor. She wished Ron would put her wand down.**

**Then a small voice came out of the shadows.**

**"Please, Professor McGonagall — they were looking for me."**

Snape glared at the teenager, he knew she was lying he just couldn't prove it. Brats the lot of them.

**"Miss Granger!"**

**"I didn't know about the troll, they came looking for me to tell me about it and get me to go back to Gryffindor tower."**

**"And why did you not know about the troll Miss Granger?" Asked Professor McGonagall.**

**"Because I wasn't at the feast."**

**"Very well, you may leave."**

**Hermione left.**

**Professor McGonagall turned to AJ and Ron.**

**"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go."**

"That was all you got?" snorted Tonks she expected a hell of a lot more than just five.

**They hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak at all until they had climbed two floors up. It was a relief to be away from the smell of the troll, quite apart from anything else.**

**"We should have gotten more than ten points," Ron grumbled.**

**"Well I think putting our lives in danger made her a little upset Ron."**

Dumbledore chuckled at that, she was terrified for her lions.

**"Good of Hermione to explain the situation to McGonagall," Ron said casually. "Mind you we did save her."**

**"She might not have needed saving if you hadn't said those things about her," AJ reminded him.**

Bill nodded his head at that still very angry his little brother for that, AJ looked at him for a moment then looked away he seemed to like a certain best friend of hers.

**They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.**

**"Pig snout," they said and entered.**

**The common room was packed and noisy. Everyone was eating the food that had been sent up. Hermione, however, stood alone by the door, waiting for them. There**

**was a very embarrassed pause. Then, none of them looking at each other, they all said "Thanks," and hurried off to get plates.**

**But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them."**

"Best friend for sure." Smiled AJ

Hermione laughed at her blue haired friend "Of course we're best friends, who else would put up with you and Charlie."

AJ grumbled something about maybe needing a new friend but had a smile on her face. "I'll read the next chapter." She grabbed the book and looked at the title and smirked **"Quidditch..."**


	13. Quidditch

Hermione paled at hearing the name of the title that had been one of the worst moments in her life. Bill noticed Hermiones change, grabbed her hand in silent support which she was grateful for.

**As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaver skin boots.**

**The Quidditch season had begun.**

"The best time of the year." Sighed Charlie and Sirius. AJ smirked at dad noticing he and Charlie said the same thing, maybe they would get along more knowing they had common interest.

**On Saturday, AJ would be playing in her first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin.**

"Those are the best games." Remarked Tonks

Kingsley gave her a look "Yeah but they're also the most bloody if you recall."

**If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the house championship.**

**Hardly anyone had seen AJ play because Wood had decided that, as their secret weapon, AJ should be kept, well, secret. But the news that she was playing Seeker had leaked out somehow, and AJ didn't know which was worse — people telling her she'd be brilliant or people telling her they'd be running around underneath her holding a mattress.**

Remus shook his head "I somehow doubt that would have been needed." But he didn't notice the way none of the people that attended that match turned their heads.

**It was really lucky that AJ now had Hermione as a friend. She didn't know how much she missed someone to study with and just talk with over anything.**

AJ and Hermione shared smiles at that, of course they studied a lot and did homework but they usually spent their nights talking and laughing.

**what with all the last-minute Quidditch practice Wood was making them do. She had also lent her Quidditch Through the Ages, which turned out to be a very interesting read. AJ learned that there were seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul and that all of them had happened during a World Cup match in 1473; that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players, and that most serious Quidditch accidents seemed to happen to them; that although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert.**

"That must have been a fun game!" Fred said

Ginny looked at Fred like he was crazy but George was nodding in agreement.

**Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since AJ and Ron had saved her from the mountain troll, and she was much nicer for it.**

**The day before AJ's first Quidditch match the three of them were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and AJ taught them how to make a small fire. Hermione learned the spell quickly and conjured them up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar..**

"Maybe you should consider teaching AJ." Smiled Dumbledore

AJ snorted at that, she wasn't a very patient person and teaching obviously involved some amount of patients.

**They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard. AJ noticed at once that Snape was limping. AJ, Ron, and Hermione moved closer together to block the fire from view; they were sure it wouldn't be allowed. Unfortunately, something about their guilty faces caught Snape's eye. He limped over. He hadn't seen the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway.**

**"What's that you've got there, Potter?"**

**It was Quidditch Through the Ages. AJ showed him.**

**"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."**

Arthur shook his head at the potions master "That's not a rule Severus."

"You really need to stop thinking that she's James, she's not him and she never will be." Sirius said calmly

Snape just ignored them but caught AJ's eye and once again felt guilt rising up in him thinking about Lily.

**"He's just made that rule up," AJ muttered angrily as Snape limped away. She hated when people made things up just to get others into trouble that always happened at the Dursleys which ended in an unforgettable punishment. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"**

**"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly.**

Molly glared at her blushing son "Ronald Weasley! That was very rude! You need to apologize to your professor NOW!" the twins, Bill and Charlie couldn't hold back snorts of laughter at that.

Ron glared at the room but muttered "sorry professor for hoping you were hurt. Four years ago!" he snapped out. Before Molly could give AJ another headache she continued with the reading

**The Gryffindor common room was very noisy that evening. AJ, Ron, and Hermione sat together next to a window. Hermione was checking Ron's Charms homework for them. AJ wanted to tell Hermione to calm down but one look at Ron's homework kept her mouth shut. AJ felt restless. She wanted Quidditch Through the Ages back, to take her mind off her nerves about tomorrow. Why should she be afraid of Snape? He wouldn't hit her even though he seemed like he wanted to at times.**

Snape flinched at that, he might not like Potter but he would never hit her or any student for that matter, he needed to talk with her about this.

**Getting up, she told Ron and Hermione she was going to ask Snape if she could have it.**

**"Better you than me," they said together, but AJ had an idea that Snape wouldn't refuse if there were other teachers listening.**

**She made her way down to the staffroom and knocked. There was no answer. She knocked again. Nothing.**

**Perhaps Snape had left the book in there? It was worth a try. She pushed the door ajar and peered inside – and a horrible scene met her eyes.**

**Snape and Filch were inside, alone.**

Fred and George started to laugh loudly while Tonks and AJs hair turned green

"No judgment." Kingsley Promised to the scowling teacher.

**Snape was holding his robes above his knees.**

Bill, Hermione, Charlie, Sirius and Remus joined in on the laughter at this. Dumbledore closed his eyes in hopes of getting that image out of his head.

AJ turned to the professor "It's okay really professor, we're in a no judgment zone right now. Feel free to let out your true emotions." Snape sneered at the green haired girl momentarily forgetting his guilt towards her.

**One of his legs was bloody and mangled. Filch was handing Snape bandages.**

**"Blasted thing," Snape was saying. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"**

**AJ tried to shut the door quietly, but —**

**"POTTER!"**

Sirius turned to his daughter "We have to teach you how to sneak around pup."

**Snape's face was twisted with fury as he dropped his robes quickly to hide his leg. AJ gulped.**

**"I just wondered if I could have my book back."**

**"GET OUT! OUT! "**

**AJ left, before Snape could take any more points from Gryffindor. She sprinted back upstairs.**

**"Did you get it?" Ron asked as AJ joined them. "What's the matter?"**

**In a low whisper, AJ told them what she'd seen.**

**"You know what this means?" she finished breathlessly. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him — he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick he let that troll in, to make a diversion!"**

"Happy you didn't take that bet I'm sure." Muttered Snape but AJ heard him

"Damn right I am." She laughed at the stunned look on his face while everyone else wondered what had just happened.

**Hermione's eyes were wide.**

**"No — he wouldn't," she said. "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."**

**"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something," snapped Ron. "I'm with AJ. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"**

**AJ went to bed with her head buzzing with the same question but she couldn't sleep. She sunk onto Hermiones bed to talk to her about it, they couldn't think of anything that would need that much guarding. Hermione tried distracting her with having AJ change her hair at will along with her eyes, AJ loved having her hair electric blue while Hermione thought the bright purple looked pretty cool too. **

"I love the color purple but it doesn't look right on me I suppose." Commented Tonks

"I like your hair pink, it's fun and vibrant which is you." Smiled AJ

Tonks was bouncing in her seat again, she loved that she wasn't alone in this anymore.

**When AJ finally felt exhausted enough to sleep she went back into her own bed, she had her first Quidditch match in a few hours – but the expression on Snape's face when AJ had seen his leg wasn't easy to forget.**

**The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.**

**The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.**

**"You've got to eat some breakfast."**

Charlie looked at AJ in shock "You need to eat punk, keep up your strength during a game." AJ rolled her eyes playfully at that realizing they were yet again getting caught up in the game.

**"I don't want anything."**

**"Just a bit of toast," suggested Hermione.**

**"I'm not hungry."**

**AJ felt terrible. She usually got this feeling after her Uncle smacked her around a few times.**

Everyone stiffened at the reminder of how her uncle treated her.

**In an hour's time she'd be walking onto the field.**

**"AJ, you need your strength," said Seamus Finnigan. "Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."**

"And he seriously wonders why I kept turning him down for a date?" AJ snarked

Hermione laughed at that, AJ always had guys asking her out but Seamus never gave up.

**"Thanks, Seamus," said AJ, watching Seamus pile ketchup on his sausages.**

**By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.**

**Ron and Hermione joined Neville, Seamus, and Dean the West Ham fan up in the top row. As a surprise for AJ, they had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined.**

Remus and Sirius bit back growls at the mention of the rat, he ruined so many lives.

**It said Potter for President, and Dean, who was good at drawing, had done a large Gryffindor lion underneath. Then Hermione had performed a tricky little charm so that the paint flashed different colors.**

**Meanwhile, in the locker room, AJ and the rest of the team were changing into their scarlet Quidditch robes (Slytherin would be playing in green). AJ changed her hair dark red with gold highlights to support Gryffindor even more.**

**Wood cleared his throat for silence.**

**"Okay, men," he said.**

**"And women," said Chaser Angelina Johnson.**

**"And women," Wood agreed. "This is it."**

**"The big one," said Fred Weasley.**

**"The one we've all been waiting for," said George.**

**"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred told AJ, "we were on the team last year."**

"Remember when his speeches were short?" asked Fred

"Remember when he didn't wake us up at four am for practice?" asked George

"Remember when he didn't contemplate suicide after games?" asked AJ

Before they could continue "Read the damn book Potter!" snarled Snape

**"Shut up, you two," said Wood. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to win. I know it."**

**He glared at them all as if to say, "Or else."**

**"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."**

**AJ followed Fred and George out of the locker room and, hoping her knees weren't going to give way, walked onto the field to loud cheers. Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand.**

**"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, once they were all gathered around her.**

Bill cocked his head to the side "I thought you were playing Slytherin?"

The twins nodded "We were, she's just a hopeless optimist I suppose" AJ commented

**AJ noticed that she seemed to be speaking particularly to the Slytherin Captain, Marcus Flint, a sixth year. AJ thought Flint looked as if he had some troll blood in him.**

**Out of the corner of her eye she saw the fluttering banner high above, flashing Potter for President over the crowd. Her heart skipped. She felt braver.**

**"Mount your brooms, please."**

**AJ clambered onto her Nimbus Two Thousand.**

**Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle.**

**Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off.**

**"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor — what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too —"**

**"JORDAN!"**

Remus and Sirius laughed loudly at that, "He could have given your brother a run for his money." Remus laughed

Seeing the questioningly looks Sirius elaborated "My little brother Regulus was the commentator for Slytherin but whenever they played Gryffindor he would comment on all the girls on the Gryffindor team." AJ noticed he had a sad look in his eyes when talking about Uncle Regulus

**"Sorry, Professor."**

**The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Professor McGonagall.**

**"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve — back to Johnson and — no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes — Flint flying like an eagle up there — he's going to sc— no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle — that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and — OUCH — that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger — Quaffle taken by the Slytherins — that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger — sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which — nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes — she's really flying — dodges a speeding Bludger — the goal posts are ahead — come on, now, Angelina — Keeper Bletchley dives — misses — GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"**

Charlie and Sirius cheered at that much to the amusement of their significant others.

**Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.**

**"Budge up there, move along."**

**"Hagrid!"**

"They're not in your head anymore." Ginny blushed

**Ron and Hermione squeezed together to give Hagrid enough space to join them.**

**"Bin watchin' from me hut," said Hagrid, patting a large pair of binoculars around his neck, "But it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"**

**"Nope," said Ron. "AJ hasn't had much to do yet."**

**"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," said Hagrid, raising his binoculars and peering skyward at the speck that was AJ.**

**Way up above them, AJ was gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch. This was part of her and Wood's game plan.**

"He did have some good plans." Commented AJ

"Doesn't he play for the national team now?" AJ nodded her head at Arthur

**"Keep out of the way until you catch sight of the Snitch," Wood had said. "We don't want you attacked before you have to be."**

**When Angelina had scored, AJ had done a couple of loop-the-loops to let off her feelings. Now she was back to staring around for the Snitch. Once she caught sight of a flash of gold, but it was just a reflection from one of the Weasleys' wristwatches,**

"You should probably take those off boys." Bill suggested

The twins shrugged their shoulders at that, it was rather doubtful they would do that.

**and once a Bludger decided to come pelting her way, more like a cannonball than anything, but AJ dodged it and Fred Weasley came chasing after it.**

**"All right there, AJ?" he had time to yell, as he beat the Bludger furiously toward Marcus Flint.**

**"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the — wait a moment — was that the Snitch?"**

**A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.**

**AJ saw it. In a great rush of excitement she dived downward after the streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch — all the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair to watch.**

Snape should his head at that, they should be focused on the game.

**AJ was faster than Higgs — she could see the little round ball, wings fluttering, darting up ahead — she put on an extra spurt of speed —WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below — Marcus Flint had blocked AJ on purpose, and AJ's broom spun off course, AJ holding on for dear life.**

Sirius glared at the book in his daughter's hand that should have been a foul.

**"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors.**

**Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.**

**Down in the stands, Dean Thomas was yelling, "Send him off, ref! Red card!"**

**"What are you talking about, Dean?" said Ron.**

**"Red card!" said Dean furiously. "In football you get shown the red card and you're out of the game!"**

**"But this isn't football, Dean," Ron reminded him.**

**Hagrid, however, was on Dean's side.**

**"They oughta change the rules. Flint coulda knocked AJ outta the air."**

**Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides.**

The twins shook their heads fondly at their friend's antics.

"Did Uncle Regulus takes sides a lot dad?" asked AJ innocently

Sirius and Remus looked shocked at her calling him uncle, "Of course he did pup, but he always made it up to me by covering for Remus and I when we needed alone time." Sirius smiled at all the times his brother took the fall for him.

**"So — after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating —"**

**"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.**

**"I mean, after that open and revolting foul…"**

**"Jordan, I'm warning you—"**

"I love this guy!" laughed Kingsley

**"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinner, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."**

**It was as AJ dodged another Bludger, which went spinning dangerously past her head, that it happened. Her broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. For a split second, she thought she was going to fall. She gripped the broom tightly with both her hands and knees. She'd never felt anything like that. It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck her off.**

The mood instantly went somber at that. "What's happening to your broom?" asked a hysterical Tonks

**But Nimbus Two Thousands did not suddenly decide to buck their riders off. AJ tried to turn back toward the Gryffindor goal-posts — she had half a mind to ask Wood to call time-out — and then she realized that her broom was completely out of her control. She couldn't turn it. She couldn't direct it at all. It was zigzagging through the air, and every now and then making violent swishing movements that almost unseated her.**

The truth hit them like a ton of bricks "Someone's jinxing her broom!" yelled Bill, he hadn't heard of this happening and judging by the panic stricken face on his brother he hadn't either.

"You never told me about this punk." Growled out Charlie, AJ gave him a quick kiss trying to pacify him.

**Lee was still commentating.**

**"Slytherin in possession — Flint with the Quaffle — passes Spinnet — passes Bell — hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose — only joking, Professor — Slytherins score — A no…"**

**The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that AJ's broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying her slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.**

"Now you can't make it to the ground." Sirius gave her a small smile, this was getting to be too much to hear.

**"Dunno what AJ thinks she's doing," Hagrid mumbled. He stared through his binoculars. "If I didn' know better, I'd say she'd lost control of her broom… but she can't have…"**

**"Yer well I did." AJ muttered.**

**Suddenly, people were pointing up at AJ all over the stands. Her broom had started to roll over and over, with her only just managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped. AJ's broom had given a wild jerk and AJ off it.**

Charlie lost control and picked AJ up setting her in his lap, this may have happened four years ago but it was the fact that it still happened.

**She was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand.**

**"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked him?" Seamus whispered.**

**"Can't have," Hagrid said, his voice shaking. "Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark magic — no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand."**

"Oh sweet Merlin." Muttered Remus to Sirius, Hogwarts was supposed to be safe why couldn't it stay safe?

Tonks was so nervous her hair was rapidly changing colors while Kingsley wrapped an arm around his partner trying to calm them both down, the twins were looking directly at AJ reminding themselves she was okay, Hermione was sniffling into Bills shoulder remembering the fear that overcame her at the moment. Ginny, Ron, Molly and Arthur were trying not to lash out at everyone while Dumbledore and Snape looked irate at the man who was tormenting a child.

**At these words, Hermione seized Hagrid's binoculars, but instead of looking up at AJ, she started looking frantically at the crowd.**

**"What are you doing?" moaned Ron, gray-faced.**

**"I knew it," Hermione gasped, "Snape — look."**

**Ron grabbed the binoculars. Snape was in the middle of the stands opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on AJ and was muttering nonstop under his breath.**

**"He's doing something — jinxing the broom," said Hermione.**

"Or the counter jinx." Said a pail looking Sirius

**"What should we do?"**

**"Leave it to me."**

**Before Ron could say another word, Hermione had disappeared. Ron turned the binoculars back on AJ. Her broom was vibrating so hard, it was almost impossible for her to hang on much longer. The whole crowd was on its feet, watching, terrified, as the Weasleys flew up to try and pull AJ safely onto one of their brooms, but it was no good – every time they got near her, the broom would jump higher still. They dropped lower and circled beneath her, obviously hoping to catch her if she fell.**

"Thank you guys, really. That means more to me then you'll ever know." Charlie smiled at his twin brothers, they maybe jokesters but they protected their family

**Marcus Flint seized the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone noticing.**

"That shouldn't have counted!" snarled Bill making Hermione laugh for the first time in awhile

**"Come on, Hermione," Ron muttered desperately.**

**Hermione had fought her way across to the stand where Snape stood, and was now racing along the row behind him; she didn't even stop to say sorry as she knocked Professor Quirrell headfirst into the row in front.**

The adults narrowed their eyes at that, Quirrell was acting more and more strange.

**Reaching Snape, she crouched down, pulled out her wand, and whispered a few, well-chosen words. Bright blue flames shot from her wand onto the hem of Snape's robes, It took perhaps thirty seconds for Snape to realize that he was on fire. A sudden yelp told her she had done her job. Scooping the fire off him into a little jar in her pocket, she scrambled back along the row — Snape would never know what had happened.**

Snape in that moment looked more murderous than ever before. "fifty points from Gryffindor and detention for the next month!"

"Now Severus, this happened four years ago and we already discussed that they would not be punished over past actions." Dumbledore spoke calmly but there was finality in his voice that Molly didn't seem to notice.

Molly looked over at the headmaster "That's completely unacceptable Albus! She lit a teacher on fire! She could have seriously hurt someone and you're not even going to see to it that it doesn't happen again?"

Dumbledore shook his head at Molly "We agreed in the beginning they would not be punished and I will not go back on my word. Now if Miss. Granger decides to set another teacher on fire this coming school year I will see to it she receives detention. This discussion is over Molly. Dumbledore never lost the calmness in his voice or the twinkle in his eye but if you looked closely you could see his jaw was clenching in anger.

Hermione sunk back into the couch thanking Merlin she wouldn't get into trouble, Bill gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

AJ couldn't help but roll her eyes at Molly, if she ever married Charlie she would make sure they moved far away and would forget to give Molly their address change.

**It was enough. Up in the air, AJ was suddenly able to clamber back on to her broom.**

**"Neville, you can look!" Ron said. Neville had been sobbing into Hagrid's jacket for the last five minutes.**

**AJ was speeding toward the ground when the crowd saw her clap her hand to her mouth as though she was about to be sick — she hit the field on all fours — coughed — and something gold fell into her hand.**

"You swallowed the snitch?" laughed Tonks finally calmed down enough to talk.

Fred and George nodded "Best seeker we ever had!"

Charlie kissed AJ's cheek and set her down next to him, she never did anything normal that's for sure.

**"I've got the Snitch!" she shouted, waving it above her head, and the game ended in complete confusion.**

**"She didn't catch it, she nearly swallowed it," Flint was still howling twenty minutes later, but it made no difference — AJ hadn't broken any rules and Lee Jordan was**

**still happily shouting the results — Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty. AJ heard none of this, though.**

Sirius looked at her like she was crazy "Baby you should be celebrating! That was an excellent game!"

"I had things to discuss with a certain half giant daddy." AJ smiled.

**She was being made a cup of strong tea back in Hagrid's hut, with Ron and Hermione.**

**"It was Snape," Ron was explaining, "Hermione and I saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."**

**"Rubbish," said Hagrid, who hadn't heard a word of what had gone on next to him in the stands. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"**

Kingsley looked at the enraged professor and couldn't help but poke the sleeping bear "You do have a lot against you Severus, maybe if Filch would give it up more you'd be a little happier." Molly and Arthur looked disapprovingly at the auror while everyone else laughed at him, AJ liked him from the very beginning.

**AJ, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another, wondering what to tell him. AJ decided on the truth.**

**"I found out something about him," she told Hagrid. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."**

**Hagrid dropped the teapot.**

**"How do you know about Fluffy?" he said.**

**"Fluffy?"**

**"Yeah — he's mine — bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year — I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the —"**

Dumbledore shook his head fondly at that, Hagrid was very loyal but he couldn't keep a secret to save his life.

**"Yes?" said AJ eagerly.**

**"Now, don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."**

**"But Snape's trying to steal it."**

**"Rubbish," said Hagrid again. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort."**

**But AJ couldn't help but think of all the mean things Snape had done to AJ, he really seemed to hate her. Then again, he was a teacher that had to count for something right?**

Snape felt that annoying emotion of guilt well up inside of him again, he hated that she was so much like Lily.

**"So why did he just try and kill AJ?" cried Hermione.**

**The afternoon's events certainly seemed to have changed her mind about Snape.**

**"I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"**

Before anyone could speak Hermione bit out "I know that now! It was four years ago."

**"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "I don' know why AJ's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all three of yeh — yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel —"**

"He just gave you more information." Chuckled Kingsley

**"Aha!" said AJ, "so there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"**

**Hagrid looked furious with himself.**

"He should have." Smirked Snape.

AJ tossed the book to Kingsley "Maybe you should read next."

He nodded his head and looked at the next chapter with an odd look "**The Mirror of Erised...**"


	14. The Mirror of Erised

Tonks saw AJ's hair turn from electric blue to a dull brown; she wondered what could have happened in this chapter to make her so upset.

**Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban.**

Hermione and AJ had to avoid each other's eyes at hearing that, it was funny to think of Voldemort being hit by snowballs.

**The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again. No one could wait for the holidays to start. **

**While the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worst of all were Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.**

"Why is that?" asked a timid looking Ginny

"It has to stay cool down there for the potions to work the proper way." AJ said patiently while Snape looked impressed at that, not many people knew that.

**"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."**

Sirius shook his head at that "Christmas is great in the castle, Moony and I stayed there a few times then James had us all go to his parents' house after third year."

**He was looking over at AJ as he spoke. Crabbe and Goyle chuckled. AJ, who was measuring out powdered spine of lionfish, ignored them. Malfoy had been even more unpleasant than usual since the Quidditch match. Disgusted that the Slytherins had lost, he had tried to get everyone laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog would be replacing AJ as Seeker next.**

**Then he'd realized that nobody found this funny, because they were all so impressed at the way AJ had managed to stay on her bucking broomstick. So Malfoy, jealous and angry, had gone back to taunting AJ about having no proper family.**

"She has a proper family." Remus grumbled "she has us, Charlie, Bill, the Twins, Hermione, Tonks and Kingsley."

"What about Uncle Regulus papa?" AJ asked with wide innocent eyes that she usually didn't have "He's family too right?"

Neither Sirius nor Remus knew how to answer at first, "Yeah pup, your Uncle Regulus is family. Regulus hasn't spoken to me since I moved out when I was sixteen. I suppose he never forgave me for turning my back on The Blacks." AJ looked sadly at her father while Remus wrapped an arm around him. Feeling she needed to be with her fathers, she snuggled up to her dad while holding her papas free hand.

**It was true that AJ wasn't going back to Privet Drive for Christmas. Professor McGonagall had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and AJ had signed up at once. She didn't feel sorry for herself at all; this would probably be the best Christmas she'd ever had. She wanted to stay at school over Christmas, it would be the first Christmas she didn't receive a beating. Ron and his brothers were staying, too, because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie.**

Charlie shifted uncomfortably at that; his mother spent the entire visit criticizing his work and home that he built for himself there. He was considering going to the dragon reserve in Whales, he had friends there and he would be closer to AJ which was an added bonus.

**When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it.**

**"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.**

**"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."**

**"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Malfoy's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose — that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."**

AJ gave Snape a cold look, Malfoy deserved what she did to him and this was proof.

**AJ's hair turned blood red from anger and did something that most would consider stupid but she thought it was justice being served. She punched him directly in the nose and heard a distinctive crack**

The twins were on the floor laughing, Bill, Hermione and Charlie were cheering AJ on, Tonks and Kingsley were leaning into each other for support from laughing so hard, while Remus and Sirius were trying to look disapproved but there smiles were making it hard to believe.

**just then Snape came up the stairs.**

"**POTTER!"**

**"She was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' Rons family."**

**"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily. "Twenty-five points from Gryffindor, Potter, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you. Malfoy with me."**

**"I hate them both," said AJ, "Malfoy and Snape."**

Snape hid a flinch at that, he may not have liked Potter but he did have a part to play and her looking like her father made that part rather easy.

**"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."**

**So the three of them followed Hagrid and his tree off to the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.**

**"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree — put it in the far corner, would you?"**

**The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.**

Everyone smiled at the description of the Great Hall; it was always amazing around Christmas time there.

**"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked.**

**"Just one," said Hermione. "And that reminds me — AJ, Ron, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library."**

Bill raised an eyebrow at that; they shouldn't have had to study during the holiday.

**"Oh yeah, you're right," said Ron, tearing his eyes away from Professor Flitwick, who had golden bubbles blossoming out of his wand and was trailing them over the branches of the new tree.**

**"The library?" said Hagrid, following them out of the hall. "Just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?"**

**"Oh, we're not working," AJ told him brightly. "Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is."**

Kingsley laughed at that "You like to shock people don't you kid?"

"Of course I do, it's a part of my irresistible charm." AJ laughed at the eye roll Hermione threw at her.

**"You what?" Hagrid looked shocked. "Listen here — I've told yeh — drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'."**

**"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," said Hermione.**

**"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" AJ added. "We must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere — just give us a hint — I know his name, I just can't place it."**

"Why was that? You're supposed to have an awesome memory. Not so awesome if you ask me." Ron snorted

Before AJ could defend herself Charlie snapped at him "She does have an awesome memory Ron. It's like every little thing she sees or hears or reads is stored in her brain and sometimes she needs a little shove as to where to sort through her thoughts. There's no need to be an asshole, don't look at me like that mom! It's true." Charlie was breathing hard at that, than he felt someone clap him on the back and saw Sirius and Remus grinning broadly at him which helped him keep a reign on his temper.

**"I'm sayin' nothin', said Hagrid flatly.**

**"Just have to find out for ourselves, then," said Ron, and they left Hagrid looking disgruntled and hurried off to the library.**

**They had indeed been searching books for Flamel's name ever since Hagrid had let it slip, because how else were they going to find out what Snape was trying to steal? The trouble was, it was very hard to know where to begin, not knowing what Flamel might have done to get himself into a book.**

**He wasn't in Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, or Notable Magical Names of Our Time; he was missing, too, from Important Modern Magical Discoveries, and A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry.**

"Do you have any idea how many names I have stuck in my head now because of that Mio?" AJ pouted

Hermione gave her a cheeky smile in return "Sorry babes."

**And then, of course, there was the sheer size of the library; tens of thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows. Hermione took out a list of subjects and titles she had decided to search while Ron strode off down a row of books and started pulling them off the shelves at random.**

**AJ wandered over to the Restricted Section. She had been wondering for a while if Flamel wasn't somewhere in there. Unfortunately, you needed a specially signed note from one of the teachers to look in any of the restricted books, and she knew she'd never get one. These were the books containing powerful Dark Magic never taught at Hogwarts, and only read by older students studying advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts.**

**"What are you looking for, Girl?"**

**"Nothing," said AJ.**

Kingsley winced at that, he knew all too well about the librarians temper

**Madam Pince the librarian brandished a feather duster at her.**

**"You'd better get out, then. Go on — out!"**

**Wishing she'd been a bit quicker at thinking up some story, AJ left the library. She, Ron, and Hermione had already agreed they'd better not ask Madam Prince where they could find Flamel. They were sure she'd be able to tell them, but they couldn't risk Snape hearing what they were up to. AJ waited outside in the corridor to see if the other two had found anything, but she wasn't very hopeful. They had been looking for two weeks, after all, but as they only had odd moments between lessons it wasn't surprising they'd found nothing. What they really needed was a nice long search without Madam Prince breathing down their necks.**

"Now only if you had an invisibility cloak." Hermione said straight faced

AJ nodded her head in contemplation "That's true, I wonder how I could get one."

Dumbledore just shook his head at his students

**Five minutes later, Ron and Hermione joined her, shaking their heads. They went off to lunch.**

**"You will keep looking while I'm away, won't you?" said Hermione. "And send me an owl if you find anything."**

**"And you could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is," said Ron. "It'd be safe to ask them."**

Tonks raised an eyebrow at that "Her parents are muggles though."

Ron went red at that but ignored the witch knowing that she could make or break his career as an auror.

**"Very safe, as they're both dentists," said Hermione.**

**Once the holidays had started, Ron and AJ were having too good a time to think much about Flamel.**

**They had the common room to themselves, it was much emptier than usual, so they were able to get the good armchairs by the fire. They sat by the hour eating anything they could spear on a toasting fork — bread, English muffins, marshmallows — and plotting ways of getting Malfoy expelled, which were fun to talk about even if they wouldn't work.**

"That's-"

"Always-"

"A good plan." The twins said with smiles.

**Ron also started teaching AJ wizard chess. This was exactly like Muggle chess except that the figures were alive, which made it a lot like directing troops in battle. Ron's set was very old and battered. Like everything else he owned, it had once belonged to someone else in his family — in this case, his grandfather. However, old chessmen weren't a drawback at all. Ron knew them so well he never had trouble getting them to do what he wanted.**

"You do suck at chess." Snorted Ron

Charlie glared at his brother "She doesn't like the game Ron, it's all about plotting your next mood and for someone like AJ that doesn't scream good times."

**AJ played with chessmen Seamus Finnigan had lent her, which was a mistake because he took it as she just wanted an excuse to talk to him. **

Sirius narrowed his eyes at that, he didn't like that this kid obviously couldn't take the hint.

**They didn't trust her at all. She wasn't a very good player yet and they kept shouting different bits of advice at her, which was confusing. "Don't send me there, can't you see his knight? Send him, we can afford to lose him."**

"Your Uncle Regulus was a great chess player, he and Moony would play while James and I went pranking." Sirius told AJ who smiled broadly at knowing something else about her extended family.

**On Christmas Eve, AJ went to bed looking forward to the next day for the food and the fun, but not expecting any presents at all. When she woke early in the morning, however, the first thing she saw was a small pile of packages at the foot of her bed.**

**"Happy Christmas," said Ron sleepily as AJ came running through his dorm door, carrying her presents with her.**

**"You, too," said AJ. "Will you look at this? I've got some presents!"**

**"What did you expect, turnips?" said Ron, turning to his own pile, which was a lot bigger than AJ's. Well AJ didn't expect turnips per say, she didn't expect anything at all.**

Hermione and Bill glared at Ron "You can be so tactless Ron, I swear." Bill shook his head while Hermione was in complete agreement.

**AJ picked up the top parcel. It was wrapped in thick brown paper and scrawled across it was To AJ, from Hagrid. Inside was a roughly cut wooden flute. Hagrid had obviously whittled it himself. AJ blew it — it sounded a bit like an owl.**

Snape looked intrigued at that, what were the chances of her getting something like for Christmas with that mutt fluffy in the castle.

**A second, very small parcel contained a note.**

**We received your message and enclose your Christmas present. Shame you haven't kicked the bucket girl but when you get back here there will be hell to pay if you don't behave yourself in my home. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia.**

Sirius and Remus held their daughter closer after hearing that, they were going to pay one way or another for how they treated her.

**Taped to the note was a fifty-pence piece. AJ was felt a sense of foreboding with that note but hid it well from Ron.**

**"That's friendly," said AJ.**

**Ron was fascinated by the fifty pence.**

**"Weird!" he said, 'What a shape! This is money?"**

Arthur looked like he was going to burst with pride for his son, he had more Arthur in him than he realized.

**"You can keep it," said AJ, laughing at how pleased Ron was. "Hagrid and my aunt and uncle — so who sent these?"**

**"I think I know who that one's from," said Ron, turning a bit pink and pointing to a very lumpy parcel. "My mom. I told her you didn't expect any presents and — oh, no," he groaned, "she's made you a Weasley sweater."**

**AJ had torn open the parcel to find a thick, hand-knitted sweater in emerald green and a large box of homemade fudge.**

**"Every year she makes us a sweater," said Ron, unwrapping his own, "and mine's always maroon."**

"I'm sorry dear, I didn't realize you didn't like maroon." Molly fretted

Tonks rolled her now lavender eyes at that "I somehow doubt that would satisfy him." She muttered under her breath while Kingsley elbowed her but fought to keep the laughter out of his voice

**"That's really nice of her," said AJ, trying the fudge, which was very tasty.**

**Her next present also contained candy — a large box of Chocolate Frogs from Hermione.**

AJ turned her hair bright purple and made it curl before she said "Thanks for that again doll face." She flipped her hair in a seductive way

Hermione laughed at her friend's antics before answering "You're welcome hot stuff."

Bill and Charlie laughed loudly at the pair, they were much like Fred and George in the aspect in which they were in each other's minds.

**This only left one parcel. AJ picked it up and felt it. It was very light. She unwrapped it.**

**Something fluid and silvery gray went slithering to the floor where it lay in gleaming folds.**

**Ron gasped.**

Sirius' breath caught in his throat while Remus hugged him closer to himself.

**"I've heard of those," he said in a hushed voice, dropping the box of Every Flavor Beans he'd gotten from Hermione.**

"Never did say thank you." Hermione snarked

Ron rolled his eyes, honestly who cared?

**"If that's what I think it is — they're really rare, and really valuable."**

**"What is it?"**

**AJ picked the shining, silvery cloth off the floor. It was strange to the touch, like water woven into material.**

**"It's an invisibility cloak," said Ron, a look of awe on his face. "I'm sure it is — try it on."**

Snape glared daggers at AJ, he didn't think she got that damn cloak when she was only twelve.

**AJ threw the cloak around her shoulders and Ron gave a yell.**

**"It is! Look down!"**

**AJ looked down at her feet, but they were gone. She dashed to the mirror. Sure enough, her reflection looked back at her, just her head suspended in midair, her body completely invisible.**

**She pulled the cloak over her head and her reflection vanished completely.**

"Can we borrow it?" begged the Twins but AJ shook her head no much to their dismay but great relief to Snape.

**"There's a note!" said Ron suddenly. "A note fell out of it!"**

**AJ pulled off the cloak and seized the letter. Written in narrow, loopy writing she had never seen before were the following words:**

**Your father left this in my possession before he died.**

**It is time it was returned to you.**

**Use it well.**

Remus looked down at AJ "Who gave it back to you cub?"

AJ pretended to think about it for a moment "Sorry papa you'll have to wait and see." Sirius let out a bark like laugh at his husbands mock annoyed look.

**A Very Happy Christmas to you.**

**There was no signature. AJ stared at the note. Ron was admiring the cloak.**

**"I'd give anything for one of these," he said. "Anything. What's the matter?"**

Bill and Charlie shook their heads at Ron, he cared too much for material goods.

**"Nothing," said AJ. She felt very strange. Who had sent the cloak? Had it really once belonged to her father? Before she could say or think anything else, the dormitory door was flung open and Fred and George Weasley bounded in. AJ stuffed the cloak quickly out of sight. She didn't feel like sharing it with anyone else yet.**

AJ noticed the look Ron shot at her "Ron back off and if you can't see my reasons behind them then you're even more shallow then I thought humanly possible."

**"Happy Christmas!"**

**"Hey, look — AJ's got a Weasley sweater, too!"**

**Fred and George were wearing blue sweaters, one with a large yellow F on it, the other a G.**

"Were you guys wearing each other's sweaters?" asked Tonks

The twins shook their heads no but it was an obvious lie.

**"AJ's is better than ours, though," said Fred, holding up AJ's sweater. "She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family."**

"I do not!" cried an outraged Molly but no one was paying much attention to her at the moment,

**"Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron?" George demanded. "Come on, get it on, they're lovely and warm."**

**"I hate maroon," Ron moaned halfheartedly as he pulled it over his head.**

**"You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed. "I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid — we know we're called Gred and Forge."**

Kingsley smirked at the twin's sense of humor

**"What's all this noise?"**

**Percy Weasley stuck his head through the door, looking disapproving. He had clearly gotten halfway through unwrapping his presents as he, too, carried a lumpy sweater over his arm, which Fred seized. **

**"P for prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, even AJ got one."**

**"I — don't — want —" said Percy thickly, as the twins forced the sweater over his head, knocking his glasses askew. "And what is AJ doing in the boys dormitories anyway. She shouldn't be in here."**

Bill rolled his eyes "He needs to lighten up a little bit." Hermione agreed with him

"**Well I was gonna get it on with Ron with Fred and George in the room but I changed my mind." AJ replied sarcastically**

Kingsley was laughing so hard the book fell out of his hand while Tonks gave her a high-five. "Kid, I can't say this enough, I love your sense of humor!" Kingsley finally got out.

"Pup I love you to death but I'd rather you not make a comment like that in front of a prefect." Sirius gasped out while Remus was trying to keep some control on his laughter.

**Ron turned red at that but George saved him more humiliation than necessary.**

**"She's only joking Perce, she's not causing any harm. And you're not sitting with the prefects today, either," said George. "Christmas is a time for family."**

**They frog-marched Percy from the room, his arms pinned to his side by his sweater.**

**AJ had never in all her life had such a Christmas dinner. A hundred fat, roast turkeys; mountains of roast and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce – and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table.**

Ron moaned "When's lunch mum?"

"After this chapter dear."

**These fantastic party favors were nothing like the feeble Muggle ones the Dursleys usually bought, with their little plastic toys and their flimsy paper hats inside. AJ pulled a wizard cracker with Fred and it didn't just bang, it went off with a blast like a cannon and engulfed them all in a cloud of blue smoke, while from the inside exploded a rear admiral's hat and several live, white mice. Up at the High Table, Dumbledore had swapped his pointed wizard's hat for a flowered bonnet, and was chuckling merrily at a joke Professor Flitwick had just read him.**

Dumbledore nodded at that "I do like a good joke like anyone else."

**Flaming Christmas puddings followed the turkey. Percy nearly broke his teeth on a silver sickle embedded in his slice. AJ watched Hagrid getting redder and redder in the face as he called for more wine, finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek, who, to AJ's amazement, giggled and blushed, her top hat lopsided. When AJ finally left the table, she was laden down with a stack of things out of the crackers, including a pack of nonexplodable, luminous balloons, a Grow-Your-Own-Warts kit, and her own new wizard chess set. The white mice had disappeared and AJ had a nasty feeling they were going to end up as Mrs. Norris's Christmas dinner.**

**AJ and the Weasleys spent a happy afternoon having a furious snowball fight on the grounds.**

"That was a lot of fun." Remarked George

Fred nodded "We should do it again this year."

"We will for sure." AJ smiled thinking this year she would be with an actual family.

**Then, cold, wet, and gasping for breath, they returned to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, where AJ broke in her new chess set by losing spectacularly to Ron. She suspected she wouldn't have lost so badly if Percy hadn't tried to help her so much.**

Bill nodded at that, Percy wasn't the best person to ask for help when it came to chess.

**After a meal of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle, and Christmas cake, everyone felt too full and sleepy to do much before bed except sit and watch Percy chase Fred and George all over Gryffindor tower because they'd stolen his prefect badge.**

**It had been AJ's best Christmas day ever. Yet something had been nagging at the back of her mind all day. Not until she climbed into bed was she free to think about it: the invisibility cloak and whoever had sent it. AJ leaned over the side of her bed and pulled the cloak out from under it. Her father's… this had been her father's. She let the material flow over her hands, smoother than silk, light as air. Use it well, the note had said.**

Snape snorted at that, she would use it irresponsibly like Potter senior had done in his day.

**She had to try it, now. She slipped out of bed and wrapped the cloak around herself. Looking down at her legs, she saw only moonlight and shadows. It was a very funny feeling.**

**Use it well.**

**Suddenly, AJ felt wide-awake. The whole of Hogwarts was open to her in this cloak. Excitement flooded through her as she stood there in the dark and silence. She could go anywhere in this, anywhere, and Filch would never know. Should she wake Ron up? Something held her back — her father's cloak — she felt that this time — the first time — she wanted to use it alone.**

Sirius and Remus nodded in agreement with that, the first time should be a special time.

**She crept out of the dormitory, down the stairs, across the common room, and climbed through the portrait hole.**

**"Who's there?" squawked the Fat Lady. AJ said nothing. She walked quickly down the corridor. Where should she go? She stopped, her heart racing, and thought. And then it came to her. The Restricted Section in the library.**

**She'd be able to read as long as she liked, as long as it took to find out who Flamel was.**

"You spend too much time in the library pup." Smiled Sirius

**She set off, drawing the invisibility cloak tight around her as she walked.**

**The library was pitch-black and very eerie. AJ lit a lamp to see her way along the rows of books. The lamp looked as if it was floating along in midair, and even though AJ could feel her arm supporting it, the sight gave her the creeps.**

**The Restricted Section was right at the back of the library. Stepping carefully over the rope that separated these books from the rest of the library, she held up her lamp to read the titles.**

**They didn't tell her much. Their peeling faded gold letters spelled words in languages AJ couldn't understand. Some had no title at all. One book had a dark stain on it that looked horribly like blood.**

AJ looked at Remus "Was it blood papa?"

Remus nodded grimly "Not all books in the restricted section are safe, especially for kids."

**The hairs on the back of AJ's neck prickled. Maybe she was imagining it, maybe not, but she thought a faint whispering was coming from the books, as though they knew someone was there who shouldn't be.**

**She had to start somewhere. Setting the lamp down carefully on the floor, she looked along the bottom shelf for an interesting looking book. A large black and silver volume caught her eye. She pulled it out with difficulty, because it was very heavy, and, balancing it on her knee, let it fall open.**

**A piercing, bloodcurdling shriek split the silence — the book was screaming!**

"I hate your luck." Smirked Tonks

"Trust me, so do I." AJ grumbled

**AJ snapped it shut, but the shriek went on and on, one high, unbroken, earsplitting note. She stumbled backward and knocked over her lamp, which went out at once. Panicking, she heard footsteps coming down the corridor outside — stuffing the shrieking book back on the shelf, she ran for it. She passed Filch in the doorway; Filch's pale, wild eyes looked straight through her, and AJ slipped under Filch's outstretched arm and streaked off up the corridor, the book's shrieks still ringing in her ears.**

"Thank God you're so small." Breathed out Hermione

"That's what she said." AJ replied innocently, Hermione threw a pillow at her friend before laughing herself.

**She came to a sudden halt in front of a tall suit of armor. She had been so busy getting away from the library, she hadn't paid attention to where she was going. Perhaps because it was dark, she didn't recognize where she was at all. There was a suit of armor near the kitchens, she knew, but she must be five floors above there.**

**"You asked me to come directly to you, Professor, if anyone was wandering around at night, and somebody's been in the library Restricted Section."**

**AJ felt the blood drain out of her face. Wherever she was, Filch must know a shortcut, because his soft, greasy voice was getting nearer, and to her horror, it was Snape who replied, "The Restricted Section? Well, they can't be far, we'll catch them."**

Snape scowled at the smirking teen, he was going to catch her in the act somehow.

**AJ stood rooted to the spot as Filch and Snape came around the corner ahead. They couldn't see her, of course, but it was a narrow corridor and if they came much nearer they'd knock right into her — the cloak didn't stop her from being solid.**

Charlie caught the faint blush on Sirius' face "What happened Sirius?"

Sirius scowled before answering "I was about to prank Regulus when he turned around and smacked into me, the bowl of water I enchanted to dump on him landed on me. It's not funny AJ!"

AJ regained her control and chocked out "You're right daddy I'm sure."

**She backed away as quietly as she could. A door stood ajar to her left. It was her only hope. She squeezed through it, holding her breath, trying not to move it, and to her relief she managed to get inside the room without their noticing anything. They walked straight past, and AJ leaned against the wall, breathing deeply, listening to their footsteps dying away. That had been close, very close. It was a few seconds before she noticed anything about the room she had hidden in.**

Everyone besides Dumbledore leaned forward at this wondering what could possibly be in that room.

**It looked like an unused classroom. The dark shapes of desks and chairs were piled against the walls, and there was an upturned wastepaper basket – but propped against the wall facing her was something that didn't look as if it belonged there, something that looked as if someone had just put it there to keep it out of the way.**

**It was a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.**

Bill looked a little confused at that "Is it in Latin?"

AJ shook her head and buried her face into her dads chest inhaling his scent of firewhisky and piped tobacco, it calmed her down almost instantly.

**Her panic fading now that there was no sound of Filch and Snape, AJ moved nearer to the mirror, wanting to look at herself but see no reflection again.**

**She stepped in front of it.**

**She had to clap her hands to her mouth to stop herself from screaming. She whirled around. Her heart was pounding far more furiously than when the book had screamed — for she had seen not only herself in the mirror, but a whole crowd of people standing right behind her.**

Sirius and Remus realized what the mirror was pulled AJ closer to them, this wasn't going to be pleasant.

**But the room was empty. Breathing very fast, she turned slowly back to the mirror.**

**There she was, reflected in it, white and scared-looking, and there, reflected behind her, were at least ten others. AJ looked over her shoulder — but still, no one was**

**there. Or were they all invisible, too? Was she in fact in a room full of invisible people and this mirror's trick was that it reflected them, invisible or not? She looked in the mirror again. A woman standing right behind her reflection was smiling at her and waving. She reached out a hand and felt the air behind her. If she was really there, she'd touch her, their reflections were so close together, but she felt only air – she and the others existed only in the mirror. She was a very pretty woman. She had dark red hair and her eyes —her eyes are just like mine, AJ thought, edging a little closer to the glass. Bright green — exactly the same shape, but then she noticed that she was crying; smiling, but crying at the same time. The tall, thin, black-haired man standing next to her put his arm around her. He wore glasses, and his hair was very untidy. It stuck up at the back, it was the exact same shade of raven black as her hair. **

**AJ was so close to the mirror now that her nose was nearly touching that of her reflection.**

**"Mom?" she whispered. "Dad?"**

**They just looked at her, smiling. And slowly, AJ looked into the faces of the other people in the mirror, and saw other pairs of green eyes like her, other noses like hers, AJ was looking at her family, for the first time in her life.**

Kingsley was reading that all very fast in a chocked up voice, it hurt his heart to think that the only thing this young woman wanted in life was a family. Everyone was looking sadly at the book knowing AJ didn't want their pity. Snapes heart broke a little more for AJ in that moment, it was his fault Lily and...James died. He didn't like this feeling at all. The only one who didn't seem to think this was a sad moment was Molly.

"I somehow doubt this true." She remarked eyes blazing "Her deepest desire in life for a family? Now come on, of all the things in life she wants a family? I don't believe it I just don't believe it." AJ looked up completely shocked at that, Sirius and Remus looked murderous along with Bill, Charlie and Hermione. The twins were staring at their mother in complete shock, how anyone could say that to AJ. AJ leaned more into Charlie, she needed him more than anything at that moment.

But before anyone could say anything Snape stood up and for once he didn't turn his hatred eyes on AJ but onto Molly. His voice was deathly calm but the hatred filled words would have had anyone ready to cry "How dare you. How dare you make fun of a person's deepest desire let alone if their desire is that to have a family. Lily was my friend for a lot of years and James well James was an asshole to me but he was a father, a father how loved his wife and child so much that he died for them! They didn't deserve their deaths and AJ didn't deserve the life that was handed to her, but she deals with it far better than most adults. She wanted her mother and father back, she wanted them to protect her, to love her and just be there for her! That's what she wants most in life and I don't think it's fake or being made up. It's real and there's nothing you can say that will change that! If I ever hear you say that about this girl again I will not be held accountable for my actions. Please continue reading Kingsley, we need to end these books before I kill someone."

There was a shocked silence Ron and Ginny were staring at Snape with complete shock while the others didn't know where to look so they chose to just give Snape small smiles, AJ was still cuddled in Charlie but was now looking at Snape with an emotion he never thought he would see in her eyes, gratitude. He gave her a small smile in return, Kingsley took this as his queue to begin again.

**The Potters smiled and waved at AJ and she stared hungrily back at them, her hands pressed flat against the glass as though she was hoping to fall right through it and reach them. She had a powerful kind of ache inside her, half joy, half terrible sadness.**

**How long she stood there, she didn't know. The reflections did not fade and she looked and looked until a distant noise brought her back to her senses. She couldn't stay here, she had to find her way back to bed. She tore her eyes away from her mother's face, she had to go get Ron.**

Sirius shook his head, the mirror was not good. She shouldn't have looked at it to begin with.

**"You could have woken me up," said Ron, crossly.**

**"You can come tonight, I'm going back, I want to show you the mirror."**

**"I'd like to see your mom and dad," Ron said eagerly.**

**"And I want to see all your family, all the Weasleys, you'll be able to show me your other brothers and everyone."**

Charlie gave a weak chuckle "You just wanted to see me. Right?"

Bill shook his head "No man, she wanted to see the sexy curse breaker."

Everyone laughed a little at that.

**"You can see them any old time," said Ron. "Just come round my house this summer. Anyway, maybe it only shows dead people. Shame about not finding Flamel, though. Have some bacon or something, why aren't you eating anything?"**

**AJ couldn't eat. She had seen her parents and would be seeing them again tonight. She had almost forgotten about Flamel. It didn't seem very important anymore. Who cared what the three headed dog was guarding? What did it matter if Snape stole it, really? **

Hermione shook her head sadly "It's really not good to look into that mirror AJ."

AJ nodded her head sadly at that.

**"Are you all right?" said Ron. "You look odd."**

**What AJ feared most was that she might not be able to find the mirror room again. With Ron covered in the cloak, too, they had to walk much more slowly the next night. They tried retracing AJ's route from the library, wandering around the dark passageways for nearly an hour.**

Ron looked like he was ready to comment on that but chose not to seeing the glares from his brothers.

**"I'm freezing," said Ron. "Let's forget it and go back."**

**"No!" AJ hissed. "I know it's here somewhere."**

"I should have gone back to the dorms."

Sirius and Remus nodded their heads at that.

**They passed the ghost of a tall witch gliding in the opposite direction, but saw no one else. just as Ron started moaning that his feet were dead with cold, AJ spotted the suit of armor.**

**"It's here — just here — yes!"**

**They pushed the door open. AJ dropped the cloak from around her shoulders and ran to the mirror.**

Charlie gave AJ a hug knowing she was kicking herself at her past actions.

**There they were. Her mother and father beamed at the sight of her.**

**"See?" AJ whispered.**

**"I can't see anything."**

"Why couldn't Ron see anything sir?" Hermione asked

Dumbledore cleared his throat before answering "He needed to be directly in front of it."

**"Look! Look at them all… there are loads of them…"**

**"I can only see you."**

**"Look in it properly, go on, stand where I am."**

**AJ stepped aside, but with Ron in front of the mirror, she couldn't see her family anymore, just Ron in his paisley pajamas.**

**Ron, though, was staring transfixed at his image.**

**"Look at me!" he said.**

**"Can you see all your family standing around you?"**

**"No — I'm alone — but I'm different — I look older — and I'm head boy!"**

The twins snorted at that, who would ever want to be "head boy" how boring.

**"What?"**

**"I am — I'm wearing the badge like Bill used to — and I'm holding the house cup and the Quidditch cup — I'm Quidditch captain, too."**

Kingsley paused in his reading to collect his thoughts that were all over the place but Tonks asked the question that was weighing on everyone's mind "That's what your deepest desire is?"

Ron blushed at that but didn't make a comment but Ginny took the lead for her brother "He wants to be known, it's kind of hard when he's friends with Alessandra Potter."

AJ looked at her through narrowed eyes and just shook her head, "Kingsley please continue before I smack Ginny upside the head."

**Ron tore his eyes away from this splendid sight to look excitedly at AJ.**

**"Do you think this mirror shows the future?"**

Hermione stared at Ron with a look of disbelief "Did you- did you really just say that?" Bill nodded at that, how could Ron ask that.

**"How can it? All my family are dead — let me have another look —"**

**"You had it to yourself all last night, give me a bit more time."**

**"You're only holding the Quidditch cup, what's interesting about that? I want to see my parents."**

"We'll show you pictures during lunch cub." Remus promised

**"Don't push me —"**

**A sudden noise outside in the corridor put an end to their discussion.**

**They hadn't realized how loudly they had been talking.**

**"Quick!"**

**Ron threw the cloak back over them as the luminous eyes of Mrs. Norris came round the door. Ron and AJ stood quite still, both thinking the same thing — did the cloak work on cats?**

Remus turned to Dumbledore "Can animals in the magical world see through the cloak?"

Dumbledore chuckled at that "No Remus they cannot, I believe Mrs. Norris can smell whoever is under the cloak."

**After what seemed an age, she turned and left.**

**"This isn't safe — she might have gone for Filch, I bet she heard us. Come on."**

**And Ron pulled AJ out of the room.**

AJ threw Ron a grateful look which he promptly ignored.

**The snow still hadn't melted the next morning.**

**"Want to play chess, AJ?" said Ron.**

**"No."**

**"Why don't we go down and visit Hagrid?"**

**"No… you go…"**

"I bet Hagrid missed you punk." Charlie smiled at her trying to keep her from sinking into herself.

**"I know what you're thinking about, AJ, that mirror. Don't go back tonight."**

**"Why not?"**

"Never argue with an idiot." Hermione said offhandedly

AJ laughed loudly at her best friends attempt to cheer her up. "Thanks Mio, I'll remember that for next time."

**"I dunno, I've just got a bad feeling about it — and anyway, you've had too many close shaves already. Filch, Snape, and Mrs. Norris are wandering around. So what if they can't see you? What if they walk into you? What if you knock something over?"**

**"You sound like Hermione."**

**"I'm serious, AJ, don't go."**

"Well actually I-" but Remus cut Sirius off by giving him a kiss, AJ smiled at her father's antics.

**But AJ only had one thought in her head, which was to get back in front of the mirror, and Ron wasn't going to stop her.**

**That third night she found her way more quickly than before. She was walking so fast she knew she was making more noise than was wise, but she didn't meet anyone. And there were her mother and father smiling at her again, and what she assumed to be her father's father nodding happily. AJ sank down to sit on the floor in front of the mirror. There was nothing to stop her from staying here all night with her family. Nothing at all.**

**Except —**

**"So — back again, AJ?"**

Sirius and Remus wondered who could have found her. Tonks looked at AJ and of course the blue haired teen only smiled at her.

**AJ felt as though her insides had turned to ice. She looked behind her. Sitting on one of the desks by the wall was none other than Albus Dumbledore. AJ must have walked straight past him, so desperate to get to the mirror she hadn't noticed him.**

"**I didn't see you sir. I was a little eager."**

Hermione shook her head at that, AJ could have a normal conversation with the greatest wizard of their time and not think twice about it. Kingsley looked Dumbledore for a moment "Sir you only call AJ by her first name while everyone else you call by their sir name. Why is that?"

Dumbledore looked shocked at that "I suppose it has to do with that James and Lily were like my children therefor AJ is like my granddaughter." No one commented on the fact the Dumbledore didn't use a past tense on the "granddaughter" part of the sentence.

**"Strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you," said Dumbledore, and AJ was relieved to see that he was smiling. **

**"So," said Dumbledore, slipping off the desk to sit on the floor with AJ, "you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised."**

**"I didn't know it was called that, Sir."**

**"But I expect you've realized by now what it does?"**

**"It showed me my family."**

**"And it showed your friend Ron himself as head boy."**

**"How did you know —?"**

"He's Dumbledore, he knows it all. Trust me." AJ smiled at the chuckling headmaster.

**"I don't need a cloak to become invisible," said Dumbledore gently. "Now, can you think what the Mirror of Erised shows us all?"**

**AJ shook her head.**

**"Let me explain. The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror, that is, he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is. Does that help?"**

**AJ thought. Then she said slowly, "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. I never knew my family, so I see them standing around me . But Ron has always been overshadowed by his brothers, sees himself standing alone outshining them." To her surprise Dumbledore was staring at her as if she just told him how to build a stairway to Heaven.**

Tonks busted out laughing "You like Led Zeppelin?"

AJ nodded "Sure do, Stairway to Heaven is my favorite song."

"I was shocked she understood what the mirror did so fast." Murmured Dumbledore to a wide eyed Snape.

"**Correct AJ, however, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible. The Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, AJ, and I ask you not to go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. Now, why don't you put that admirable cloak back on and get off to bed?"**

Bill looked and AJ then to Hermione "You found it again didn't you?" but both of them decided it was best not to give too much away.

**AJ stood up.**

**" Professor Dumbledore? Can I ask you something?"**

"You just did." Smirked the twins

**"Obviously, you've just done so," Dumbledore smiled. "You may ask me one more thing, however."**

Fred and George laughed at that, they were mini Dumbledore's!

**"What do you see when you look in the mirror?"**

**"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks."**

Remus rolled his eyes at that, leave it to Dumbledore to get out of asking a question like that without breaking a sweat.

**AJ raised an eyebrow at that.**

Dumbledore chuckled at that, Sirius on the other hand gave her a kiss on the head "You're my hero pup."

**"One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books."**

**AJ knew that Dumbledore had not been quite truthful. But then, she thought, it had been quite a personal question.**

"I am sorry sir, that was rude of me." AJ said apologetically but Dumbledore just gave her a smile.

"Wait" Hermione looked to AJ "That's why we buy woolen socks every year?" Hermione and AJ laughed at how dumb the reason behind the socks sounded now,

"That's the end of that chapter, next one looks pretty good though." Kingsley said with a smirk on his face.

Fred grabbed the book and read "**Nicholas Flamel..."**


	15. A Special Guest

"Before we begin I think we should have some lunch." Comment Molly

There was a nod of agreement to that, but Arthur looked a little troubled "Molly dear," he stated "I think I should go back to the house just to make sure everything is running smoothly and I really could use a lie down." Molly nodded at that albeit a little apprehensive, while everyone was saying goodbye to Arthur the twins shared a look,

"Dad, can we go with you? There are some things at the house we need." Fred asked. Arthur and Molly shared a look but both nodded to that.

As Molly was preparing lunch Remus and Sirius were telling everyone stories of their years at Hogwarts and various pranks they did when there was an alarm going off by the fireplace in the sitting room notifying them someone was trying to gain access by Floo.

Sirius got up "I'm sure it's one of the twins no need for the looks of panic."

***The Sitting Room***

Sirius was half way to the fireplace when he saw his brother…that couldn't be right; Regulus hated Sirius almost as much as Sirius hated Voldemort.

"Regulus?" Sirius asked tentatively

He could see Regulus rolling his eyes "Of course it's me Sirius! What a dumb question." Sirius and Regulus just stared at one another for a good five minutes before Regulus snapped out

"Are we going to stand here reenacting the Little Match Girl or are you going to let me in?"

"Oh, yeah of course!" Sirius said as if the thought just came to him, he muttered the password and stood back waiting for his brother to appear.

Regulus came through the floo network looking much like Sirius did before Azkaban. He had the same shiny black hair but his was cut short and his eyes were that of their fathers, light brown but with a little bit of silver around the pupil, he was still a few inches shorter then Sirius but his muscles were more pronounced. But the thing that Sirius noticed was the way he held himself much like Sirius himself did, proud and strong as if he had suffered and pulled through. Sirius didn't like that though much at all. When Sirius was done examining his brother he noticed that Regulus was looking around the room as if he expected their mother to come in and scold them for coming home to early.

"Look," Sirius jumped a little at the sound of his brother's hard voice "I got a note saying I should come here, now you tell me why the fuck I'm in this hell hole yet again."

Sirius kept his voice void of emotion when he told him about switching secret keepers, Azkaban, Voldemort being defeated but coming back to life in a sense, adopting AJ and finding out about the books, "AJ is asking a lot of questions about her Uncle Regulus and she wants to know you-I want her to know you. I know we haven't talked in almost nineteen years but I think-"

But Regulus wouldn't let him finish his sentence "You left me Sirius! I was thirteen when you walked out that door and never looked back! You barely spoke to me at school! I was stuck in this house with mother and father, they were sick evil people and I had no one. I had to hear from cousin Bella that you got married to Remus that hurt Sirius that hurt a lot. I wanted to be there for the two of you. No matter what mother and father said, I wanted you to be happy and I knew Remus made you happy. Merlin Sirius you have no idea how much that cut me up."

Sirius had no idea how much he had hurt his little brother, he wanted to hug him but he knew he would be rejected and that would hurt more than a punch in the face. "I'm sorry, I didn't even think of how much I would hurt you if I left. I'm a horrible brother for doing that to you and I know you'll never be able to forgive me for doing what I did but you're still my brother and I love you. I should have taken you with me or had you stay with cousin Andy and her husband Ted, but you have to believe me when I say I didn't know you weren't on mother and fathers side. I'm just so bloody sorry!" Sirius' voice was cracking by the end but he didn't care, he just wanted his brother back.

Regulus had never heard his brother talk with such emotion; he knew his brother was telling the truth because his eyes never left his. Regulus bit his lip in hopes of controlling his emotions which never worked but was worth a try

"I'm sorry too" Regulus chocked out "we need to move on, you have a daughter now and she deserves a family Siri."

Sirius gave Regulus his megawatt smile at the use of his nickname "Thanks Reggie, we can move past this and I'm sure AJ will help us move on from the past. She's amazing Reggie really, you'll love her." Sirius couldn't fight it anymore, he hugged his baby brother with all his might, Regulus responded like he used to by fisting his brothers shirt in his hands in a vice like grip in the hopes of him protecting him from everything.

When they broke apart Regulus gave him a smile "I left the wizarding world after I turned seventeen and haven't been back since. Now introduce me to my niece and reintroduce me to my brother-in-law." Sirius smiled at that, it seemed like these books weren't all that bad.

***The Kitchen***

Everyone stared at the retreating form of Sirius wondering if it really was one of the twins.

AJ looked around the room "I somehow doubt it's a death eater, they aren't exactly known for their manners." Hermione smacked the back of AJ's head for joking about something like that, but it did have the desired effect of calming everyone's nerves.

Wanting everyone to think of something else Remus turned to AJ and Charlie "So Charlie, when did you and my daughter meet?" he asked innocently

Hermione, Ron, AJ and Charlie laughed a little at that "Well, I was uh visiting Hagrid during their first year and they came to see Hagrid while I was there. Her hair was blonde with purple and green highlights, but I noticed her eyes at first. They were so bright but also guarded and I knew whoever broke through her barriers was going to be one lucky guy. After that we continued to write to one another but we didn't start to date till her fourth year."

Hermione, Tonks and Dumbledore were smiling at the story; Bill and Kingsley were trying not to laugh at the corniness of the story, Molly, Ginny and Ron were trying not to smile but were failing and Remus was just looking at his daughter hoping she wouldn't get hurt because killing Charlie wasn't something he and Sirius wanted to do, but would gladly do it if he hurt their child.

Just as Tonks was about to ask AJ something Sirius walked in with what looked to be a younger version of himself. Remus looked at Sirius and when he received a big smile in return he stood up and walked over to the pair.

Sirius held out his hand for his husband "Reggie you know Remus already, like Lily and James, we got married a month after we graduated school." Regulus shook Remus' hand and congratulated him on finding true love.

Sirius turned his head to his daughter who now had shamrock green hair. "Reggie this is mine and Remus' daughter AJ, she's a metamorphmagus and is always changing her hair color, and don't worry you'll get used to it."

Hermione rolled her eyes at her speechless friend "Now would be a good time to stand up and go over there." She staged whispered

"Thanks Mio, I'd be lost without you." AJ laughed and went up to her uncle and gave him a hug which surprised Regulus but he was happy she was so excepting "Nice to meet you Uncle Reggie." She said with a big smile which Regulus responded with a smile of his own.

"Nice to meet you too," noticing everyone else in the room "want to introduce me to everyone else?" AJ nodded, when everyone was done introducing themselves Regulus couldn't help but ask "Dragon boy over there treats you good right? If he doesn't let me know." Charlie groaned at that, another family member that wouldn't hesitate to kick ass.

"I think we should get back to the reading, next chapter is going to be good." Exclaimed Tonks

Once everyone was seated comfortably in the living room Regulus picked up the book and read out **"Nicholas Flamel…"**


	16. Nicolas Flamel

Regulus raised an eyebrow at Tonks who was jumping in her seat out of excitement.

**Dumbledore had convinced AJ not to go looking for the Mirror of Erised again, and for the rest of the Christmas holidays the invisibility cloak stayed folded at the bottom of her trunk.**

Remus and Sirius looked outraged at that, she should have been pranking people and sneaking off to the kitchens. They had a lot to teach her.

**AJ wished she could forget what she'd seen in the mirror as easily, but she couldn't. She started having nightmares. Over and over again she dreamed about her parents disappearing in a flash of green light, while a high voice cackled with laughter.**

Snape surprised a shudder with great difficulty at that, the Dark Lords laughter was not something you wanted to hear…ever.

**"You see, Dumbledore was right, that mirror could drive you mad," said Ron, when AJ told him about these dreams.**

Regulus looked over at the blushing teen "I somehow doubt that was what she needed to hear at that particular moment."

Hermione nodded "You'll notice Ron is rather tactless when it comes to-well anything really."

Ron was blushing so badly he looked as if he had permanent sunburn.

**Hermione, who came back the day before term started, took a different view of things. She was torn between horror at the idea of AJ being out of bed, roaming the school three nights in a row ("If Filch had caught you!"), and disappointment that she hadn't at least found out who Nicolas Flamel was.**

Bill couldn't help but agree with Hermione, he was really anxious to see what this guy was all about.

**They had almost given up hope of ever finding Flamel in a library book, even though AJ was still sure she'd read the name somewhere. Once term had started, they were back to skimming through books for ten minutes during their breaks. AJ had even less time than the other two, because Quidditch practice had started again.**

**Wood was working the team harder than ever. Even the endless rain that had replaced the snow couldn't dampen his spirits. The Weasleys complained that Wood was becoming a fanatic, but AJ was on Wood's side.**

"At least you understand the importance of Quidditch punk." Charlie smiled

AJ laughed at her boyfriend "Of course I do love."

**If they won their next match, against Hufflepuff, they would overtake Slytherin in the house championship for the first time in seven years.**

Regulus and Snape couldn't help but look smug at that something Kingsley noticed and couldn't help but comment on "You do know that Slytherin hasn't held the house cup in five years right?" Regulus scowled at the laughing auror while Snape glared at the laughing Gryffindors.

**Quite apart from wanting to win, AJ found that she had fewer nightmares when she was tired out after training. Then, during one particularly wet and muddy practice session, Wood gave the team a bit of bad news. He'd just gotten very angry with the Weasleys, who kept dive-bombing each other and pretending to fall off their brooms.**

Molly shook her head at that; they could get hurt doing that. They never understood how their jokes could end badly.

**"Will you stop messing around!" he yelled. "That's exactly the sort of thing that'll lose us the match! Snape's refereeing this time, and he'll be looking for any excuse to knock points off Gryffindor!"**

**George Weasley really did fall off his broom at these words.**

"Why were you referring?" asked Regulus "You hated quidditch."

Snape threw a death glare at the headmaster before responding "I was told to Black."

**"Snape's refereeing?" he spluttered through a mouthful of mud. "When's he ever refereed a Quidditch match? He's not going to be fair if we might overtake Slytherin."**

**The rest of the team landed next to George to complain, too.**

**"It's not my fault," said Wood. "We've just got to make sure we play a clean game, so Snape hasn't got an excuse to pick on us."**

**Which was all very well, thought AJ, but she had another reason for not wanting Snape near her while she was playing Quidditch…**

Snape couldn't contain his anger "I WAS NOT JINXING THE BROOM!"

AJ tried, hand to God she tried not to laugh but she couldn't hold back which ended in everyone laughing, when AJ gained more control over her laugher she looked Snape in the eyes "I'm aware of that professor it was four years ago." Snape promptly looked away from the laughing teen, he hated Gryffindors!

**The rest of the team hung back to talk to one another as usual at the end of practice, but AJ headed straight back to the Gryffindor common room, where she found Ron and Hermione playing chess.**

**Chess was the only thing Hermione ever lost at, something AJ and Ron thought was very good for her.**

"I love chess. I can help you if you want AJ," smiled Regulus "you too Mio."

"Thanks for the offer Uncle Reggie, maybe after the reading we can all play." AJ and Hermione smiled at the thought. Sirius and Remus smiled at their daughter and Regulus, they were becoming a pretty good family

**"Don't talk to me for a moment," said Ron when AJ sat down next to him, "I need to concen—" He caught sight of AJ's face.**

**"What's the matter with you? You look terrible."**

Tonks rolled her eyes at Ron "It's really no surprise you don't have a girlfriend." Kingsley elbowed her in the side silently telling her to chill, "sorry." She grumbled not looking sorry in the least.

**Speaking quietly so that no one else would hear, AJ told the other two about Snape's sudden, sinister desire to be a Quidditch referee.**

**"Don't play," said Hermione at once.**

Sirius looked like a kicked puppy at that "She can't not play!"

**"Say you're ill," said Ron.**

"Madam Pomfrey can heal any illness before the game even starts." Bill commented

**"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested.**

Kingsley shook his head at that "Kind of hard to fake that sort of thing at a magical school."

**"Really break your leg," said Ron.**

Remus snorted "She'll heal it before AJ could finish the sentence."

**"I can't," said AJ. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."**

Hermione turned to AJ "Why wasn't there a reserve seeker anyhow?"

AJ gave her a cheeky smile "You can't replace the best doll face." Regulus laughed at that, she was a lot like Sirius when it came to witty comebacks.

**At that moment Neville toppled into the common room. How he had managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what they recognized at once as the Leg-Locker Curse. He must have had to bunny hop all the way up to Gryffindor tower.**

**Everyone fell over laughing except Hermione and AJ who knew what it was like to be bullied; Hermione leapt up and performed the counter curse.**

**Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet, trembling. "What happened?" Hermione asked him, leading him over to sit with AJ and Ron.**

**"Malfoy," said Neville shakily.**

Snapes eyes narrowed at that, his godson always said he was provoked and he had a hard time believing Longbottom would provoke anyone.

Dumbledore looked at Snape "You need to speak with him Severus." Receiving a curt nod in response he motioned for Regulus to continue reading.

**"I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."**

**"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged Neville. "Report him!"**

**Neville shook his head.**

**"I don't want more trouble," he mumbled.**

Regulus wasn't happy that the kid was getting bullied but he knew it was a better idea not to report him, it was cause more harm than good.

**"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."**

**"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that," Neville choked out.**

"Neville is really brave but people are always making fun of him and comparing him to his parents." AJ remarked

Remus smiled at AJ "You're right cub, once he gets more confident he'll be an excellent wizard."

**AJ felt in the pocket of her robes and pulled out a Chocolate Frog, the very last one from the box Hermione had given her for Christmas. She gave it to Neville, who looked as though he might cry.**

**"You're worth twelve of Malfoy," AJ said. "The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In Slytherin and not much good ever comes out of that house."**

AJ looked sharply at her Uncle who didn't seem to have taken what she said to heart "I'm sorry Uncle Reggie, from what I can tell you're a good person, I just wanted Neville to feel better."

Regulus smiled at his niece "It's okay sweets, I know you didn't direct that comment to me."

**Neville's lips twitched in a weak smile as he un-wrapped the frog.**

**"Thanks, AJ… I think I'll go to bed… D'you want the card, you collect them, don't you?" **

"I wish he was here so I could kiss him." AJ chuckled

Charlie narrowed his eyes at that "I'd rather you wouldn't do that punk."

**As Neville walked away, AJ looked at the Famous Wizard card.**

**"Dumbledore again," she said, "He was the first one I ever —"**

**She gasped. She stared at the back of the card. Then she looked up at Ron and Hermione.**

**"I've found him!" she whispered. "I've found Flamel! I told you I'd read the name somewhere before, I read it on the train coming here — listen to this: 'Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel'!"**

"It was on the back of the chocolate frog car?" Tonks asked shocked

Kingsley laughed "Of course it was in the most obvious of places."

"People overlook the obvious all the time." Bill snorted

**Hermione jumped to her feet. She hadn't looked so excited since they'd gotten back the marks for their very first piece of homework.**

**"Stay there!" she said, and she sprinted up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. AJ and Ron barely had time to exchange mystified looks before she was dashing back, an enormous old book in her arms.**

**"I never thought to look in here!" she whispered excitedly. "I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."**

Bill chuckled softly at the blushing teen and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek _where did that come from?_ He asked himself.

**"Light?" said Ron, but Hermione told him to be quiet until she'd looked something up, and started flicking frantically through the pages, muttering to herself.**

**At last she found what she was looking for.**

**"I knew it! I knew it!"**

**"Are we allowed to speak yet?" said Ron grumpily. Hermione ignored him.**

**"Nicolas Flamel," she whispered dramatically, "is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone!"**

"What's that?" asked Sirius; surprisingly Remus didn't have the answer.

Molly looked at Hermione and AJ "It doesn't concern you; you shouldn't be meddling in these adult matters."

"We'll keep that in mind the next time we have a run in with the stone." Snarked AJ

**AJ gasped.**

**"The what?" said Ron.**

**"Oh, honestly, don't you ever read? Look – read that, there."**

"I read quidditch books!" Ron barked

Hermione rolled her eyes "Surprisingly there are more important things then quidditch.

**She pushed the book toward him, and Ron read:**

**The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal. There have been many reports of the Philosopher's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight).**

Regulus looked shocked at that, no wonder someone was trying to steal it. Sirius looked at his daughter who was avoiding his eyes, yep she had something to with the stone.

**"See?" said Hermione, when Ron had finished. "The dog must be guarding Flamel's Philosopher's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"**

**"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying!" said AJ. "No wonder Snape's after it! Anyone would want it."**

Before Snape could snap at the poor girl again Remus said "We know you aren't after it Severus."

**"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry," said Ron. "He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?"**

Bill gave his little brother a blank stare, Tonks was right there was no surprise he hadn't had a girlfriend yet.

**The next morning in Defense Against the Dark Arts, while copying down different ways of treating werewolf bites, AJ and Ron were still discussing what they'd do with a Philosopher's Stone if they had one. It wasn't until Ron said he'd buy his own Quidditch team that AJ remembered about Snape and the coming match.**

**"I'm going to play," she told Ron and Hermione. "If I don't, all the Slytherins will think I'm just too scared to face Snape. I'll show them… it'll really wipe the smiles off their faces if we win."**

"You're a hell of a lot braver then I am." Hermione smiled at AJ

AJ didn't agree with that at all though "Mio you're really brave and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

**"Just as long as we're not wiping you off the field," said Hermione.**

**As the match drew nearer, however, AJ became more and more nervous, whatever she told Ron and Hermione. The rest of the team wasn't too calm, either. The idea of overtaking Slytherin in the house championship was wonderful, no one had done it for seven years, but would they be allowed to, with such a biased referee?**

"Of course you would! You're the youngest seeker in a century, you'll do great pup."

AJ didn't have the heart to tell her dad that he was talking to a book so she simply smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

**AJ didn't know whether she was imagining it or not, but she seemed to keep running into Snape wherever she went. At times, she even wondered whether Snape was following her, trying to catch her on her own. Potions lessons were turning into a sort of weekly torture, Snape was so horrible to AJ. Could Snape possibly know they'd found out about the Philosopher's Stone?**

Snape shook his head "I assure you Ms. Potter, I had no idea you knew about the stone."

**AJ didn't see how he could — yet she sometimes had the horrible feeling that Snape could read minds.**

A low growl erupted from the room that surprisingly didn't come from Remus or Sirius but Regulus,

"Don't you dare try legilimency on my niece Severus. You won't like what happens if you do."

**AJ knew, when they wished her good luck outside the locker rooms the next afternoon, that Ron and Hermione were wondering whether they'd ever see her alive again.**

Hermione smacked AJ in the back of the head "Of course that wasn't what we were thinking."

**This wasn't what you'd call comforting. AJ hardly heard a word of Wood's pep talk as she pulled on her Quidditch robes and picked up her Nimbus Two Thousand.**

**Ron and Hermione, meanwhile, had found a place in the stands next to Neville, who couldn't understand why they looked so grim and worried, or why they had both brought their wands to the match.**

"I know it was peaceful times back then, but you should always carry your wand." Remus lectured.

**Little did AJ know that Ron and Hermione had been secretly practicing the Leg-Locker Curse.**

**They'd gotten the idea from Malfoy using it on Neville, and were ready to use it on Snape if he showed any sign of wanting to hurt AJ.**

**"Now, don't forget, it's Locomotor Mortis," Hermione muttered as Ron slipped his wand up his sleeve.**

**"I know," Ron snapped. "Don't nag."**

"She wasn't nagging Ron! She was just making sure you knew the correct spell." Snapped Bill and was about to continue but Hermione shook her head at him, it wasn't worth it.

**Back in the locker room, Wood had taken AJ aside.**

**"Don't want to pressure you, Potter, but if we ever need an early capture of the Snitch it's now. Finish the game before Snape can favor Hufflepuff too much."**

**"The whole school's out there!" said Fred Weasley, peering out of the door. "Even — blimey — Dumbledore's come to watch!"**

**AJ's heart did a somersault.**

"Why?" asked Tonks

"No one would try anything with Dumbledore in the stands." AJ said with a small smile.

**"Dumbledore?" she said, dashing to the door to make sure. Fred was right. There was no mistaking that silver beard. AJ could have laughed out loud with relief, she was safe. There was simply no way that Snape would dare to try to hurt her if Dumbledore was watching. Perhaps that was why Snape was looking so angry as the teams marched onto the field, something that Ron noticed, too.**

**"I've never seen Snape look so mean," he told Hermione. "Look — they're off. Ouch!"**

"What happened? The game hasn't even started!" Fretted Molly

Ron rolled his eyes "Nothing bad mom, just Malfoy being a jerk."

**Someone had poked Ron in the back of the head. It was Malfoy.**

**"Oh, sorry, Weasley, didn't see you there."**

**Malfoy grinned broadly at Crabbe and Goyle.**

"Are they his body guards or something?" snarled Regulus

Sirius nodded "That they are Reggie."

**"Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on her broom this time? Anyone want a bet? What about you, Weasley?"**

**Ron didn't answer; Snape had just awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because George Weasley had hit a Bludger at him**

Snape scowled at that, he hated Quidditch.

**Hermione, who had all her fingers crossed in her lap, was squinting fixedly at AJ, who was circling the game like a hawk, looking for the Snitch.**

**"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" said Malfoy loudly a few minutes later, as Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no reason at all. "It's people they feel sorry for. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents,**

"Better have no parents then parents that are death eaters." AJ said through clenched teeth. Charlie held her tighter at hearing that, he hated the Malfoy family and he hated that they insisted on tormenting his girlfriend.

**then there's the Weasleys, who've got no money — you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains."**

**Neville went bright red but turned in his seat to face Malfoy.**

**"I'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy," he stammered.**

"Go Neville!" yelled Kingsley and Tonks

**Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle howled with laughter, but Ron, still not daring to take his eyes from the game, said, "You tell him, Neville."**

**"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something."**

"He does realize money isn't everything right?" growled Bill

Hermione shook her head "He wasn't raised with values and Mr. Malfoy isn't the kind of man that is going to tell his son that the world doesn't revolve around money."

**Ron's nerves were already stretched to the breaking point with anxiety about AJ.**

**"I'm warning you, Malfoy — one more word—"**

**"Ron!" said Hermione suddenly, "AJ—"**

Sirius and Remus paled at that, they didn't think she got hurt but with AJ they knew never to underestimate her and her ability to get hurt.

"Daddy, Papa, I'm okay the game is in the past." AJ gently reminded the upset parents.

**"What? Where?"**

**AJ had suddenly gone into a spectacular dive, which drew gasps and cheers from the crowd. Hermione stood up, her crossed fingers in her mouth, as AJ streaked toward the ground like a bullet.**

Charlie looked longingly at the book, he loved to fly and hadn't been on a broom in months, he wanted to take AJ for a ride this summer one night.

**"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!" said Malfoy.**

"And you actually wonder why Slytherin has a bad name." Tonks snarled looking at Snape who was giving the now red headed witch a glare.

**Ron snapped. Before Malfoy knew what was happening, Ron was on top of him, wrestling him to the ground.**

"RONALD WEASLEY!" screeched Molly but before she could continue her rant Remus came to his defense

"Molly I don't know how many times we have to tell you this but it's in the past! He's a young boy, he's going to get into fights and he's going to say things you deem inappropriate but that's life. It's not always perfect and your children aren't perfect nor will they ever be. But you accept them as they are and love them unconditionally which is something you haven't seemed to grasp. Reggie continue reading, this discussion is over." He hadn't raised his voice but the anger in his voice spoke volumes.

Regulus looked at his brother-in-law with complete shock, he'd never heard him talk like that before and certainly didn't want a repeat performance anytime soon.

**Neville hesitated, then clambered over the back of his seat to help.**

**"Come on, AJ!" Hermione screamed, leaping onto her seat to watch as AJ sped straight at Snape — she didn't even notice Malfoy and Ron rolling around**

**under her seat, or the scuffles and yelps coming from the whirl of fists that was Neville, Crabbe, and Goyle.**

"GO NEVILLE!" yelled AJ, Hermione and Tonks

**Up in the air, Snape turned on his broomstick just in time to see something scarlet shoot past him, missing him by inches — the next second, AJ had pulled out of the dive, her arm raised in triumph, the Snitch clasped in her hand. The stands erupted; it had to be a record, no one could ever remember the Snitch being caught so quickly.**

**"Ron! Ron! Where are you? The game's over! AJ's won! We've won! Gryffindor is in the lead!" shrieked Hermione, dancing up and down on her seat and hugging Parvati Patil in the row in front.**

Sirius and Remus clapped while everyone was cheering loudly for Gryffindor. "Good job pup!"

"Excellent cub, we're very proud of you."

AJ loved that her parents were proud of her even if it was over something that happened over four years ago.

**AJ jumped off her broom, a foot from the ground. She couldn't believe it. She'd done it — the game was over; it had barely lasted five minutes. As Gryffindors came spilling onto the field, she saw Snape land nearby, white-faced and tight-lipped — then AJ felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up into Dumbledore's smiling face.**

**"Well done," said Dumbledore quietly, so that only AJ could hear. "Nice to see you haven't been brooding about that mirror… been keeping busy… excellent…"**

Bills eyes narrowed at that "Why would you remind her about that?"

"Yeah she was just getting over it." Hermione said in a cold tone. All they got in return was that damn twinkling eye and a smile.

**Snape spat bitterly on the ground.**

"Now that's attractive." Remarked Tonks

**AJ left the locker room alone some time later, to take her Nimbus Two Thousand back to the broom shed. She couldn't ever remember feeling happier. She'd really done something to be proud of now – no one could say she was just a famous name any more.**

**The evening air had never smelled so sweet. She walked over the damp grass, reliving the last hour in her head, which was a happy blur: Gryffindors running to lift her onto their shoulders; Ron and Hermione in the distance, jumping up and down, Ron cheering through a heavy nosebleed.**

Molly surprised the urge to ask if he was okay, she wanted to prove them all wrong that she wasn't a mother hen.

**AJ had reached the shed. She leaned against the wooden door and looked up at Hogwarts, with its windows glowing red in the setting sun. Gryffindor in the lead. She'd done it, she'd shown Snape…**

**And speaking of Snape…**

Kingsley eyed Snape "You aren't very sneaky for someone that's a spy."

Snape glared at the auror wishing for a reason to leave this hell hole and never return.

**A hooded figure came swiftly down the front steps of the castle. Clearly not wanting to be seen, it walked as fast as possible toward the forbidden forest. AJ's victory faded from her mind as she watched. She recognized the figure's prowling walk. Snape, sneaking into the forest while everyone else was at dinner — what was going on?**

Snape looked at the blue haired witch "You should have been eating dinner and shouldn't have been obsessing over what I was doing."

AJ rolled her eyes at the professor, honestly he would never change. He would always be a pain in AJ's ass.

**AJ jumped back on her Nimbus Two Thousand and took off. Gliding silently over the castle she saw Snape enter the forest at a run. She followed.**

**The trees were so thick she couldn't see where Snape had gone. She flew in circles, lower and lower, brushing the top branches of trees until she heard voices. She glided toward them and landed noiselessly in a towering beech tree. She climbed carefully along one of the branches, holding tight to her broomstick, trying to see through the leaves.**

"I knew I was being watched." Snape muttered

Bill snorted at that "and yet you didn't bother trying to find a more secluded area for this little impromptu meeting?"

**Below, in a shadowy clearing, stood Snape, but he wasn't alone. Quirrell was there, too. AJ couldn't make out the look on his face, but he was stuttering worse than ever. AJ strained to catch what they were saying.**

**"… d-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet here of all p-places, Severus…"**

**"Oh, I thought we'd keep this private," said Snape, his voice icy.**

"Do you still wonder why AJ and I thought you were after the stone? Everything you did and said was pointing you in that direction." Hermione said cheekily

Just as Snape was about to retort Dumbledore shook his head at him before he could dig his grave any deeper.

**"Students aren't supposed to know about the Philosopher's Stone, after all."**

**AJ leaned forward. Quirrell was mumbling something. Snape interrupted him.**

**"Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?"**

**"B-b-but Severus, I —"**

**"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell," said Snape, taking a step toward him.**

Everyone who had been on the receiving end of Snapes temper knew that was true.

**"I-I don't know what you—"**

**"You know perfectly well what I mean."**

**An owl hooted loudly, and AJ nearly fell out of the tree. She steadied herself in time to hear Snape say, "— your little bit of hocus-pocus. I'm waiting."**

**"B-but I d-d-don't —"**

**"Very well," Snape cut in. "We'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think things over and decided where your loyalties lie."**

"You could have spoken a little louder and little more clearly and saved me a lot of trouble." Grumbled AJ

Snape rolled his eyes "What can I say? I love to torment Gryffindors."

**He threw his cloak over his head and strode out of the clearing. It was almost dark now, but AJ could see Quirrell, standing quite still as though he was petrified.**

**"AJ, where have you been?" Hermione squeaked.**

"I was worried about my best friend!" Hermione defended

AJ smiled at her protective friend "I know Mio, thanks for having my back."

**"We won! You won! We won!" shouted Ron, thumping AJ on the back. "And I gave Malfoy a black eye, and Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed! He's still out cold but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be all right**

Tonks grinned happily at that, they got what they deserved that's for sure.

**talk about showing Slytherin! Everyone's waiting for you in the common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens."**

Kingsley looked at AJ "Gryffindor is really the party house isn't it?"

AJ nodded enthusiastically at that "Damn right we are, our parties are legendary." Bill and Charlie shared a grin at that remembering all the times their house got into trouble for being too loud.

**"Never mind that now," said AJ breathlessly. "Let's find an empty room, you wait 'til you hear this…"**

**She made sure Peeves wasn't inside before shutting the door behind them, then she told them what she'd seen and heard.**

"You tell each other everything." Dumbledore said, it was a statement rather than a question.

AJ looked at Hermione for a fraction of a second before replying "Of course. Hermione is my sister in all but blood, I love her to death and would be lost without her."

Charlie nodded in agreement "You have no idea how many times my sleep was interrupted because Hermione came into our bed to talk to AJ." Sirius, Remus and Regulus turned to the wide eyed dragon handler "Um-well-what I meant was…" but he couldn't think of a way to get out of the hole he dug.

Tonks, Kingsley, Hermione and Bill were laughing at their friends horrible lack of filter.

Regulus was still glaring at the young man but he managed to bite out "Lets finish this chapter shall we or is there anything else you'd like to say about my niece?" at the frantic shaking of the head Regulus rolled his eyes and continued

**"So we were right, it is the Philosopher's Stone, and Snape's trying to force Quirrell to help him get it. He asked if he knew how to get past Fluffy — and he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus pocus' — I reckon there are other things guarding the stone apart from Fluffy, loads of enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts spell that Snape needs to break through —"**

**"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" said Hermione in alarm.**

**"It'll be gone by next Tuesday," said Ron.**

"That was an enlightening chapter." Commented Tonks

"In more ways than one." Smirked Kingsley

"I'll read next." Sirius grabbed the book "It'll keep me from strangling a certain young man who has his arm around my little girl. **Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback,"**


	17. Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback

Regulus caught Charlie smirking at the title of the chapter "Something you'd like to share with everyone else dragon boy?"

AJ couldn't help but snort at her over protective family members "Uncle Reggie's just joking Charlie." But even to her it sounded like a complete lie.

**Quirrell, however, must have been braver than they'd thought. In the weeks that followed he did seem to be getting paler and thinner, but it didn't look as though he'd cracked yet.**

Hermione and AJ snorted at that, he cracked a long time ago he was just good at hiding it.

**Every time they passed the third-floor corridor, AJ, Ron, and Hermione would press their ears to the door to check that Fluffy was still growling inside. Snape was sweeping about in his usual bad temper, which surely meant that the Stone was still safe. Whenever AJ passed Quirrell these days she gave him a smile and Ron had started telling people off for laughing at Quirrell's stutter.**

"Oh Ron!" Mrs. Weasley cried "That was very nice of you! I'm so proud."

AJ rolled her eyes at that but Ron couldn't help the small smile that spread across his face.

**Hermione, however, had more on her mind than the Philosopher's Stone. She had started drawing up study schedules and color coding all her notes. AJ and Ron wouldn't have minded, but she kept nagging them to do the same.**

**"Hermione, the exams are ages away."**

**"Ten weeks," Hermione snapped. "That's not ages, that's like a second to Nicolas Flamel."**

**"But we're not six hundred years old," Ron reminded her. "Anyway, what are you studying for, you already know it all."**

Bills head fell back "Why couldn't you just stop at the first part of that sentence? Why did you have to end it sounding like a complete jack ass?"

**"What am I studying for? Are you crazy? You realize we need to pass these exams to get into the second year? They're very important, I should have started studying a month ago, I don't know what's gotten into me…"**

"You became friends with the girl who lived and threw caution to the wind. School tests be damned is my motto, you know that." AJ smiled

Hermione laughed "You're right AJ I forgot all about your motto."

**Unfortunately, the teachers seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Hermione. They piled so much homework on them that the Easter holidays weren't nearly as much fun as the Christmas ones.**

"You have an eidetic and yet you still complain about your studies." Sneered Snape

"I wasn't complaining about my studies, I was just stating a fact over which holiday season was better." AJ stated calmly

**It was hard to relax with Hermione next to you reciting the twelve uses of dragon's blood or practicing wand movements. Moaning and yawning, AJ and Ron spent most of their free time in the library with her, AJ was trying her hardest to help Ron without just giving him the answers but it was easier to just let him copy her.**

Remus glared at Ron, he should try and put more effort into his studies and not rely on his daughter and her friend for everything.

**"I'll never remember this," Ron burst out one afternoon, throwing down his quill and looking longingly out of the library window. It was the first really fine day they'd had in months. The sky was a clear, forget-me-not blue, and there was a feeling in the air of summer coming.**

Sirius smiled at that "Perfect day for a quidditch game or just sitting outside with your love." Remus smiled gently at him, Sirius did have his moments of being sweet.

**AJ, who was looking up "Dittany" in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi yet again to look like she was doing something, didn't look up until she heard Ron say, "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"**

**Hagrid shuffled into view, hiding something behind his back. He looked very out of place in his moleskin overcoat.**

Regulus raised an eyebrow at that "I didn't think Hagrid knew where the library was."

"You're not the only one mate." Snorted Kingsley

**"Jus' lookin'," he said, in a shifty voice that got their interest at once.**

**"An' what're you lot up ter?" He looked suddenly suspicious. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"**

**"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago," said Ron impressively. "And we know what that dog's guarding; it's a Philosopher's St—"**

Tonks groaned "What is the matter with you Weasley? You shouldn't have said that in the library let alone to Hagrid!" Ron went red at that, he was just proud that they figured it out without help.

**"Shhhh!" Hagrid looked around quickly to see if anyone was listening. "Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?"**

"Seems that Hagrid agrees with you Tonks." Joked Charlie

**"There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact," said AJ, "about what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy —"**

**"SHHHH!" said Hagrid again. "Listen — come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'pposed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh —"**

**"See you later, then," said AJ.**

**Hagrid shuffled off.**

**"What was he hiding behind his back?" said Hermione thoughtfully.**

**"Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?"**

"I don't think Hagrid would look for something about the stone guys." Bill said kindly

Hermione nodded "I think we were just so caught up thinking about the stone it was the first thing that came out."

**"I'm going to see what section he was in," said Ron, who'd had enough of working. He came back a minute later with a pile of books in his arms and slammed them down on the table.**

**"Dragons!" he whispered. "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons! Look at these: Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland; From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide. "**

Sirius' eyes widened comically "Wait just a minute! A keeper's guide? He must have gotten a hold of a dragon at one point!"

"Where would he ever get a dragon? It's not like you could walk into a pet store and get one." Remus stated. But Regulus looked at Charlie

"Now who do we know that works with dragons and is friends with Hagrid?" snarled out Regulus.

Hermione and AJ were cracking up at the look of shock on Charlie's face "Wait-I didn't-I would never! The dragon wasn't mine!" he finally got out. Sirius eyed him warily

"I guess we'll see." He grumbled

**"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him," said AJ.**

**"But it's against our laws," said Ron. "Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that. It's hard to stop Muggles from noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden — anyway, you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see the burns Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania."**

AJ closed her eyes briefly at that, she hated seeing Charlie hurt even they were old scars.

**"But there aren't wild dragons in Britain?" said AJ.**

**"Of course there are," said Ron. "Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you. Our kind have to keep putting spells on Muggles who've spotted them, to make them forget."**

**"So what on earth's Hagrid up to?" said Hermione.**

Bill couldn't help it "Ask Charlie Mio, I have a feeling this has his name written all over it." Charlie paled at looks he was getting and shot Charlie a look that clearly stated he would be kicking his ass soon.

**When they knocked on the door of the gamekeeper's hut an hour later, they were surprised to see that all the curtains were closed. Hagrid called "Who is it?" before he let them in, and then shut the door quickly behind them.**

**It was stifling hot inside. Even though it was such a warm day, there was a blazing fire in the grate. Hagrid made them tea and offered them stoat sandwiches, which they refused.**

"Why was it hot in there Charlie?" Kingsley asked innocently

Tonks nodded "Yeah Charlie, why was it so hot?"

Charlie could only glare at the room while AJ and Hermione stifled laughter at his expense.

**"So — yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?"**

**"Yes," said AJ. There was no point beating around the bush. "We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Philosopher's Stone apart from Fluffy."**

**Hagrid frowned at her.**

**"O' course I can't," he said. "Number one, I don' know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That Stone's here fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts — I s'ppose yeh've worked that out an' all? Beats me how yeh even know abou' Fluffy."**

"Oh you know," AJ stated offhandedly "just ran into the little guy."

**"Oh, come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you do know, you know everything that goes on round here," said Hermione in a warm, flattering voice.**

**Hagrid's beard twitched and they could tell he was smiling. "We only wondered who had done the guarding, really." Hermione went on. "We wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you."**

Snape snorted at that, of course the girl would butter Hagrid up to get the information out of him. If he was being completely honest it was a Slytherin trait.

**Hagrid's chest swelled at these last words. AJ and Ron beamed at Hermione.**

**"Well, I don' s'pose it could hurt ter tell yeh that… let's see… he borrowed Fluffy from me… then some o' the teachers did enchantments… Professor Sprout — Professor Flitwick — Professor McGonagall —" he ticked them off on his fingers, "Professor Quirrell — an' Dumbledore himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape."**

**"Snape?"**

"As hard as it is to believe I am a teacher." Snape said coldly

"You're right that is hard to believe." Quipped Bill

**Yeah — yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he's not about ter steal it."**

**AJ knew Ron and Hermione were thinking the same as she was. If Snape had been in on protecting the Stone, it must have been easy to find out how the other teachers had guarded it. He probably knew everything — except, it seemed, Quirrell's spell and how to get past Fluffy.**

Hermione rolled her eyes at that, Quirrell didn't have a spell. He had to use a damn Troll which should have raised red flags on Halloween.

**"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy. Aren't you, Hagrid?" said AJ anxiously. "And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?"**

**"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," said Hagrid proudly.**

"And Voldemort." Muttered AJ "But who counts him as a soul."

Charlie laughed loudly at AJ's joke.

**"Well, that's something," AJ muttered to the others. "Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling."**

**"Can't, AJ, sorry," said Hagrid. AJ noticed him glance at the fire. AJ looked at it, too.**

**"Hagrid — what's that?"**

**But she already knew what it was. In the very heart of the fire, underneath the kettle, was a huge, black egg.**

Charlie started to shift uncomfortable at the glares he was getting but defending himself wasn't going to help any with AJ and Hermione laughing like crazy.

**"Ah," said Hagrid, fiddling nervously with his beard, "That's — er…"**

**"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" said Ron, crouching over the fire to get a closer look at the egg. "It must've cost you a fortune."**

**"Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."**

Charlie beamed at the book "See! See! It wasn't me! I don't play cards and sure as hell wouldn't give Hagrid a dragon with him living in a wooden house!"

Sirius, Remus and Regulus just ignored him; they were too wrapped up in the story to care at this point.

**"But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?" said Hermione.**

**"Well, I've bin doin' some readin'," said Hagrid, pulling a large book from under his pillow. "Got this outta the library —Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit — it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on I em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An' see here — how ter recognize diff'rent eggs — what I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them."**

Charlie shook his head "They are rare but they're also really dangerous. Number two on the list of Most Dangerous Creatures."

**He looked very pleased with himself, but Hermione didn't.**

**"Hagrid, you live in a wooden house," she said.**

Regulus nodded his head at that, the girl was using common sense and needed to get away from that dragon.

**But Hagrid wasn't listening. He was humming merrily as he stoked the fire. So now they had something else to worry about: what might happen to Hagrid if anyone found out he was hiding an illegal dragon in his hut.**

**"Wonder what it's like to have a peaceful life," Ron sighed, as evening after evening they struggled through all the extra homework they were getting. Hermione had made a study schedule for Ron and tried to give one to AJ but it made no sense for to have one.**

**Then, one breakfast time, Hedwig brought AJ another note from Hagrid. He had written only two words: its hatching.**

**Ron wanted to skip Herbology and go straight down to the hut. Hermione wouldn't hear of it.**

"I would've skipped." Stated Kingsley "What? Just because I was in Ravenclaw doesn't mean I enjoyed every single subject."

**"Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?"**

**"We've got lessons, we'll get into trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing—"**

**"Shut up!" AJ whispered.**

**Malfoy was only a few feet away and he had stopped dead to listen. How much had he heard? AJ didn't like the look on Malfoy's face at all.**

"When do you ever like Malfoy's face?" Tonks laughed

AJ smiled "I loved his face when I broke his nose that was a good moment in my life that will forever be engraved in my heart."

**Ron and Hermione argued all the way to Herbology and in the end, Hermione agreed to run down to Hagrid's with the other two during morning break. When the bell sounded from the castle at the end of their lesson, the three of them dropped their trowels at once and hurried through the grounds to the edge of the forest. Hagrid greeted them, looking flushed and excited.**

Remus groaned at that "It won't be anything good I'm sure."

Bill couldn't help but laugh at the outraged look on his brother's face "Not everyone can see the beauty in a new born dragon bro."

**"It's nearly out." He ushered them inside.**

**The egg was lying on the table. There were deep cracks in it. Something was moving inside; a funny clicking noise was coming from it.**

**They all drew their chairs up to the table and watched with bated breath.**

Charlie was practically bouncing in his seat "This is exciting punk! Wasn't it amazing?"

"It was amazing babe, can't wait to see it again." AJ chuckled at the shocked look her boyfriends face held.

**All at once there was a scraping noise and the egg split open. The baby dragon flopped onto the table. AJ could see why people wanted to work with dragons; it was an amazing creature to see. Its spiny wings were huge compared to its skinny jet body; it had a long snout with wide nostrils, the stubs of horns and bulging, orange eyes.**

**It sneezed. A couple of sparks flew out of its snout.**

**"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid murmured.**

Regulus looked at the book weirdly "I somehow doubt the word I would use is beautiful."

Charlie was about to retort but AJ shook her head, her uncle would probably resort to physical violence after this chapter.

**He reached out a hand to stroke the dragon's head. It snapped at his fingers, showing pointed fangs.**

**"Bless him, look, he knows his mommy!" said Hagrid.**

**"Hagrid," said Hermione, "how fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, exactly?"**

Tonks looked at Charlie expectantly "Well dragon boy? How fast do they grow?"

Charlie snarled at his newest nickname "Fast. Very Fast DORA." Tonks turned bright red and was about to hex him when Sirius started to read again

**Hagrid was about to answer when the color suddenly drained from his face — he leapt to his feet and ran to the window.**

**"What's the matter?"**

**"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains — it's a kid — he's runnin' back up ter the school."**

Hermione growled at the book, Malfoy was such a coward.

**AJ bolted to the door and looked out. Even at a distance there was no mistaking him.**

**Malfoy had seen the dragon.**

**Something about the smile lurking on Malfoy's face during the next week made AJ, Ron, and Hermione very nervous.**

"Punch him in the nose again AJ, obviously he forgot what happens when he messes with you or your friends." Bill smiled

AJ wished she had punched him at least one more time that year for good measure, oh well live and learn.

**They spent most of their free time in Hagrid's darkened hut, trying to reason with him.**

**"Just let him go," AJ urged. "Set him free."**

**"I can't," said Hagrid. "He's too little. He'd die."**

"Hey!" snapped Remus "Don't glare at my daughter dragon boy!" Charlie had the decency to look apologetic, he just loved dragons but AJ was more important than any dragon.

**They looked at the dragon. It had grown three times in length in just a week. Smoke kept furling out of its nostrils. Hagrid hadn't been doing his gamekeeping duties because the dragon was keeping him so busy. There were empty brandy bottles and chicken feathers all over the floor.**

**"I've decided to call him Norbert," said Hagrid, looking at the dragon with misty eyes. "He really knows me now, watch. Norbert! Norbert! Where's Mommy?"**

**"He's lost his marbles," Ron muttered in AJ's ear.**

"I think that was obvious when he got a hold of a dragon Weasley." Snorted Snape

**"Hagrid," said AJ loudly, "give it two weeks and Norbert's going to be as long as your house. Malfoy could go to Dumbledore at any moment."**

The thought had just occurred to Sirius "Where were you through all this you old goat!"

Dumbledore just shook his head and ignored the question in his Dumbledore like fashion.

**Hagrid bit his lip.**

**"I — I know I can't keep him forever, but I can't jus' dump him, I can't."**

**AJ suddenly turned to Ron. "Charlie." she said.**

Charlie beamed at AJ while her father's and Uncle were glaring at the dragon handler. They knew he had something to do with this damn dragon mess.

**"You're losing it, too," said Ron. "I'm Ron, remember?"**

**"No — Charlie — your brother, Charlie. In Romania. Studying dragons. We could send Norbert to him. Charlie can take care of him and then put him back in the wild!"**

**"Brilliant!" said Ron. "How about it, Hagrid?"**

**And in the end, Hagrid agreed that they could send an owl to Charlie to ask him.**

Bill let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding; he didn't like the idea of Hermione so close to a dangerous dragon.

**The following week dragged by. Wednesday night found Hermione and AJ sitting alone in the common room, long after everyone else had gone to bed. The clock on the wall had just chimed midnight when the portrait hole burst open. Ron appeared out of nowhere as he pulled off AJ's invisibility cloak. He had been down at Hagrid's hut, helping him feed Norbert, who was now eating dead rats by the crate.**

**"It bit me!" he said, showing them his hand, which was wrapped in a bloody handkerchief.**

Charlie looked at his brother with wide eyes "Those are poisonous Ron; you should have gone straight to the hospital wing."

Molly looked as if someone told her Ron had died and went to hell "Were you okay dear? Let me see your finger!"

Ron went red "I'm fine now mom."

**I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a week. I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met, but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit. When it bit me he told me off for frightening it. And when I left, he was singing it a lullaby.**

Snape rolled his eyes at that; it was a bloody dragon for the love of Merlin!

**There was a tap on the dark window.**

**"It's Hedwig!" said AJ, hurrying to let her in. "She'll have Charlie's answer!"**

**The three of them put their heads together to read the note.**

**Dear Ron,**

**How are you? Thanks for the letter — I'd be glad to take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won't be easy getting him here. I think the best thing will be is for me to come there and bring it back to Romania. Trouble is, I mustn't be seen carrying an illegal dragon. Could you get the Ridgeback up the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? I can meet you there and take him away while it's still dark.**

**Send me an answer as soon as possible.**

**Love,**

**Charlie**

"Oh good!" yelped Kingsley "We get to see dragon boy!"

**They looked at one another.**

**"We've got the invisibility cloak," said AJ. "It shouldn't be too difficult – I think the cloaks big enough to cover two of us and Norbert."**

**It was a mark of how bad the last week had been that the other two agreed with her. Anything to get rid of Norbert — and Malfoy.**

Hermione nodded at that "That was an upside to this whole charade."

**There was a hitch. By the next morning, Ron's bitten hand had swollen to twice its usual size. He didn't know whether it was safe to go to Madam Pomfrey — would she recognize a dragon bite? By the afternoon, though, he had no choice. The cut had turned a nasty shade of green. It looked as if Norbert's fangs were poisonous.**

**AJ and Hermione rushed up to the hospital wing at the end of the day to find Ron in a terrible state in bed.**

"I still can't believe you didn't go to the hospital after getting bit by a dragon." AJ laughed

Ron went red "You never go to the hospital wing unless Hermione or I force you!"

AJ shook her head "Maybe, but if you recall when I went up against a dragon I went to hospital wing willingly after the fact."

**"It's not just my hand," he whispered, "although that feels like it's about to fall off. Malfoy told Madam Pomfrey he wanted to borrow one of my books so he could come and have a good laugh at me. He kept threatening to tell her what really bit me — I've told her it was a dog, but I don't think she believes me— I shouldn't have hit him at the Quidditch match, that's why he's doing this."**

"Where would you get a dog?" asked Regulus

Ron ignored him in favor of looking at the floor as if it had offended him in some way.

**AJ and Hermione tried to calm Ron down.**

**"It'll all be over at midnight on Saturday," said Hermione, but this didn't soothe Ron at all. On the contrary, he sat bolt upright and broke into a sweat.**

**"Midnight on Saturday!" he said in a hoarse voice. "Oh no oh no — I've just remembered — Charlie's letter was in that book Malfoy took, he's going to know we're getting rid of Norbert."**

Remus groaned at that "Merlin cub, can anything go okay for you?"

**AJ and Hermione didn't get a chance to answer. Madam Pomfrey came over at that moment and made them leave, saying Ron needed sleep.**

**"It's too late to change the plan now," AJ told Hermione. "We haven't got time to send Charlie another owl, and this could be our only chance to get rid of Norbert. We'll have to risk it. And we have got the invisibility cloak, Malfoy doesn't know about that."**

"If you had waited any longer…" but Charlie didn't finish his thought with all the glares directed at him

**They found Fang, the boarhound, sitting outside with a bandaged tail when they went to tell Hagrid, who opened a window to talk to them.**

**"I won't let you in," he puffed. "Norbert's at a tricky stage — nothin' I can't handle."**

Bill cracked a grin at that "I somehow doubt that's true."

**When they told him about Charlie's letter, his eyes filled with tears, although that might have been because Norbert had just bitten him on the leg.**

**"Aargh! It's all right, he only got my boot — jus' playin' — he's only a baby, after all."**

Kingsley snorted at that "The baby from hell maybe." But he only said it loud enough for Tonks to hear not wanting to aggravate the dragon handler.

**The baby banged its tail on the wall, making the windows rattle.**

**AJ and Hermione walked back to the castle feeling Saturday couldn't come quickly enough. They would have felt sorry for Hagrid when the time came for him to say good-bye to Norbert if they hadn't been so worried about what they had to do. It was a very dark, cloudy night, and they were a bit late arriving at Hagrid's hut because they'd had to wait for Peeves to get out of their way in the entrance hall, where he'd been playing tennis against the wall. Hagrid had Norbert packed and ready in a large crate.**

**"He's got lots o' rats an' some brandy fer the journey," said Hagrid in a muffled voice. "An' I've packed his teddy bear in case he gets lonely."**

Clarity came over Charlie's face at that "I had no idea what that was supposed to be!"

"Destroyed it before you even got to look in the crate right?"

"You got it punk." Laughed Charlie

**From inside the crate came ripping noises that sounded to AJ as though the teddy was having his head torn off.**

**"Bye-bye, Norbert!" Hagrid sobbed, as AJ and Hermione covered the crate with the invisibility cloak and stepped underneath it themselves. "Mommy will never forget you!"**

Remus, Sirius and Regulus rolled their eyes at that, the damn dragon needed to leave Hogwarts.

**How they managed to get the crate back up to the castle, they never knew. Midnight ticked nearer as they heaved Norbert up the marble staircase in the entrance hall and along the dark corridors. Up another staircase, then another – even one of AJ's shortcuts didn't make the work much easier.**

**"Nearly there!" AJ panted as they reached the corridor beneath the tallest tower.**

**Then a sudden movement ahead of them made them almost drop the crate. Forgetting that they were already invisible, they shrank into the shadows, staring at the dark outlines of two people grappling with each other ten feet away. A lamp flared. Professor McGonagall, in a tartan bathrobe and a hair net, had Malfoy by the ear.**

**"Detention!" she shouted. "And twenty points from Slytherin! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how dare you —"**

"He wasn't lying." Snarled Snape

AJ fixed him with a glare "After all the shit he pulled that year twenty points was nothing."

**"You don't understand, Professor. Alessandra Potter's coming — she's got a dragon!"**

**"What utter rubbish! How dare you tell such lies! Come on — I shall see Professor Snape about you, Malfoy!"**

Snape glared at AJ who glared right back, she knew Snape knew he deserved to get points taken away.

**The steep spiral staircase up to the top of the tower seemed the easiest thing in the world after that. Not until they'd stepped out into the cold night air did they throw off the cloak, glad to be able to breathe properly again. Hermione did a sort of jig.**

**"Malfoy's got detention! I could sing!"**

Bill shook his head "Don't you could get caught."

Hermione rolled her eyes good naturedly at him, he was rather cute when he got wrapped up in the story.

**"Don't," AJ advised her.**

**Chuckling about Malfoy, they waited, Norbert thrashing about in his crate. About ten minutes later, a broomstick came swooping down out of the darkness. When the young man came into the darkness AJ could tell it was Ron's brother. He had the same red hair but his was darker, his skin was tanner and his eyes were a dark blue almost a sapphire blue, all in all he was very good looking.**

Charlie was beaming by the end of his description, AJ never really talked about his looks so when she did he took them to heart.

**He looked at Hermione then to AJ "Hey I'm Charlie, you must be Alessandra and Hermione. Nice to meet you both."**

**AJ usually hated her name but when he spoke it, it was like melted honey. She couldn't bring herself to tell him to call her AJ, she wanted to hear him say her name more often.**

Everyone in the room was looking at AJ whose hair had turned light purple and was avoiding anyone's eye. Charlie laughed merrily "You're amazing punk."

**AJ finally found her voice "Yeah that's us, thanks for coming on such short notice but then again we never expected Hagrid would need us to smuggle and illegal dragon out of the country."**

**Hermione stared at AJ as if she had grown a second head when Charlie spoke in his smooth voice that could melt butter, "I have to get going but owl me sometime yeah? I really like your hair like that punk." With a wink and a nod to Hermione Charlie was off.**

Kingsley laughed at the pair while her family was glaring at young man who had stolen their little girl's heart.

"**He's hot." Stated AJ**

**Hermione rolled her eyes "Come on lover girl, or should I call you punk from now on? Or is that only going to be Charlie's affectionate nickname for you?" she teased **

Tonks smiled at her two friends, she didn't understand why Charlie called AJ punk but now she did and found it rather cute herself.

**AJ responded by sticking her tongue out and laughing over all the craziness the night had held so far. They slipped back down the spiral staircase, their hearts as light as their hands, now that Norbert was off them. No more dragon — Malfoy in detention — what could spoil their happiness?**

**The answer to that was waiting at the foot of the stairs. As they stepped into the corridor, Filch's face loomed suddenly out of the darkness.**

Bill groaned "Oh man!"

Remus and Sirius made mental notes to make sure AJ knew how to sneak around after returning to Hogwarts in September.

**"Well, well, well," he whispered, "we are in trouble."**

**They'd left the invisibility cloak on top of the tower.**

Sirius handed the book to Remus "Go ahead Moony, the book is almost done."

Remus looked at the chapter title and paled "**The Forbidden Forest…"**


	18. The Forbidden Forest

Just as Remus was about to continue with the reading a tall angry looking women walked through the floo network. This woman was none other than Minerva McGonagall. Before anyone could speak the irritated woman spoke

"Albus what is the meaning of this? I was in the middle of lunch with my daughter when I got an owl stating to come here for some sort of story on Potters life."

Dumbledore nodded his head at that, "We are and I believe these last few chapters may interest you. Once this book is done you may return to your personal life my dear." McGonagall gave a curt nod to that but silently wondering what she could possibly have to do with the last chapters.

"**The Forbidden Forrest…"** Remus read clearly, McGonagall paled drastically at that, now she understood why she was here.

**Things couldn't have been worse.**

Hermione and AJ glared at their head of house, it was all her fault.

**Filch took them down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor, where they sat and waited without saying a word to each other. Hermione was trembling. Excuses, alibis, and wild cover- up stories chased each other around AJ's brain, each more feeble than the last.**

"Always have a plan sweets." Lectured Regulus

Sirius nodded "And always have a plan B if necessary."

**She couldn't see how they were going to get out of trouble this time. They were cornered. How could they have been so stupid as to forget the cloak? There was no reason on earth that Professor McGonagall would accept for their being out of bed and creeping around the school in the dead of night, let alone being up the tallest astronomy tower, which was out-of-bounds except for classes. Add Norbert and the invisibility cloak, and they might as well be packing their bags already.**

Kingsley winced at that "I don't blame you for being so pessimistic at this point; all the signs were pointing to you getting into serious trouble."

"Thank you!" AJ laughed "Finally someone understands my way of thinking."

**Had AJ thought that things couldn't have been worse? She was wrong. When Professor McGonagall appeared, she was leading Neville.**

**"AJ!" Neville burst out, the moment he saw the other two. "I was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying he was going to catch you, he said you had a drag—"**

"Now really isn't the time for Neville to gain confidence." Bill muttered under his breath

**AJ shook her head violently to shut Neville up, but Professor McGonagall had seen. She looked more likely to breathe fire than Norbert as she towered over the three of them.**

Tonks looked shocked at that "They were just out after curfew; you can't really get that mad over it."

"They were smuggling a dragon-an illegal dragon-out of the castle Ms. Tonks." McGonagall glared

"Yes that's true, but you didn't know about the dragon." Tonks said with a smug smile

**"I would never have believed it of any of you. Mr. Filch says you were up in the astronomy tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. Explain yourselves."**

**It was the first time Hermione had ever failed to answer a teacher's question. She was staring at her slippers, as still as a statue.**

**"I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on," said Professor McGonagall. "It doesn't take a genius to work it out. You fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught him. I suppose you think it's funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it, too?"**

"I would never drag someone into my own mess." Snarled AJ

Hermione nodded at that "She's always trying to do it all by herself in hopes of not hurting anyone."

**AJ caught Neville's eye and tried to tell him without words that this wasn't true, because Neville was looking stunned and hurt. Poor, blundering Neville — AJ knew what it must have cost him to try and find them in the dark, to warn them.**

**"I'm disgusted," said Professor McGonagall. "Four students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before!**

Remus looked at his ex-professor in shock "You've never heard of such of thing? Let's ignore all the times you caught the marauders out at night because obviously you wouldn't tell AJ about that. But you've been a professor for over thirty years and you're going to tell me you never caught four students out of bed all at once?"

"I thought they were trying to get another student into trouble." McGonagall glared at her old student

Regulus jumped in this time "So let me get this straight out of all the years you have been teaching you never had a student from another house try and get another student from a different house into trouble?" seeing the shocked look in her eyes Regulus smiled smugly "That's why I thought."

**You, Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense. As for you, Miss Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All three of you will receive detentions — yes, you too, Mr. Longbottom, nothing gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous — and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."**

**"Fifty?" AJ gasped — they would lose the lead, the lead she'd won in the last Quidditch match.**

"Actually fifty isn't too bad pup." Sirius tried to sound reassuring

AJ smiled at the feeble attempt "Just wait for the rest dad, please continue papa."

**"Fifty points each," said Professor McGonagall, breathing heavily through her long, pointed nose.**

Everyone gapped at that, just for being out of bed?

"That's completely unfair!" shouted Bill

"What about all the times you caught Tonks and me sneaking to the kitchens?" Charlie said through clenched teeth

**"Professor — please —"**

**"You can't —"**

**"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter. Now get back to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students."**

"I didn't say that by the way professor." Snarked AJ

"Yeah that was me." Hermione came to her friend's defense

**A hundred and fifty points lost. That put Gryffindor in last place. In one night, they'd ruined any chance Gryffindor had had for the house cup. AJ felt as though the bottom had dropped out of her stomach. How could they ever make up for this?**

AJ smiled at that, she made up for it all right, too bad it almost cost her, her life.

**AJ didn't sleep all night. She performed a sticking charm on her and Hermiones bed so they could sleep together and have that silent comfort only a true best friend could offer. AJ couldn't think if anything to say to make it better. She knew Hermione, like herself, was dreading the dawn.**

Sirius sighed sadly at that, you shouldn't be afraid to face your own housemates.

**What would happen when the rest of Gryffindor found out what they'd done? At first, Gryffindors passing the giant hourglasses that recorded the house points the next day thought there'd been a mistake. How could they suddenly have a hundred and fifty points fewer than yesterday? And then the story started to spread: AJ Potter, the famous AJ Potter, their hero of two Quidditch matches, had lost them all those points, her and a couple of other stupid first years.**

Charlie glared at the book "If it was anyone else they wouldn't have acted like that. It's just because you're the _famous AJ Potter_."

AJ nodded in agreement, her fame was a double edged sword for sure.

**From being one of the most popular and admired people at the school, AJ was suddenly the most hated. Even Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs turned on her, because everyone had been longing to see Slytherin lose the house cup. Everywhere AJ went, people pointed and didn't trouble to lower their voices as they insulted her.**

**Slytherins, on the other hand, clapped as she walked past them, whistling and cheering, "Thanks Potter, we owe you one!"**

Regulus growled at his old house, he didn't like people intentionally hurting his niece.

**Only Ron stood by her.**

**"They'll all forget this in a few weeks. Fred and George have lost loads of points in all the time they've been here, and people still like them."**

**"They've never lost a hundred and fifty points in one go, though, have they?" said AJ miserably.**

"They may not have," Tonks choosing her words carefully "but they probably lost more in a year over pranking and not helping a friend."

Kingsley was in agreement with Tonks "What you guys did was very noble kid; you lost points for a good reason."

**"Well — no," Ron admitted.**

**It was a bit late to repair the damage, but AJ swore to herself not to meddle in things that weren't her business from now on. She'd had it with sneaking around and spying.**

"How long did that last?" huffed Mrs. Weasley

AJ thought for a moment "Maybe by the end of the chapter."

**She felt so ashamed of herself that she went to Wood and offered to resign from the Quidditch team.**

**"Resign?" Wood thundered. "What good'll that do? How are we going to get any points back if we can't win at Quidditch?"**

**But even Quidditch had lost its fun. The rest of the team wouldn't speak to AJ during practice, and if they had to speak about her, they called her "the Seeker." AJ wondered what the point of staying on the team was if they weren't even going to use her name when they had to talk to her. It was like being back at the Dursleys, AJ thought, except without the physical pain.**

Sirius, Remus and Regulus looked murderous at that. Hogwarts is supposed to be a happy place not a place that reminds you of your abusive family life.

**Hermione and Neville were suffering, too. They didn't have as bad a time as AJ, because they weren't as well-known, but nobody would speak to them, either. Hermione had stopped drawing attention to herself in class, keeping her head down and working in silence.**

Bill frowned at that, she shouldn't be downplaying her intelligence "You could have gotten more points back if you answered questions."

Hermione shook her head "It didn't matter, when I did raise my hand they would just call me a know-it-all." Bill frowned more deeply at that, she wasn't a "know-it-all" she was just intelligent and was proud of that.

**AJ was almost glad that the exams weren't far away. All the studying she had to do kept her mind off her misery. She, Ron, and Hermione kept to themselves, working late into the night, AJ was trying to come up with mnemonic phrases when remembering the ingredients in complicated potions, learn charms and spells by heart, memorize the dates of magical discoveries and goblin rebellions…**

Remus smiled at his daughter "You're very sweet to do that for them, I know it's hard for you to review the same thing over again."

AJ just shrugged at that, she didn't mind helping them when they needed it.

**Then, about a week before the exams were due to start, AJ's new resolution not to interfere in anything that didn't concern her was put to an unexpected test. Walking back from the library on her own one afternoon, she heard somebody whimpering from a classroom up ahead. As she drew closer, she heard Quirrell's voice.**

**"No — no — not again, please —"**

**It sounded as though someone was threatening him. AJ moved closer.**

"Or you could get a teacher." Suggested Tonks

**"All right — all right —" he heard Quirrell sob.**

**Next second, Quirrell came hurrying out of the classroom straightening his turban. He was pale and looked as though he was about to cry. He strode out of sight; AJ didn't think Quirrell had even noticed her. She waited until Quirrell's footsteps had disappeared, than peered into the classroom. It was empty, but a door stood ajar at the other end. AJ was halfway toward it before she remembered what she'd promised herself about not meddling.**

Charlie chuckled softly into AJ's hair "Punk you'll always meddle, but your heart is always in the right place."

**All the same, she'd have gambled twelve Philosopher's Stones that Snape had just left the room, and from what AJ had just heard, Snape would be walking with a new spring in his step — Quirrell seemed to have given in at last.**

**AJ went back to the library, where Hermione was testing Ron on Astronomy. AJ told them what she'd heard.**

**"Snape's done it, then!" said Ron. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell —"**

Snape glared at Ron "Anti-dark force spell?"

Ron blushed bright red at that "It was just a thought." He muttered

**"There's still Fluffy, though," said Hermione.**

**"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," said Ron, looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them. "I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog. So what do we do, AJ?"**

"Even as first years people turn to you in times of danger." Sirius commented

**The light of adventure was kindling again in Ron's eyes, but Hermione answered before AJ could.**

**"Go to Dumbledore. That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure."**

**"But we've got no proof!" said AJ. "Quirrell's too scared to back us up. Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how the troll got in at Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor — who do you think they'll believe, him or us? It's not exactly a secret we hate him, Dumbledore will think we made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the better, he'll think. And don't forget, we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot of explaining."**

Dumbledore nodded with that, it was a good thing that hadn't brought that to his attention. It was highly unlikely he would have believed that.

**Hermione looked convinced, but Ron didn't.**

**"If we just do a bit of poking around —"**

**"No," said AJ flatly, "we've done enough poking around."**

**She pulled a map of Jupiter toward her and started to learn the names of its moons.**

AJ smiled at her past actions "See? I can resist snooping." Snape rolled his eyes at that, it probably didn't last long.

**The following morning, notes were delivered to AJ, Hermione, and Neville at the breakfast table. They were all the same:**

**Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight.**

**Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall.**

**Professor McGonagall**

Sirius and Remus groaned at that "Filch? Of all the people at the school you get stuck with Filch?"

**AJ had forgotten they still had detentions to do in the furor over the points they'd lost. She half expected Hermione to complain that this was a whole night of studying lost, but she didn't say a word. Like AJ, she felt they deserved what they'd got.**

Bill shook his head at that "You didn't deserve that at all." He gave his ex-professor a pointed look who just ignored it in favor of focusing on the book in Remus clenched hands.

**At eleven o'clock that night which AJ thought was rather ironic with them getting into trouble for being out after curfew they would serve detention after curfew,**

Sirius and Regulus laughed at that, AJ had a great sense of humor.

**they said good-bye to Ron in the common room and went down to the entrance hall with Neville. Filch was already there — and so was Malfoy. AJ had al"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside.**

**"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said, leering at them. "Oh yes… hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me… It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out… hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed… Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do. **

Dumbledore looked around the room at the scared faces "That will never happen as long as I am headmaster. I promise you that."

**They marched off across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffing. AJ wondered what their punishment was going to be. It must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn't be sounding so delighted. The moon was bright and full, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing them into darkness. Ahead, AJ could see the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. Then they heard a distant shout**.

Remus glared at a pale looing McGonagall "It was a full moon! What in the bloody hell are they doing outside during a full moon?"

McGonagall just shook her head, she didn't even think of the phases of the moon that night.

**"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."**

**AJ's heart rose; if they were going to be working with Hagrid it wouldn't be so bad. Her relief must have showed in her face, because Filch said, "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, girl — it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."**

Sirius stiffened at this "The forest?" he said through clenched teeth while his husband was equally as mad but had a better reign on his temper then him.

"So let me get this straight." Charlie stated "It's a full moon, it's eleven o'clock at night and their going into the forbidden forest. Am I forgetting anything?"

"Don't think so dragon boy." Regulus glared at the idiots who set this shit up.

**At this, Neville let out a little moan, and Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks.**

**"The forest?" he repeated, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual.**

**"We can't go in there at night — there's all sorts of things in there — werewolves, I heard."**

Tonks' jaw clenched at that "Malfoy has more sense than you apparently!"

**Neville clutched the sleeve of AJ's robe and made a choking noise.**

**"That's your problem, isn't it?" said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"**

"He's taunting them?" Bill yelled "He's taunting them before they go into the forest!"

Kingsley narrowed his eyes at Dumbledore "You better do something about it him. This is getting ridiculous."

**Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.**

**"Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, AJ, Hermione?"**

"Hagrid is great, he really worries about us." Smiled Hermione

**"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, "they're here to be punished, after all."**

**"That's why yer late, is it?" said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."**

**"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.**

Regulus started rubbing his temples at that, they would be out all night too? Sweet Merlin he would kill whoever tried to harm his niece.

As if AJ was reading his mind she smiled softly at her uncle "I'm okay Uncle Reggie, it's in the past."

**Malfoy now turned to Hagrid.**

**"I'm not going in that forest," he said, and AJ was pleased to hear the note of panic in his voice.**

"The forest is really dangerous." Frowned Molly

**"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it."**

**"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he'd—"**

**"—tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts,"**

Regulus snorted at that "Can you imagine what Lucy would say about that Siri?"

"I somehow doubt he would agree with Hagrid. He would cause a major uproar at that." Sirius laughed at the mental image.

**Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on."**

**Malfoy didn't move. He looked at Hagrid furiously, but then dropped his gaze.**

"If only he would have taken that advice." AJ sighed sadly

Bill nodded in agreement, Malfoy was a complete ass and would follow in his father's footsteps.

**"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."**

**He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest.**

**"Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood.**

Everyone looked horrified at that. "Who could do that to a unicorn?" murmured Kingsley

"Who could catch one?" Tonks asked horrified at the thought

**There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."**

**"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" said Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.**

**"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid.**

"Fang is a coward though." Frowned Charlie. AJ held his hand more firmly then before, he obviously needed to know she was okay.

**"An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."**

**"I want Fang," said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.**

**"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. "So me, AJ, an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other.**

"That's not very good pairings Hagrid," Sirius groaned "Malfoy is an ass and will cause trouble!"

Snape glared at the mutt, his godson wouldn't do anything like that in the forest. It would be too dangerous.

**Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now — that's it — an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh — so, be careful — let's go."**

**The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path, and AJ, Hermione, and Hagrid took the left path while Malfoy, Neville, and Fang took the right.**

**They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground. Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot of silver-blue blood on the fallen leaves.**

**AJ saw that Hagrid looked very worried.**

**"Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" AJ asked.**

Remus shook his head "No cub, we aren't fast enough."

AJ hugged her papa "I know that now, I just knew it was a full moon and panicked."

**"Not fast enough," said Hagrid. "It's not easy ter catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt before."**

**They walked past a mossy tree stump. AJ could hear running water; there must be a stream somewhere close by. There were still spots of unicorn blood here and there along the winding path.**

**"You all right, Hermione?" Hagrid whispered. "Don' worry, it can't've gone far if it's this badly hurt, an' then we'll be able ter — GET BEHIND THAT TREE!"**

Everyone tensed at that, being the forbidden forest it could've been anything.

**Hagrid seized AJ and Hermione and hoisted them off the path behind a towering oak. He pulled out an arrow and fitted it into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. The three of them listened. Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby: it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground. Hagrid was squinting up the dark path, but after a few seconds, the sound faded away.**

**"I knew it," he murmured. "There's summat in here that shouldn' be."**

"The could've been seriously hurt! What in the bloody hell is wrong with you!" snarled Sirius

"They were with Hagrid! I figured they would be safe Black!" shouted the ex-professor

**"That wasn' no werewolf an' it wasn' no unicorn, neither," said Hagrid grimly. "Right, follow me, but careful, now."**

**They walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sound. Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitely moved.**

**"Who's there?" Hagrid called. "Show yerself — I'm armed!"**

**And into the clearing came — was it a man, or a horse?**

Charlie looked envious at that, he always wanted to meet a centaur. His girlfriend did have amazing luck at times.

**To the waist, a man, with red hair and beard, but below that was a horse's gleaming chestnut body with a long, reddish tail. AJ and Hermione's jaws dropped.**

**"Oh, it's you, Ronan," said Hagrid in relief. "How are yeh?"**

**He walked forward and shook the centaur's hand.**

**"Good evening to you, Hagrid," said Ronan. He had a deep, sorrowful voice. "Were you going to shoot me?"**

Sirius and Regulus rolled their eyes, centaurs were such weird creatures and understanding them was impossible.

**"Can't be too careful, Ronan," said Hagrid, patting his crossbow. "There's summat bad loose in this forest. This is Alessandra Potter an' Hermione Granger, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur.**

**"We'd noticed," said Hermione faintly.**

Bill laughed at the blushing teen next to him, "I would have sounded faintly too Mio."

Hermione gave him a big smile at the use of her nickname, Bill really was sweet.

**"Good evening," said Ronan. "Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?"**

**"Erm —"**

**"A bit," said Hermione timidly.**

Snape rolled his eyes "A bit Granger?"

Charlie glared at the teacher, "They're very sensitive creatures and get offended over the littlest comment."

**"A bit. Well, that's something." Ronan sighed. He flung back his head and stared at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight."**

Regulus turned wide eyed to Sirius "Wait, Siri-"

Sirius gave a slight nod at that "Yeah Reggie, Mars is the planet of war."

**"Yeah," said Hagrid, glancing up, too. "Listen, I'm glad we've run inter yeh, Ronan, 'cause there's a unicorn bin hurt — you seen anythin'?"**

**Ronan didn't answer immediately. He stared unblinkingly upward, then sighed again.**

**"Always the innocent are the first victims," he said. "So it has been for ages past, so it is now."**

AJ shuddered at that, it was true. Cedric was the first casualty of this war, how many more would die for no reason?

Sensing his girlfriend was struggling with something Charlie gave her a kiss on the head "Love you punk and your green hair." AJ laughed at his corniness but she wouldn't have it any other way.

**"Yeah," said Hagrid, "but have yeh seen anythin' Ronan? Anythin' unusual?"**

**"Mars is bright tonight," Ronan repeated, while Hagrid watched him impatiently. "Unusually bright."**

**"Yeah, but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit nearer home," said Hagrid. "So yeh haven't noticed anythin' strange?"**

Tonks rolled her eyes "They only talk in those annoying riddles, they never make sense either."

"They are riddles, so of course they won't make sense right off the bat." Kingsley laughed at the pout Tonks was sporting.

**Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, "The forest hides many secrets."**

"We get it already!" yelled Charlie, Ronan was enough to drive a man to drink.

**A movement in the trees behind Ronan made Hagrid raise his bow again, but it was only a second centaur, black-haired and - bodied and wilder-looking than Ronan.**

"He's an older centaur that's why AJ." Dumbledore smiled kindly while silently panicking thinking of how bright Mars was that night.

**"Hullo, Bane," said Hagrid. "All right?"**

**"Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?"**

**"Well enough. Look, I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in here lately? There's a unicorn bin injured — would yeh know anythin' about it?"**

Bill shook his head fondly "I doubt you'll get a straight answer out of him."

**Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skyward. "Mars is bright tonight," he said simply.**

"See?" Bill exclaimed "Told ya."

Sirius rolled his eyes "No one argued with you mate."

**"We've heard," said Hagrid grumpily. "Well, if either of you do see anythin', let me know, won't yeh? We'll be off, then."**

**AJ and Hermione followed him out of the clearing, staring over their shoulders at Ronan and Bane until the trees blocked their view.**

**"Never," said Hagrid irritably, "try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon."**

Dumbledore shook his head at that "You just need to know how to communicate with them."

"Well last time I checked Hogwarts didn't offer a class on how to talk to centaurs." Snarked an irritated Tonks

**"Are there many of them in here?" asked Hermione.**

**"Oh, a fair few… Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but they're good enough about turnin' up if ever I want a word. They're deep, mind, centaurs… they know things… jus' don' let on much."**

"Did you ever meet any centaurs in the forest daddy?" asked AJ

Sirius nodded with a gentle smile "Sure did pup, but not many of them are all that friendly towards wizards and witches."

**"D'you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?" said AJ.**

**"Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that was what's bin killin' the unicorns – never heard anythin' like it before."**

Kingsley saw AJ shift uncomfortable at that, she obviously found out what was attacking them and it wasn't something she wanted another run in with.

**They walked on through the dense, dark trees. AJ kept looking nervously over her shoulder. She had the nasty feeling they were being watched.**

Remus looked proudly at his daughter "Your senses are extraordinary cub, always follow them."

**She was very glad they had Hagrid and his crossbow with them. They had just passed a bend in the path when Hermione grabbed Hagrid's arm.**

**"Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!"**

"Did someone get hurt?" fretted Molly

"In a manner of speaking I suppose." Chuckled AJ

**"You two wait here!" Hagrid shouted. "Stay on the path, I'll come back for yeh!"**

"HE LEFT YOU!" shouted Sirius

Remus was growling lowly at that "Why would he do that!"

**They heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and stood looking at each other, very scared, until they couldn't hear anything but the rustling of leaves around them.**

**"You don't think they've been hurt, do you?" whispered Hermione.**

**"I don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville… it's our fault he's here in the first place."**

"You're a really good friend AJ." Commented Tonks

**The minutes dragged by. Their ears seemed sharper than usual. AJ's seemed to be picking up every sigh of the wind, every cracking twig. What was going on? Where were the others?**

**At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid's return. Malfoy who now had a black eye, Neville, and Fang were with him. Hagrid was fuming. Malfoy, it seemed, had sneaked up behind Neville and grabbed him as a joke. Neville had panicked turned around punched him in the eye and sent up the sparks.**

No one could hold back their laughter at hearing that. AJ was smiling proudly at book Neville, he had taken her advice on how to throw a punch and it paid off.

**"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups — Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, AJ, you go with Fang an' this idiot. I'm sorry," Hagrid added in a whisper to AJ, "but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we've gotta get this done."**

Charlie groaned "Now you're stuck with the git? That's not fair at all."

**So AJ set off into the heart of the forest with Malfoy and Fang. They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick. AJ thought the blood seemed to be getting thicker.**

Sirius looked worried "You should shoot off sparks now, just to be on the safe side."

**There were splashes on the roots of a tree, as though the poor creature had been thrashing around in pain close by. AJ could see a clearing ahead, through the tangled branches of an ancient oak.**

**"Look —" she murmured, holding out her arm to stop Malfoy.**

"Oh Merlin." Muttered Remus "What was it?"

But AJ was too disgusted to answer.

**Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer. It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. AJ had never seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves.**

Hermione and Tonks were softly crying at that, how could anyone harm a unicorn, they were such pure creatures in the magical world.

**AJ had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made her freeze where she stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered… Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. AJ, Malfoy, and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood**

Snape stiffened at that, no one should ever under any circumstances drink the blood of a unicorn.

"YOU SENT MY DAUGHTER THERE WHILE SOMETHING WAS DRINKING THE BLOOD OF THE UNICORNS?" yelled Remus with blazing eyes

Sirius didn't even try to calm his husband down McGonagall deserved to get yelled at after putting his daughter in danger.

**"AAAAAAAAAARGH!"**

**Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted — so did Fang. The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at AJ — unicorn blood was dribbling down its front.**

**It got to its feet and came swiftly toward AJ — she couldn't move for fear.**

"RUN AJ!" was being shouted throughout the room while Sirius and Remus held onto their daughter as if protecting her from the past somehow.

**Then a pain like she'd never felt before pierced her head; it was as though her scar were on fire. Half blinded, she staggered backward. She heard hooves behind her, galloping, and something jumped clean over AJ, charging at the figure.**

"Oh thank Merlin." Sighed Hermione from Bills embrace, it may have been in the past but she hated hearing AJ getting hurt in any way.

**The pain in AJ's head was so bad she fell to her knees. It took a minute or two to pass. When she looked up, the figure had gone. A centaur was standing over her, not Ronan or Bane; this one looked younger; he had white-blond hair and a palomino body.**

Sirius thanked whatever God he could come up with for having that centaur save his baby girl, he could of lost her at twelve years old. That thought hurt more than anything he had ever experienced.

**"Are you all right?" said the centaur, pulling AJ to her feet.**

**"Yes — thank you — what was that?"**

**The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at AJ, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on AJ's forehead.**

**"You are the Potter girl," he said. "You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time — especially for you. Can you ride? It will be quicker this way.**

Everyone was staring at AJ in amazement, she was truly remarkable. No one ever rode a centaur or were saved by one, it was unheard of.

**"My name is Firenze," he added, as he lowered himself on to his front legs so that AJ could clamber onto his back.**

**There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from the other side of the clearing. Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweaty.**

"Oh goody" Sirius groaned "pissy and pissy junior are going to get involved."

**"Firenze!" Bane thundered. "What are you doing? You have a human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"**

**"Do you realize who this is?" said Firenze. "This is the Potter girl. The quicker she leaves this forest, the better."**

"GOOD!" snarled Kingsley

"Thank Merlin someone in that forest is thinking." Bill grumbled still upset over Hermione being in the middle of all this.

**"What have you been telling her?" growled Bane. "Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"**

**Ronan pawed the ground nervously. "I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best," he said in his gloomy voice.**

"Bane needs to chill out." Regulus snarled

**Bane kicked his back legs in anger.**

Sirius rolled his eyes "I suppose pissy is back." Remus chuckled fondly at his husband.

**"For the best! What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold! It is not our business to run around like donkeys after stray humans in our forest!"**

**Firenze suddenly reared on to his hind legs in anger, so that AJ had to grab his shoulders to stay on.**

"That wasn't the greatest part of the evening." AJ grumbled under her breath.

**"Do you not see that unicorn?" Firenze bellowed at Bane. "Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must."**

**And Firenze whisked around; with AJ clutching on as best she could, they plunged off into the trees, leaving Ronan and Bane behind them.**

**AJ didn't have a clue what was going on.**

Hermione shook her head "I would have been completely lost too."

**"Why's Bane so angry?" she asked. "What was that thing you saved me from, anyway?"**

**Firenze slowed to a walk, warned AJ to keep her head bowed in case of low-hanging branches, but did not answer AJ's question. They made their way through the trees in silence for so long that AJ thought Firenze didn't want to talk to her anymore. They were passing through a particularly dense patch of trees, however, when Firenze suddenly stopped.**

**"Alessandra Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?"**

**"No," said AJ, startled by the odd question. "We've only used the horn and tail hair in Potions."**

Snape nodded at that, that was how it was going to stay.

**"That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn," said Firenze. "Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."**

Tonks glared at the book "it's not worth it!"

Kingsley placed an arm around her "I know that, we all know that Tonks. It's in the past though."

**AJ stared at the back of Firenze's head, which was dappled silver in the moonlight.**

**"But who'd be that desperate?" she wondered aloud. "If you're going to be cursed forever, death's better, isn't it?"**

Everyone nodded at that, impressed a twelve year old could understand that better than most adults.

**"It is," Firenze agreed, "unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else — something that will bring you back to full strength and power — something that will mean you can never die. Miss Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"**

**"The Philosopher's Stone! Of course — the Elixir of Life! But I don't understand who —"**

**"Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"**

"Everything kind of hit me all at once," remarked AJ "It was like a puzzle with missing pieces."

Charlie nodded his head at that, AJ always had a certain way of connecting the dots.

**It was as though an iron fist had clenched suddenly around AJ's heart. Over the rustling of the trees, she seemed to hear once more what Hagrid had told her on the night they had met: "Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die."**

**"Do you mean," AJ croaked, "that was Vol- "**

"I did not croak." AJ huffed while everyone else was panicking over the thought of Voldemort getting the stone in his possession.

**"AJ! AJ, are you all right?"**

**Hermione was running toward them down the path, Hagrid puffing along behind her.**

**"I'm fine," said AJ, hardly knowing what she was saying. "The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there."**

Hermione glared at her best friend, "I hate when you tell me fine when you're anything but fine."

AJ smiled apologetically "I'll try to change that Mio." But AJ knew it was doubtful she would ever change.

**"This is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn. "You are safe now."**

**AJ slid off his back.**

**"Good luck, Alessandra Potter," said Firenze. "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times."**

AJ looked upset at that, she wished it was wrong but it wasn't.

**He turned and cantered back into the depths of the forest, leaving AJ shivering behind him and somehow she doubted it had to do with the cold.**

**Ron had fallen asleep in the dark common room, waiting for them to return. He shouted something about Quidditch fouls when AJ roughly shook him awake.**

Bill rolled his eyes at his brother, even in his sleep he was clueless.

**In a matter of seconds, though, he was wide-eyed as AJ began to tell him and Hermione what had happened in the forest. AJ couldn't sit down. She paced up and down in front of the fire. She was still shaking but it was out of anger now. **

"Why would you be angry?" Tonks asked kindly

"Someone killed an innocent animal just so they could live longer, the consequences be damned as long as they could live." AJ said annoyed but her annoyance wasn't directed at Tonks.

**"Snape wants the stone for Voldemort… and Voldemort's waiting in the forest… and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich…"**

**"Stop saying the name!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear them.**

AJ shrugged her shoulders at that, it was just a name and she didn't fear him or his name.

**AJ wasn't listening.**

**"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so… Bane was furious… he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen… They must show that Voldemort's coming back… Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me… I suppose that's written in the stars as well."**

**"Will you stop saying the name!" Ron hissed.**

AJ's hair turned red with anger "I won't stop saying his name just because he gets off on making people's lives miserable. You people give him too much damn power by fearing his name! It's complete ridiculousness and I'm sick of it!" Everyone looked shocked at her outburst,

Regulus gave her a quick hug "We'll say his proper name from now on sweets. Just take a deep breath." AJ hugged her uncle back feeling completely satisfied with being surrounded by her family members.

**"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," AJ went on feverishly, "then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off… Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."**

Sirius glared at his daughter "Never and I mean NEVER say that again AJ. You're too important to us to think of you being gone."

**Hermione looked very frightened, but she had a word of comfort.**

**"AJ, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of, with Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."**

McGonagall agreed with her past self, it was all a bunch of nonsense but the centaurs knew what they were talking about even though they weren't always clear on what they meant.

**The sky had turned light before they stopped talking. They went to bed exhausted, their throats sore. But the night's surprises weren't over. When AJ pulled back her sheets, she found her invisibility cloak folded neatly underneath them. There was a note pinned to it:**

**Just in case.**

Snape openly glared at the headmaster, it was all his fault she meddled and snooped around with that damn cloak.

Remus took a few calming breaths before handing McGonagall the book "You read Minnie, all of us have already read." McGonagall glared at the nickname but read out the name of the chapter

"**Through the Trap Door…"**


	19. Through the Trapdoor

Everyone turned wide eyes on AJ, they couldn't believe that a twelve year old was going to try and rescue the stone before Voldemort could get it.

**In years to come, AJ would never quite remember how she had managed to get through her exams when she half expected Voldemort to come bursting through the door at any moment.**

"I was thinking the same thing; it was scary after that detention." Hermione sniffled

**Yet the days crept by, and there could be no doubt that Fluffy was still alive and well behind the locked door. It was sweltering hot, especially in the large classroom where they did their written papers. They had been given special, new quills for the exams, which had been bewitched with an Anti-cheating spell.**

"Just out of curiosity why can't it be cool when we take tests?" AJ asked thinking of all the tests they were sweating through

Dumbledore just shook his head "I'm really not sure my dear but that's something that will be changing this year.

**They had practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tap dance across a desk. Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuffbox — points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was, but taken away if it had whiskers. Snape made them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness potion.**

Bill couldn't hold back a snort at that "Couldn't you have them make a simpler potion or at least one that doesn't have the word FORGET in it?" Snape just glared at the eldest Weasley child, he didn't like being criticized on how he taught.

**AJ did the best she could, trying to ignore the stabbing pains in her forehead, which had been bothering her ever since her trip into the forest. Neville thought AJ had a bad case of exam nerves because Hermione had told Neville that AJ couldn't sleep, but the truth was that AJ kept being woken by her old nightmare, except that it was now worse than ever because there was a hooded figure dripping blood in it.**

"Are your dreams always like that sweets?" Regulus looked worriedly at her

AJ shrugged nonchalantly "They go from bad to worse over the years, but it's fine Uncle Reggie I can deal with it." But that didn't pacify her concerned family; she shouldn't have to deal with nightmares in such an extreme sense.

**Maybe it was because they hadn't seen what AJ had seen in the forest, or because they didn't have scars burning on their foreheads, but Ron and Hermione didn't seem as worried about the Stone as AJ. **

Hermione gave her friend a small smile "I'm sorry AJ, I was too caught up in my studies that year." AJ just shrugged it off but couldn't help but notice the upset look in Ron's eyes.

**The idea of Voldemort certainly scared them, but he didn't keep visiting them in dreams, and they were so busy with their studying they didn't have much time to fret about what Snape or anyone else might be up to.**

**Their very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented self-stirring cauldrons and they'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their exam results came out. When the ghost of Professor Bins told them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, AJ couldn't help cheering with the rest.**

Bill smiled at the thought of teaching this year, he always loved history and he would get to see Hermione more.

**"That was far easier than I thought it would be," said Hermione as they joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."**

Remus shook his head at that "You should forget that as soon as possible Hermione, it's useless."

**Hermione always liked to go through their exam papers afterward, but Ron said this made him feel ill, so they wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows. "No more studying," Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "You could look more cheerful, AJ, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."**

**AJ was rubbing her forehead.**

**"I wish I knew what this means!" she burst out angrily. "My scar keeps hurting — it's happened before, but never as often as this."**

Dumbledore looked alarmed at that "AJ has your scar ever hurt while at the Dursleys?"

AJ gave him a calculating look before answering "It did once or twice when I was younger but it didn't hurt while I was there till before and after fourth year." Dumbledore looked a little panicked at that but covered up well, something Snape noticed and made a note to talk to him about.

**"Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested.**

**"I'm not ill," said AJ. "I think it's a warning… it means danger's coming…"**

Charlie looked a little upset at that "I think you should have gone to see her punk. She might have been able to give you something for the pain." But AJ knew better then to tell someone her cursed scar is hurting, that spelled crazy in big bold letters.

**Ron couldn't get worked up, it was too hot.**

**"AJ, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."**

Ron, AJ and Hermione laughed and wondered when Neville was signed for England.

**AJ nodded, but she couldn't shake off a lurking feeling that there was something she'd forgotten to do, something important. When she tried to explain this, Hermione said, "That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one."**

"That happened to me when I took ancient ruins for my newts, it was a really important subject for curse breaking so I needed to pass that." Bill smiled

Hermione laughed a little at that, they really did have a lot in common…maybe?

**AJ was quite sure the unsettled feeling didn't have anything to do with work, though. She watched an owl flutter toward the school across the bright blue sky, a note clamped in its mouth. Hagrid was the only one who ever sent her letters. Hagrid would never betray Dumbledore. Hagrid would never tell anyone how to get past Fluffy… never… but…**

**AJ suddenly jumped to her feet.**

"Wait," Regulus looked to AJ "What just happened?"

Sirius nodded "I'm with you Reggie, what did you figure out?"

"You can tell us cub, we won't mind."

AJ laughed at the pout her papa was wearing "I was just figuring out the puzzle." Charlie laughed softly at that, she was amazing.

**"Where're you going?" said Ron sleepily.**

**"I've just thought of something," said AJ. She had turned white. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."**

**"Why?" panted Hermione, hurrying to keep up.**

**"Don't you think it's a bit odd," said AJ, scrambling up the grassy slope, "that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket?**

Tonks was jumping up and down with excitement while Kingsley was positively beaming at the green haired girl. "You're a natural Auror kid! You've gotta join the ranks when you graduate."

Tonks saw AJ was about to turn them down, "Just think about it AJ." AJ nodded but she knew that being an auror wasn't right for her.

**How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"**

**"What are you talking about?" said Ron, but AJ, sprinting across the grounds toward the forest, didn't answer.**

"You know," Ron spoke for the first time in a while "you could just start finishing your theories all at once instead of making us chase after you."

AJ rolled her eyes good naturedly "Next time the stone make an appearance I'll tell you guys my theories all at once. Promise."

**Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up, and he was shelling peas into a large bowl.**

**"Hullo," he said, smiling. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"**

**"Yes, please," said Ron, but AJ cut him off.**

**"No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"**

Bill looked at Charlie and smirked "Oh I don't know, maybe red hair, blue eyes, tan skin possibly." Charlie glared at his brother while Regulus, Sirius and Remus narrowed their eyes at Charlie.

**"Dunno," said Hagrid casually, "he wouldn' take his cloak off."**

Snape groaned at that, of course he wouldn't take of his cloak you oaf.

Regulus looked at Charlie "Why wouldn't you take off your cloak dragon boy?" Charlie groaned at that, he had to win a dragon egg. Of all the damn things to win!

**He saw the three of them look stunned and raised his eyebrows.**

**"It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head — that's one of the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."**

**AJ sank down next to the bowl of peas. "What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?"**

**"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember. "Yeah… he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here… He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I took after… so I told him… an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon… an' then… I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks…**

Remus rolled his eyes at that "So basically he told him his life story." Sirius could feel his dark luscious hair going grey with every chapter.

**Let's see… yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted… but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home… So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy…"**

**"And did he — did he seem interested in Fluffy?" AJ asked, calmly.**

"Of course he would be interested, it's a three headed dog Potter." Snape sneered

AJ glared "I needed all the facts before I went for help _sir_ and I suppose it's Black now thank you very much."

**"Well — yeah — how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep —"**

**Hagrid suddenly looked horrified.**

"Three headed dog needs a damn lullaby to fall asleep?" Kingsley snorted

Tonks eyes were cold at this point "It's a good thing they had such intense enchantments protecting the damn thing I guess."

**"I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey — where're yeh goin'?"**

**AJ, Ron, and Hermione didn't speak to each other at all until they came to a halt in the entrance hall, which seemed very cold and gloomy after the grounds.**

**"We've got to go to Dumbledore," said AJ. "Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak — it must've been easy, once he'd got**

**Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. Where's Dumbledore's office?"**

Snape looked surprised at that, the brats actually tried to get help before going through the trap door.

**They looked around, as if hoping to see a sign pointing them in the right direction. They had never been told where Dumbledore lived, nor did they know anyone who had been sent to see him.**

**"We'll just have to —" AJ began, but a voice suddenly rang across the hall.**

**"What are you three doing inside?"**

**It was Professor McGonagall, carrying a large pile of books.**

Sirius sighed in relief "Oh thank Merlin, she'll help you." But Remus wasn't so sure

"Why would they go through the trapdoor if she helped." He asked quietly

**"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione, rather bravely, AJ and Ron thought.**

**"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated, as though this was a very fishy thing to want to do. "Why?"**

Dumbledore nodded at that "Very few students come to see me for just a chat."

"Well Hermione and I will start coming up more often just to say Hey." AJ said with a laugh

**AJ swallowed — now what?**

**"It's sort of a secret," she said, but she wished at once she hadn't, because Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared.**

Regulus looked at her "Why would it matter if it was a secret or not? They obviously need help!" But McGonagall ignored that, she knew she should have listened to them but it was in the past and she hoped they would remember that.

**"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said coldly. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."**

Bill narrowed his eyes at that, that wasn't just a coincidence.

**"He's gone?" said AJ frantically. "Now?"**

**"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time – "**

**"But this is important."**

**"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter?"**

"Everything is more important than those idiots we have in power." Hermione scowled

Sirius nodded his head in agreement, this whole situation could have been avoided.

**"Look," said AJ, throwing caution to the winds, "Professor — it's about the Philosopher's Stone —"**

**Whatever Professor McGonagall had expected, it wasn't that. The books she was carrying tumbled out of her arms, but she didn't pick them up..**

**"How do you know —?" she spluttered.**

Charlie laughed loudly at that "You always manage to shock everyone by doing the littlest thing. I love it punk!"

**"Professor, I think — I know — that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."**

**She eyed her with a mixture of shock and suspicion.**

**"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said finally. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."**

Everyone besides Snape and Dumbledore glared at McGonagall. Remus was so angry he could barely speak but he finally managed to choke out "You didn't even listen to them! You just brushed off what they were saying!"

Sirius growled lowly "You wonder why your students go to you with their problems? It's because you're cold and insensitive when it comes to their problems!"

Regulus, Charlie and Bill just glared while Tonks and Kingsley were silently wondering what could have caused the headmaster to be gone from the castle the whole day and night.

**"But Professor —"**

**"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," she said shortly. She bent down and gathered up the fallen books. "I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."**

Bill glared at her "I'm sure they couldn't enjoy themselves with the thought of VOLDEMORT going after that god forsaken stone you have in a castle filled with children!" Hermione was staring at Bill as if she had never seen him before, no one stood up for them like the people in this room were…it was comforting to know they weren't alone.

**But they didn't.**

**"It's tonight," said AJ, once she was sure Professor McGonagall was out of earshot. "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."**

Dumbledore nodded at that, they were very shocked to see him. He didn't go to the ministry unless necessary.

**"But what can we —"**

**Hermione gasped. AJ and Ron wheeled round.**

**Snape was standing there.**

Regulus rolled his eyes "Don't even bother voicing your fears to him, it's pointless much like with McGonagall.

**"Good afternoon," he said smoothly.**

**They stared at him.**

**"You shouldn't be inside on a day like this," he said, with an odd, twisted smile.**

**"We were —" AJ began, but Snape cut her off.**

"You can't even let her finish a thought?" snarled Tonks

**"You want to be more careful," said Snape. "Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can it?"**

"You don't have to be such a bastard!" Bill barked out

Snape glared "Watch who you're talking to Weasley."

**AJ glared. They turned to go outside, but Snape called them back.**

**"Be warned, Potter — any more nighttime wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you."**

"Empty threat." AJ coughed

**He strode off in the direction of the staffroom.**

**Out on the stone steps, AJ turned to the others.**

**"Right, here's what we've got to do," she whispered urgently. "One of us has got to keep an eye on Snape — wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, you'd better do that."**

**"Why me?"**

Hermione shifted uncomfortable "I was nervous and the thought of talking to another professor seemed pointless at that point."

Bill nodded his head in understanding, he wouldn't want to go to another teacher either.

**"It's obvious," said Ron. "You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know." He put on a high voice, "'Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen b wrong… '"**

AJ eyed her pink faced friend "You really did think you got that wrong didn't you?" at receiving a nod AJ fell apart laughing, Hermione was such a dork but AJ wouldn't want it any other way.

**"Oh, shut up, why can't AJ go do that. She's just as smart as me." said Hermione.**

**"Yes Hermione, but I am not school crazy like you and with my eidetic memory that'll raise red flags. AJ countered. "And we'd better stay outside the third-floor corridor," AJ told Ron. "Come on."**

**But that part of the plan didn't work. No sooner had they reached the door separating Fluffy from the rest of the school than Professor McGonagall turned up again and this time, she lost her temper.**

"Of course you did." Sighed Remus

Regulus looked at all the Gryffindors "No offence but I'm glad I wasn't in that house."

**"I suppose you think you're harder to get past than a pack of enchantments!" she stormed. "Enough of this nonsense! If I hear you've come anywhere near here again, I'll take another fifty points from Gryffindor! Yes, Weasley, from my own house!"**

"I don't know why I was shocked." Grumbled Ron

**AJ and Ron went back to the common room, AJ had just said, "At least Hermione's on Snape's tail," when the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and Hermione came in.**

**"I'm sorry, AJ!" she wailed. "Snape came out and asked me what I was doing, so I said I was waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him, and I've only just got away, I don't know where Snape went."**

Snape glared at the room "I went to steal the stone. Is that what you're all waiting for?" Sirius nodded his head,

"Yeah pretty much. Always knew you were after it."

**"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" AJ said.**

**The other two stared at her. She was pale and her eyes were glittering.**

**"I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first.".**

"I'd rather you didn't go after it cub." Remus said sadly

Sirius gave AJ a small smile "We know why you went after it, we just wish you hadn't."

**"You're mad!" said Ron.**

**"You can't!" said Hermione. "After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!"**

"Hogwarts without AJ just wouldn't be same." Smiled Dumbledore

**"SO WHAT" AJ shouted. "Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the house cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there, it's only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side!**

AJ got up and hugged her parents knowing they needed her by them at that moment "You sounded just like James right than, he would've said the same thing." AJ smiled at her dad, she couldn't imagine life without him or her papa.

**I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you two say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"**

**She glared at them.**

"That was a powerful speech kid." Remarked Kingsley

"I have my moments." AJ shrugged

**"I'll use the invisibility cloak," said AJ. "It's just lucky I got it back."**

**"But will it cover all three of us?" said Ron.**

**"All — all three of us?"**

"You didn't really think they would let you go alone did you?" Tonks smirked

AJ sighed "A girl can hope I suppose."

**"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?"**

**"Of course not," said Hermione briskly. "How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us?**

Bill was happy his future sister-in-law had such good friends but thought of Hermione getting hurt was not something he wanted to feel ever.

**I'd better go and look through my books, there might be something useful…"**

**"But if we get caught, you two will be expelled, too."**

**"Not if I can help it," said Hermione grimly. "Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that."**

Remus looked at the witch was a smile on his face "You're very bright Hermione, I never even got that high of a grade." Hermione blushed at the compliment from her favorite professor.

**After dinner the three of them sat nervously apart in the common room. Nobody bothered them; none of the Gryffindors had anything to say to AJ any more, after all. This was the first night she hadn't been upset by it. Hermione was skimming through all her notes, hoping to come across one of the enchantments they were about to try to break. AJ and Ron didn't talk much. Both of them were thinking about what they were about to do. Slowly, the room emptied as people drifted off to bed.**

**"Better get the cloak," Ron muttered, as Lee Jordan finally left, stretching and yawning. AJ ran upstairs to Hermione and her dark dormitory. She pulled out the cloak and then her eyes fell on the flute Hagrid had given her for Christmas. She pocketed it to use on Fluffy — she didn't feel much like singing.**

"You have a really good singing voice though punk."

AJ smiled "I don't mind singing for you Char but not for a three headed dog."

**She ran back down to the common room.**

**"We'd better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all three of us – if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own —"**

Sirius shook his head at that "It covered the marauders fine and sometimes Lily would come with us, it can get very big."

**"What are you doing?" said a voice from the corner of the room. Neville appeared from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor the toad, who looked as though he'd been making another bid for freedom.**

**"Nothing, Neville, nothing," said AJ, hurriedly putting the cloak behind her back.**

**Neville stared at their guilty faces.**

Hermione scowled at that "AJ is the only one who can keep her face completely blank during something like that." AJ smiled sweetly back to her.

**"You're going out again," he said.**

**"No, no, no," said Hermione. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"**

**AJ looked at the grandfather clock by the door. They couldn't afford to waste any more time, Snape might even now be playing Fluffy to sleep.**

**"You can't go out," said Neville, "you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."**

"What is with Gryffindors and house points? I get you lost a lot but man oh man it's not the end of the world if you lose some." Ranted Regulus much to the amusement of everyone around him.

**"You don't understand," said AJ, "this is important."**

**But Neville was clearly steeling himself to do something desperate.**

**"I won't let you do it," he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. "I'll — I'll fight you!"**

"He really picks the worse times to be brave." Laughed Bill

Hermione smiled "I know and we're glad he's not so shy but being shy isn't bad all the time."

**"Neville, "Ron exploded, "get away from that hole and don't be an idiot —"**

**"Don't you call me an idiot!" said Neville. "I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"**

**"Yes, but not to us," said Ron in exasperation. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."**

"Actually I think he did Ron," Charlie pointed out "he was trying to stop you after all."

**He took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who leapt out of sight.**

**"Go on then, try and hit me!" said Neville, raising his fists. "I'm ready!"**

**Ron turned to Hermione and AJ.**

Sirius smiled a little at that, he always turned to Remus when he got into a jam.

**"Do something," he said desperately.**

**AJ stepped forward.**

**"Neville," she said, "I'm really, really sorry about this."**

**She raised her wand.**

**"Petrificus Totalus!" she cried, pointing it at Neville.**

"You cursed him!" shouted Molly

"I said sorry!" snapped AJ

"You still cursed him." She huffed

AJ rolled her eyes "I won't curse him again."

**Neville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face, stiff as a board. Hermione ran to turn him over. Neville's jaws were jammed together so he couldn't speak. Only his eyes were moving, looking at them in horror.**

**"What've you done to him?" Ron whispered.**

**"It's the full Body-Bind," said AJ miserably. "Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."**

AJ smirked "See? I apologized yet again!"

"Don't worry sweet we know you didn't want to do it." Regulus said trying to make her feel better.

**We had to, Neville, no time to explain," said Hermione.**

**"You'll understand later, Neville," said Ron as they stepped over him and pulled on the invisibility cloak.**

**But leaving Neville lying motionless on the floor didn't feel like a very good omen. In their nervous state, every statue's shadow looked like Filch, every distant breath of wind sounded like Peeves swooping down on them. At the foot of the first set of stairs, they spotted Mrs. Norris skulking near the top.**

**"Oh, let's kick her, just this once," Ron whispered in AJ's ear, but AJ shook her head. As they climbed carefully around her, Mrs. Norris turned her lamp like eyes on them, but didn't do anything.**

**They didn't meet anyone else until they reached the staircase up to the third floor. Peeves was bobbing halfway up, loosening the carpet so that people would trip.**

Sirius dropped his head onto his husbands shoulder "That's really not what you need at this point."

**"Who's there?" he said suddenly as they climbed toward him. He narrowed his wicked black eyes. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?"**

Tonks started to shift in her seat getting annoyed with peeves and his annoying self.

**He rose up in the air and floated there, squinting at them.**

**"Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen."**

**AJ had a sudden idea.**

Charlie and Bill shared a look at that, AJ's plans never paid off…

**"Peeves," she said, in a hoarse whisper, "the Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible."**

except this time of course.

**Peeves almost fell out of the air in shock. He caught himself in time and hovered about a foot off the stairs.**

**"So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr. Baron, Sir," he said greasily. "My mistake, my mistake — I didn't see you — of course I didn't, you're invisible — forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir."**

**"I have business here, Peeves," croaked AJ. "Stay away from this place tonight."**

**"I will, sir, I most certainly will," said Peeves, rising up in the air again. "Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother** **you."**

"That was brilliant kid! I don't think anyone's ever got away with something like that when it came to Peeves." Kingsley exclaimed looking shocked

**And he scooted off.**

**"Brilliant, AJ!" whispered Ron.**

Charlie smiled at AJ "You really are brilliant."

**A few seconds later, they were there, outside the third-floor corridor — and the door was already ajar.**

**"Well, there you are," AJ said quietly, "Snape's already got past Fluffy."**

Snape started muttering about how he had nothing to do with that damn stone and how even if he was it wouldn't be any business of theirs.

**Seeing the open door somehow seemed to impress upon all three of them what was facing them. Underneath the cloak, AJ turned to the other two.**

**"If you want to go back, I won't blame you," she said. "You can take the cloak, I won't need it now."**

**"Don't be stupid," said Ron.**

**"We're coming," said Hermione.**

"I don't think they would abandon you for anything AJ." Tonks said kindly

Hermione nodded vigorously but Ron shifted a little at that, he shouldn't have been such an idiot to AJ.

**AJ pushed the door open.**

**As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met their ears. All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction, even though it couldn't see them.**

**"What's that at its feet?" Hermione whispered.**

**"Looks like a harp," said Ron. "Snape must have left it there."**

"Never pegged you for a harp man myself." Chuckled Sirius

"I don't know Siri, he seems like he enjoys fine classical music." Regulus deadpanned

**"It must wake up the moment you stop playing," said AJ. "Well, here goes…"**

**She put Hagrid's flute to her lips and blew. It wasn't really a tune, but from the first note the beast's eyes began to droop. AJ hardly drew breath. Slowly, the dog's growls ceased — it tottered on its paws and fell to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.**

Ron shook his head "That was the easiest part of the whole night." Hermione and AJ nodded in agreement, it was a long night for them.

**"Keep playing," Ron warned AJ as they slipped out of the cloak and crept toward the trapdoor. They could feel the dog's hot, smelly breath as they approached the giant heads. "I think we'll be able to pull the door open," said Ron, peering over the dog's back. "Want to go first, Hermione?"**

**"No, I don't!"**

"Oh how nice you Ron!" Snarled Bill "Idiot, complete and utter idiot,"

**"All right." Ron gritted his teeth and stepped carefully over the dog's legs. He bent and pulled the ring of the trapdoor, which swung up and open.**

**"What can you see?" Hermione said anxiously.**

**"Nothing — just black — there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop."**

Charlie shook his head "No, don't do that! That's really stupid and dangerous."

**AJ, who was still playing the flute, waved at Ron to get his attention and pointed at herself.**

**"You want to go first? Are you sure?" said Ron. "I don't know how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him asleep."**

Tonks palmed her forehead at that, seriously couldn't this kid do anything on his own?

**AJ handed the flute over. In the few seconds' silence, the dog growled and twitched, but the moment Hermione began to play, it fell back into its deep sleep. AJ climbed over it and looked down through the trapdoor. There was no sign of the bottom.**

Remus paled "Then you shouldn't go down there! Just don't go down there!"

AJ sighed sadly, it seemed they were getting caught up in the story and there was nothing she could do but sit back and wait for the explosion.

**She lowered herself through the hole until she was hanging on by her fingertips. Then she looked up at Ron and said, "If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?"**

**"Right," said Ron.**

**"See you in a minute, I hope…"**

Hermione smacked AJ in the back of the head "That wasn't exactly what you call comforting!"

**And AJ let go. Cold, damp air rushed past her as she fell down, down, down and —**

**FLUMP.**

Regulus cocked his head to the side, FLUMP didn't sound good. FLUMP sounded bad.

**With a funny, muffled sort of thump she landed on something soft. She sat up and felt around, her eyes not used to the gloom. It felt as though she was sitting on some sort of plant.**

**"It's okay!" she called up to the light the size of a postage stamp, which was the open trapdoor, "it's a soft landing, you can jump!"**

**Ron followed right away. He landed, sprawled next to AJ.**

**"What's this stuff?" were his first words.**

**"Dunno, some sort of plant thing. I suppose it's here to break the fall. Come on, Hermione!"**

A plant? A plant! Regulus was hoping and praying he wasn't right.

**The distant music stopped. There was a loud bark from the dog, but Hermione had already jumped. She landed on AJ's other side.**

**"We must be miles under the school," she said.**

**"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," said Ron.**

"You need to get out of there now!" Regulus shouted

**"Lucky!" shrieked Hermione. "Look at you both!"**

**She leapt up and struggled toward a damp wall. She had to struggle because the moment she had landed, the plant had started to twist snakelike tendrils around her ankles. As for AJ and Ron, their legs had already been bound tightly in long creepers without their noticing.**

"DEVILS SNARE!" was shouted around the room

**Hermione had managed to free herself before the plant got a firm grip on her. Now she watched in horror as the two of them fought to pull the plant off them, but the more they strained against it, the tighter and faster the plant wound around them.**

**"Stop moving!" Hermione ordered them. "I know what this is — it's Devil's Snare!"**

"Light a fire!" shouted Regulus

"Don't move around a lot! It'll kill you faster!" Tonks screeched

**"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant from curling around his neck.**

**"Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" said Hermione.**

Hermione heard Bill muttering "Light a fire" under his breath as if they didn't make it out alive.

**"Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!" AJ gasped, wrestling with it as it curled around her chest.**

**"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare… what did Professor Sprout say? — it likes the dark and the damp."**

"So light a fire!" Sirius growled out, he wanted his daughter safe and this wasn't a safe situation.

**So light a fire!" AJ choked.**

**"Yes — of course — but there's no wood!" Hermione cried, wringing her hands.**

No one even cracked a smile at that, this wasn't the time to joke around.

**"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"**

**"Oh, right!" said Hermione, and she whipped out her wand, waved it, muttered something, and sent a jet of the same bluebell flames she had used on Snape at the plant. In a matter of seconds, the two felt it loosening its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth. Wriggling and flailing, it unraveled itself from their bodies, and they were able to pull free.**

**"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," said AJ as she joined her by the wall, wiping sweat off his face.**

"Why didn't you know that kid?" Kingsley asked in a chocked up voice

AJ shrugged "I don't like Herbology and when I'm not interested in a topic I tend to push it as far back into my memory as possible."

**"Yeah," said Ron, "and lucky AJ doesn't lose her head in a crisis — 'there's no wood,' honestly."**

**"This way," said AJ, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward.**

**All they could hear apart from their footsteps was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls. The passageway sloped downward, and AJ was reminded of Gringotts. With an unpleasant jolt of the heart, she remembered the dragons said to be guarding vaults in the wizards' bank. If they met a dragon, a fully-grown dragon — Norbert had been bad enough.**

AJ snorted "Nope gotta wait till fourth year to see another one." She shared a small smile with a pale looking Charlie.

**"Can you hear something?" Ron whispered.**

**AJ listened. A soft rustling and clinking seemed to be coming from up ahead.**

**"Do you think it's a ghost?"**

**"I don't know… sounds like wings to me."**

**"There's light ahead — I can see something moving."**

**They reached the end of the passageway and saw before them a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door**

"You having amazing hearing cub." Smiled Remus trying to lighten the mood.

**"Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" said Ron.**

**"Probably," said AJ. "They don't look very vicious, but I suppose if they all swooped down at once… well, there's no other choice… I'll run."**

"Thank Merlin you're so fast." Muttered Tonks "I would've fell and hurt myself."

**She took a deep breath, covered her face with her arms, and sprinted across the room. She expected to feel sharp beaks and claws tearing at her any second, but nothing happened. She reached the door untouched. She pulled the handle, but it was locked.**

Bill smiled at that "Always look at the obvious solution first."

**The other two followed her. They tugged and heaved at the door, but it wouldn't budge, not even when Hermione tried her Alohomora charm.**

**"Now what?" said Ron.**

**"These birds… they can't be here just for decoration," said Hermione.**

"I wouldn't think so." Snorted Sirius trying not thinking of his daughter getting hurt somehow.

**They watched the birds soaring overhead, glittering —glittering?**

**"They're not birds!" AJ said suddenly. "They're keys! Winged keys — look carefully. So that must mean…" she looked around the chamber while the other two squinted up at the flock of keys. "… yes — look! Broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!"**

Regulus looked at Dumbledore "It's almost as if this task was made for her in a way."

**"But there are hundreds of them!"**

**Ron examined the lock on the door.**

**"We're looking for a big, old-fashioned one — probably silver, like the handle."**

Bill looked shocked at that "Wow Ron. Didn't know you could be observant."

**They each seized a broomstick and kicked off into the air, soaring into the midst of the cloud of keys. They grabbed and snatched, but the bewitched keys darted and dived so quickly it was almost impossible to catch one. Not for nothing, though, was AJ the youngest Seeker in a century. She had a knack for spotting things other people didn't.**

Charlie looked at AJ with pride filled eyes, she was an excellent flyer and extremely brave.

**After a minute's weaving about through the whirl of rainbow feathers, she noticed a large silver key that had a bent wing, as if it had already been caught and stuffed roughly into the keyhole.**

**"That one!" she called to the others. "That big one — there — no, there — with bright blue wings — the feathers are all crumpled on one side."**

**Ron went speeding in the direction that AJ was pointing, crashed into the ceiling, and nearly fell off his broom.**

"Oh Ron!" Molly was looking at her son worriedly but he was avoiding her eye for some reason.

**"We've got to close in on it!" AJ called, not taking her eyes off the key with the damaged wing. "Ron, you come at it from above — Hermione, stay below and stop it from going down and I'll try and catch it. Right, NOW!"**

**Ron dived, Hermione rocketed upward, the key dodged them both, and AJ streaked after it; it sped toward the wall, AJ leaned forward and with a nasty, crunching noise, pinned it against the stone with one hand. Ron and Hermione's cheers echoed around the high chamber.**

"Thanks guys," AJ smiled at them "You always calm my nerves when you cheer me on."

**They landed quickly, and AJ ran to the door, the key struggling in her hand. She rammed it into the lock and turned – it worked. The moment the lock had clicked open, the key took flight again, looking very battered now that it had been caught twice.**

**"Ready?" AJ asked the other two, her hand on the door handle. They nodded. She pulled the door open.**

Kingsley looked at the three of them, they really were brave for a couple twelve year olds.

**The next chamber was so dark they couldn't see anything at all. But as they stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight. They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard,**

McGonagall looked a little intrigued at how they managed to defeat her chess set.

**behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the white pieces. AJ, Ron and Hermione shivered slightly – the towering white chessmen had no faces.**

Regulus looked a little excited at that "I wouldn't mind playing that game."

Sirius threw a pillow at his little brother "Shut up Reggie! AJ could get hurt!"

**"Now what do we do?" AJ whispered.**

**"It's obvious, isn't it?" said Ron. "We've got to play our way across the room."**

**Behind the white pieces they could see another door.**

**"How?" said Hermione nervously.**

**"I think," said Ron, "we're going to have to be chessmen."**

Bill looked nervously at Hermione while Sirius glared at Regulus "still want to play Reggie?"

Regulus shook his head and was staring at AJ who was avoiding all their eyes.

**He walked up to a black knight and put his hand out to touch the knight's horse. At once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed the ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron.**

**"Do we — er — have to join you to get across?" The black knight nodded. Ron turned to the other two.**

"No that won't end well at all." Muttered Sirius to his husband who had his eyes closed.

**"This needs thinking about…" he said. "I suppose we've got to take the place of three of the black pieces…"**

**AJ and Hermione stayed quiet, watching Ron think. Finally he said, "Now, don't be offended or anything, but neither of you are that good at chess —"**

AJ snorted a that "That was an understatement Ron and you know it."

**"We're not offended," said AJ quickly. "Just tell us what to do."**

**"Well, AJ, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, you go there instead of that castle."**

**"What about you?"**

**"I'm going to be a knight," said Ron.**

"That's your favorite piece." Bill smiled grimly

**The chessmen seemed to have been listening, because at these words a knight, a bishop, and a castle turned their backs on the white pieces and walked off the board, leaving three empty squares that AJ, Ron, and Hermione took.**

**"White always plays first in chess," said Ron, peering across the board. "Yes… look…"**

Kingsley and Tonks were on the edge of their seats wondering what could possibly happen during this game.

**A white pawn had moved forward two squares.**

**Ron started to direct the black pieces. They moved silently wherever he sent them. AJ's knees were trembling. What if they lost?**

"DON'T THINK LIKE THAT AJ!" Sirius yelled, he never wanted to think about the possibility of her losing a game like that.

AJ looked at her dad in shock, he never yelled like that towards her, "Sorry for my thoughts dad." She grumbled.

Remus shook his head "No cub it's not that. We'll talk after this book is done."

**"AJ — move diagonally four squares to the right."**

**Their first real shock came when their other knight was taken. The white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he lay quite still, facedown.**

Tonks shook her head at that, she would never look at a chess set the same again.

**"Had to let that happen," said Ron, looking shaken. "Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on."**

Snape rolled his eyes, it was chess game not that complicated.

**Every time one of their men was lost, the white pieces showed no mercy. Soon there was a huddle of limp black players slumped along the wall. Twice, Ron only just noticed in time that AJ and Hermione were in danger. He himself darted around the board, taking almost as many white pieces as they had lost black ones.**

"It's a standoff." Regulus stated "You know the move you have to make but you keep thinking there's another way."

**"We're nearly there," he muttered suddenly. "Let me think — let me think…"**

**The white queen turned her blank face toward him.**

**"Yes…" said Ron softly, "It's the only way… I've got to be taken."**

Molly was crying softly while Bill and Charlie looked pained at Ron getting hurt, he was being an idiot but he was their brother and he loved them.

AJ grabbed Charlie's hand while Hermione grabbed Bill's offering them comfort that neither man would admit to needing.

**"NO!" AJ and Hermione shouted.**

**"That's chess!" snapped Ron. "You've got to make some sacrifices! I make my move and she'll take me — that leaves you free to checkmate the king, AJ!"**

**"But —"**

"I didn't want Ron getting hurt." Murmured AJ

**"Do you want to stop Snape or not?"**

Tonks let out a little laugh at that "I'm sure she wouldn't want Snape living forever.

**"Ron —"**

**"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone!"**

"Better get going kid." Kingsley smirked "I don't like the idea of him living forever either.

**There was no alternative.**

**"Ready?" Ron called, his face pale but determined. "Here I go — now, don't hang around once you've won."**

McGonagall shut her eyes "I hope you didn't, it will reset itself rather quickly."

**He stepped forward, and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm, and he crashed to the floor —**

**Hermione screamed but stayed on her square — the white queen dragged Ron to one side. He looked as if he'd been knocked out..**

Ron rubbed his head thinking back on it "That really did hurt." AJ rolled her eyes at that comment.

**AJ moved three spaces to the left.**

**The white king took off his crown and threw it at AJ's feet. They had won. The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the door ahead clear. With one last desperate look back at Ron, AJ and Hermione charged through the door and up the next passageway.**

**"What if he's —?"**

"It's not like we could check on him! We would have lost for nothing so stop glaring at me!" Snarled AJ to Molly

**"He'll be all right," said AJ, trying to convince herself. "What do you reckon's next?"**

**"We've had Sprout's, that was the Devil's Snare; Flitwick must've put charms on the keys; McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to make them alive; that leaves Quirrell's spell, and Snape's."**

**They had reached another door.**

"It has to be either Quirrell or Snapes." Kingsley rubbed his head, this is getting too intense.

**"All right?" AJ whispered.**

**"Go on."**

**AJ pushed it open.**

Sirius looked up at the ceiling was it too much to ask that AJ just turn around?

**A disgusting smell filled their nostrils, making both of them pull their robes up over their noses. Eyes watering, they saw, flat on the floor in front of them, a troll even larger than the one they had tackled, out cold with a bloody lump on its head.**

Charlie let out a long breath at that "One troll is enough for a lifetime punk."

AJ nodded her head at that, she had no intentions of going up against another troll anytime soon.

**"I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one," AJ whispered as they stepped carefully over one of its massive legs. "Come on, I can't breathe."**

**She pulled open the next door, both of them hardly daring to look at what came next - but there was nothing very frightening in here, just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line.**

**"Snape's," said AJ. "What do we have to do?"**

Regulus bit his lip at that, knowing Snape it wasn't anything good.

**They stepped over the threshold, and immediately a fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward. They were trapped.**

Sirius grabbed AJ and pulled her into his lap, he needed to have a long talk with her after this book.

**"Look!" Hermione seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. AJ looked over her shoulder to read it:**

**Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,**

**Two of us will help you, which ever you would find,**

**One among us seven will let you move ahead,**

**Another will transport the drinker back instead,**

**Two among our number hold only nettle wine,**

**Three of us are killers, waiting bidden in line.**

**Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,**

**To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:**

**First, however slyly the poison tries to hide**

**You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;**

**Second, different are those who stand at either end,**

**But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;**

**Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,**

**Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;**

**Fourth, the second left and the second on the right**

**Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.**

Regulus was staring at the book blankly, he would be stuck in there forever.

Snape stared at Hermione "How long did it take you?" Hermione shrugged not trusting her voice.

**Hermione let out a great sigh and AJ, amazed, saw that she was smiling, the very last thing she felt like doing.**

**"Great, riddles are not my strong point. What about you Hermione?"**

Charlie gave AJ's leg a light pat knowing her dads wouldn't appreciate him trying to cuddle with her at this point.

**"Give me a minute." Hermione told her. AJ shut up and looked at the fire anxiously.**

AJ shrugged at the looks she was getting "I was scared and I was getting a migraine."

**Hermione read the paper several times. Then she walked up and down the line of bottles, muttering to herself and pointing at them. At last, she clapped her hands.**

**"Got it," she said. "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire — toward the Stone."**

Remus looked down "we're not going to be very happy the remainder of the book are we?" all he got in response was the puppy dog eyes.

**AJ looked at the tiny bottle.**

**"There's only enough there for one of us," she said. "That's hardly one swallow."**

Regulus starting rubbing his eyes in prevention of crying for his niece who would be going up against a very dark creature no doubt.

**They looked at each other.**

**"Which one will get you back through the purple flames?"**

**Hermione pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line.**

**"You drink that," said AJ. "No, listen, get back and get Ron. Grab brooms from the flying-key room, they'll get you out of the trapdoor and past Fluffy — go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, we need him. I might be able to hold Snape off for a while, but I'm no match for him, really."**

Sirius and Remus were trying hard not to let their tempers get the better of them, AJ didn't need to see their anger. Bill held Hermiones hand tighter at that, he knew how hard it would be to let a friend go on alone.

**"But AJ— what if You-Know-Who's with him?"**

**"Well — I was lucky once, wasn't I?" said AJ, pointing at her scar. "I might get lucky again."**

Regulus and Charlie glared at AJ while Remus and Sirius were silently counting to ten.

"Not the best logic at this point AJ." Tonks grimaced

**Hermione's lip trembled, and she suddenly dashed at AJ and threw her arms around her.**

**"Hermione!"**

**"AJ — you're a great witch, you know."**

"She's right kid, you're going to be a very powerful witch, later in life." Kingsley smiled sadly at the girl.

**"Thanks I guess." AJ muttered embarrassed.**

**"You drink first," said AJ. "You are sure which is which, aren't you?"**

**"Positive," said Hermione. She took a long drink from the round bottle at the end, and shuddered.**

Hermione and AJ shuddered at that, that potion was horrible.

**"It's not poison?" said AJ anxiously.**

**"No — but it's like ice."**

**"Quick, go, before it wears off."**

"I needed to make sure she was okay." Murmured AJ

**"Good luck — take care."**

**"GO!"**

**Hermione turned and walked straight through the purple fire.**

**AJ took a deep breath and picked up the smallest bottle. She turned to face the black flames.**

**"Here I come," she said, and she drained the little bottle in one gulp.**

**It was indeed as though ice was flooding her body. She put the bottle down and walked forward; she braced herself, saw the black flames licking her body, but couldn't feel them — for a moment she could see nothing but dark fire — then she was on the other side, in the last chamber. There was already someone there — but it wasn't Snape. It wasn't even Voldemort.**

"What?" Sirius looked shocked

Remus shrugged "I don't understand."

"It'll be explained in the next chapter." AJ smiled sadly.

Tonks grabbed the book and read out rather quickly **"The Man With Two Faces.."**


	20. The Man With Two Faces

"Is it too much to ask that you just ran away and never looked back?" Charlie asked in a hopeful voice even though he knew there was no use.

**It was Quirrell.**

Bill looked over at AJ who was being held by Sirius and Remus "Are you sure it wasn't Snape?" Snape sent a death glare at that, he was so sick of his role as a spy.

**"You!" gasped AJ.**

**Quirrell smiled. His face wasn't twitching at all.**

**"Me," he said calmly. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here, Potter."**

"Wait a minute," Kingsley looked at Dumbledore "what happened to his stutter?"

Regulus took a calming breath "He was probably faking, how he pulled that over the old goat is beyond me."

**"But I thought — Snape —"**

**"Severus?" Quirrell laughed, and it wasn't his usual quivering treble, either, but cold and sharp. "Yes, Severus does seem the type, doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor, st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?"**

"Bastard," snapped Hermione "stupid, bastard!" Bill wrapped an arm around her; he didn't like the idea that this _professor_ taught his brothers, sister-in-law and most importantly Hermione.

**AJ couldn't take it in. This couldn't be true, all the signs pointed right at Snape.**

**"But Snape tried to kill me!"**

**"No, no, no. I tried to kill you. Your friend Miss Granger accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at that Quidditch match. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few seconds and I'd have got you off that broom. I'd have managed it before then if Snape hadn't been muttering a counter-curse, trying to save you."**

"Thank you Severus." Remus said quietly

Sirius kissed the top of AJ's head "Thank you for saving my daughter's life Severus. I'll never be able to thank you enough for that." Snape gave them both a curt nod but didn't say anything in response.

**"Snape was trying to save me?"**

**"Of course," said Quirrell coolly. "Why do you think he wanted to referee your next match? He was trying to make sure I didn't do it again. Funny, really… he needn't have bothered. I couldn't do anything with Dumbledore watching.**

Snape glared daggers at the headmaster; he knew he didn't need to be at that stupid game.

**All the other teachers thought Snape was trying to stop Gryffindor from winning, he did make himself unpopular…and what a waste of time, when after all that, I'm going to kill you tonight." Quirrell snapped his fingers. Ropes sprang out of thin air and wrapped themselves tightly around AJ.**

AJ wanted to kick herself for that; she shouldn't have let herself become that vulnerable especially with Voldemort and what was his deal with ropes? Did he always have to tie her up?

**"You're too nosy to live, Potter. Scurrying around the school on Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd seen me coming to look at what was guarding the Stone."**

**"You let the troll in?"**

**"Certainly. I have a special gift with trolls — you must have seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there?**

Kingsley couldn't help but snort at that. Who was proud of having a gift with trolls?

**Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off — and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death, that three-headed dog didn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off properly. Now, wait quietly, Potter. I need to examine this interesting mirror."**

**It was only then that AJ realized what was standing behind Quirrell. It was the Mirror of Erised. **

Remus groaned at the mention of that mirror "I really wish you didn't have to find that mirror again cub it isn't healthy."

"Yeah well I was a little preoccupied trying to stay alive and all so I didn't get a chance to see my parents again." Snapped AJ she was getting a headache with all the bitching about the past.

Sirius turned sharply to her "Don't take that tone AJ; we're worried about what happened to you."

**"This mirror is the key to finding the Stone," Quirrell murmured, tapping his way around the frame. "Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this… but he's in London… I'll be far away by the time he gets back…"**

**All AJ could think of doing was to keep Quirrell talking and stop him from concentrating on the mirror.**

**"I saw you and Snape in the forest —" she blurted out.**

"Good move. "Commented Tonks

**"Yes," said Quirrell idly, walking around the mirror to look at the back. "He was on to me by that time, trying to find out how far I'd got. He suspected me all along. Tried to frighten me — as though he could, when I had Lord Voldemort on my side…"**

**Quirrell came back out from behind the mirror and stared hungrily into it.**

Regulus rolled his eyes at that, the man was a nut case.

**"I see the Stone… I'm presenting it to my master… but where is it?"**

**AJ struggled against the ropes binding her, but they didn't give. She had to keep Quirrell from giving his whole attention to the mirror.**

Hermione sighed softly at that "Good idea, but I somehow doubt it'll work for long."

**"But Snape always seemed to hate me so much."**

**"Oh, he does," said Quirrell casually, "heavens, yes. He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn't you know? They loathed each other. But he never wanted you dead."**

Sirius and Remus glared at him AJ wasn't James, he would never see that though, he was too damn stubborn.

"You're telling me that this bumbling jack ass can you only hate AJ because James is her father, yet you still live in a fantasy land where your hatred for her is justifiable?" Regulus said in a cold tone

Snape glared at the younger Black "You know nothing." He sneered

**"But I heard you a few days ago, sobbing — I thought Snape was threatening you…"**

**For the first time, a spasm of fear flitted across Quirrell's face.**

**"Sometimes," he said, "I find it hard to follow my master's instructions — he is a great wizard and I am weak —"**

"Can't argue that fact." Snorted Bill

Hermione let out a watery chuckle, this was harder to hear then she expected.

**"You mean he was there in the classroom with you?" AJ gasped.**

**"He is with me wherever I go," said Quirrell quietly. "I met him when I travelled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it…**

Dumbledore shook his head at that "That's not true in the least."

**Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me." Quirrell shivered suddenly. "He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me… decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me…"**

**Quirrell's voice trailed away. AJ was remembering her trip to Diagon Alley — how could she have been so stupid? She'd seen Quirrell there that very day, shaken hands with him in the Leaky Cauldron.**

Charlie grasped her hand tightly "You didn't think anything of it because he wasn't showing any signs of abnormality at the time. It's not your fault you didn't suspect him sooner punk."

**Quirrell cursed under his breath.**

**"I don't understand… is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?"**

**AJ's mind was racing.**

**What I want more than anything else in the world at the moment, she thought, is to find the Stone before Quirrell does. So if I look in the mirror, I should see myself finding it — which means I'll see where it's hidden! But how can I look without Quirrell realizing what I'm up to?**

Sirius started to shake a little at that "Then that puts you in the line fire pup."

"I know daddy, but it was necessary at the time." AJ said grimly

**She tried to edge to the left, to get in front of the glass without Quirrell noticing, but the ropes around her ankles were too tight: she tripped and fell over. Quirrell ignored her. He was still talking to himself.**

**"What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!"**

**And to AJ's horror, a voice answered, and the voice seemed to come from Quirrell himself.**

**"Use the girl… Use the girl…"**

"NO!" yelled the occupants in the room

Charlie turned to a shaking McGonagall "Now you care? Didn't seem to care much when she needed your help before all this shit!"

**Quirrell rounded on AJ.**

**"Yes — Potter — come here."**

**He clapped his hands once, and the ropes binding AJ fell off. AJ got slowly to her feet.**

"Running," Regulus muttered "running would be a very good idea right about now."

**"Come here," Quirrell repeated. "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see."**

**AJ walked toward him.**

**I must lie, she thought desperately. I must look and lie about what I see, that shouldn't be a problem.**

Hermione sighed in relief; AJ was a good liar if nothing else. Snape looked a little green though, he knew even if AJ came up with a believable lie the Dark Lord would see right through it.

**Quirrell moved close behind her. AJ breathed in the funny smell that seemed to come from Quirrell's turban.**

**She closed her eyes, stepped in front of the mirror, and opened them again.**

**She saw her reflection, pale and scared-looking at first. But a moment later, the reflection smiled at her. It put its hand into its pocket and pulled out a blood-red stone. It winked and put the Stone back in its pocket — and as it did so, AJ felt something heavy drop into her real pocket. Somehow — incredibly —she'd gotten the Stone.**

"How did that happen?" asked a shocked Charlie

Kingsley nodded "How could she just get it?" but all they got in return was a head shake from the old goat they called a headmaster.

**"Well?" said Quirrell impatiently. "What do you see?"**

**AJ openly glared at him before snarling "Patients is a virtue you know?**

"Now probably isn't the time to lecture him on patients AJ." Tonks suggested

AJ shrugged "He wanted to kill me regardless of what I said to him and if I was going to die, I was going to die saying what I felt."

**I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore," she invented. "I've won the house cup for Gryffindor."**

**Quirrell cursed again.**

**"Get out of the way," he said. As AJ moved aside, she felt the Philosopher's Stone against her leg. Dare she make a break for it?**

"Yes!" yelled Sirius "Run damn it!" Remus wrapped his arm around Sirius tighter, this was going to be the hardest chapter to get through and they needed each other more than ever.

**But she hadn't walked five paces before a high voice spoke, though Quirrell wasn't moving his lips.**

**"She lies… She lies…"**

Charlie started to feel like the world was caving in around him, his girlfriend; the love of his life had to face Voldemort at twelve? She couldn't have just one peaceful year at Hogwarts?

**"Potter, come back here!" Quirrell shouted. "Tell me the truth! What did you just see?"**

**The high voice spoke again.**

**"Let me speak to her… face-to-face…"**

**"Master, you are not strong enough!"**

**"I have strength enough… for this…"**

Bill pulled a panicked Hermione closer into him while Kingsley rubbed Tonks tense shoulders. Regulus was thinking of all the ways he could kill Voldemort and not think twice about it.

**AJ felt as if Devil's Snare was rooting her to the spot. She couldn't move a muscle. Petrified, she watched as Quirrell reached up and began to un-wrap his turban. What was going on? The turban fell away. Quirrell's head looked strangely small without it. Then he turned slowly on the spot.**

**AJ would have screamed, but she couldn't make a sound. Where there should have been a back to Quirrell's head, there was a face, the most terrible face AJ had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.**

Molly let out a scream at that, she didn't want to believe that Voldemort had been at the school and now here was the proof. She didn't know how she would handle the other six books after seeing what they went through as just twelve year olds.

**"AJ Potter…" it whispered.**

**AJ tried to take a step backward but her legs wouldn't move.**

Ron looked shocked at that, never had he heard of AJ freezing up, this wasn't good he didn't want to hear about AJ almost dying and not being able to defend herself.

**"See what I have become?" the face said. "Mere shadow and vapor… I have form only when I can share another's body… but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds… unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks… you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest… and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own… Now… why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"**

Remus growled at that "Sure that's what AJ's going to do, you asshole!"

AJ was fighting the urge to tell everyone that she was okay and it was in the past, but she doubted it would do much other then get her yelled at.

**So he knew. The feeling suddenly surged back into AJ's legs. She stumbled backward.**

**"Don't be a fool," snarled the face. "Better save your own life and join me… or you'll meet the same end as your parents… They died begging me for mercy…"**

McGonagall was looking more murderous than ever before, Lily and James wouldn't beg for death.

**"LIAR!" AJ shouted suddenly.**

**Quirrell was walking backward at her, so that Voldemort could still see her. The evil face was now smiling.**

**"How touching…" it hissed. "I always value bravery… Yes, girl, your parents were brave… I killed your father first; and he put up a courageous fight… but your mother needn't have died… she was trying to protect you…**

"Of course she would die for her daughter! Any mother would!" yelled Tonks

But Charlie was trying to make sense of why Voldemort would go after a baby "AJ was just a baby when Voldemort was in power, why did he go after her?" AJ nodded her head at that she wanted to know too.

Dumbledore looked at Charlie "The books will tell you I'm sure."

**Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain."**

**"NEVER!"**

**AJ sprang toward the flame door, but Voldemort screamed "SEIZE HER!" and the next second, AJ felt Quirrell's hand close on her wrist. At once, a needle-sharp pain seared across AJ's scar; her head felt as though it was about to split in two; she yelled, struggling with all her might, and to her surprise, Quirrell let go of her.**

Regulus looked surprised at that but he couldn't help but smile, maybe AJ would make it out alive and unharmed?

**The pain in her head lessened — she looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone, and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers — they were blistering before his eyes.**

The grip her dads had on her started to loosen to the point where she breath comfortably again,

"Why did that happen?" asked Bill "Not that I'm complaining or anything."

"Dumbledore explains it to me in the hospital wing; I still don't understand it really." AJ gave him a small smile seeing him holding her best friend protectively.

**"Seize her! SEIZE HER!" shrieked Voldemort again, and Quirrell lunged, knocking AJ clean off her feet landing on top of her, both hands around AJ's neck — AJ's scar was almost blinding her with pain, yet she could see Quirrell howling in agony.**

"Bastard! Don't touch my daughter!" Sirius snarled

**"Master, I cannot hold her — my hands — my hands!"**

**And Quirrell, though pinning AJ to the ground with his knees, let go of his neck and stared, bewildered, at his own palms — AJ could see they looked burned, raw, red, and shiny.**

Kingsley looked at AJ in shock "That's some pretty powerful magic you got kid."

**"Then kill her, fool, and be done!" screeched Voldemort.**

**Quirrell raised his hand to perform a deadly curse, but AJ, by instinct, reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face —**

Tonks laughed at that "Good idea!"

AJ smirked "Sometimes my ideas are half bad."

**"AAAARGH!"**

**Quirrell rolled off her, his face blistering, too, and then AJ knew: Quirrell couldn't touch her bare skin, not without suffering terrible pain — her only chance was to keep hold of Quirrell, keep him in enough pain to stop him from doing a curse. AJ jumped to her feet, caught Quirrell by the arm, and hung on as tight as she could. Quirrell screamed and tried to throw AJ off — the pain in AJ's head was building — she couldn't see — she could only hear Quirrell's terrible shrieks and Voldemort's yells of, "KILL HER! KILL HER!" and other voices, maybe in AJ's own head, crying, "AJ! AJ!"**

"Who was saying your name?" Hermione asked with tears in her eyes

"Dumbledore I believe." AJ didn't remember much after she started to black out.

**She felt Quirrell's arm wrenched from her grasp, knew all was lost, and fell into blackness, down… down… down…**

**Something gold was glinting just above her. The Snitch!**

Snape sneered at that, damn Gryffindor just knocked ten years off his life and now she was dreaming of a damn snitch now.

**She tried to catch it, but her arms were too heavy. She blinked. It wasn't the Snitch at all. It was a pair of glasses. How strange. She blinked again. The smiling face of Albus Dumbledore swam into view above her.**

**"Good afternoon, AJ," said Dumbledore.**

Charlie growled lowly in his throat at that, she almost died and he's acting as if she hadn't done more than broken a finger nail.

**AJ stared at him. Then she remembered: "Sir! The Stone! It was Quirrell! He's got the Stone! Sir, quick —"**

**"Calm yourself, dear girl, you are a little behind the times," said Dumbledore. "Quirrell does not have the Stone."**

**"Then who does? Sir, I —"**

**"AJ, please relax, or Madam Pomfrey will have me thrown out."**

Regulus snorted at that "I would have liked to have seen that happen."

**AJ swallowed and looked around her. She realized she must be in the hospital wing. She was lying in a bed with white linen sheets, and next to her was a table piled high with what looked like half the candy shop.**

**"Tokens from your friends and admirers," said Dumbledore, beaming. "What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows. I believe your friends Misters Fred and George Weasley were responsible for trying to send you a toilet seat.**

"I never did thank them for trying to do that, it made me feel better." AJ smiled

Hermione rolled her eyes "I'm sure Seamus would have been upset knowing you cared more about a toilet seat then you did about all the chocolate he sent you." AJ's smile faded into a grimace at the thought of Seamus.

**No doubt they thought it would amuse you. Madam Pomfrey, however, felt it might not be very hygienic, and confiscated it."**

**"How long have I been in here?"**

**"Three days. Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Granger will be most relieved you have come round, they have been extremely worried."**

"Of course we were worried!" huffed Ron and Hermione

**"But sir, the Stone —"**

**"I see you are not to be distracted. Very well, the Stone. Professor Quirrell did not manage to take it from you. I arrived in time to prevent that, although you were doing very well on your own, I must say."**

**"You got there? You got Hermione's owl?"**

**"We must have crossed in midair. No sooner had I reached London than it became clear to me that the place I should be was the one I had just left. I arrived just in time to pull Quirrell off you."**

"I find it odd how you got there right after the entire situation happened." Regulus remarked offhandedly

**"It was you."**

**"I feared I might be too late."**

Sirius, Remus and Charlie tensed at hearing that,

**"You nearly were, I couldn't have kept him off the Stone much longer –"**

Remus shook his head, his daughter had no idea how much she was cared and loved for.

**"Not the Stone, girl, you — the effort involved nearly killed you. For one terrible moment there, I was afraid it had. As for the Stone, it has been destroyed."**

**"Destroyed?" said AJ blankly. "But your friend — Nicolas Flamel —"**

**"Oh, you know about Nicolas?" said Dumbledore, sounding quite delighted.**

Dumbledore smiled "I was, you seemed to have found out every little thing before diving into the situation which is very smart.

**"You did do the thing properly, didn't you? Well, Nicolas and I have had a little chat, and agreed it's all for the best."**

**"But that means he and his wife will die, won't they?"**

**"They have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order and then, yes, they will die." Dumbledore smiled at the look of amazement on AJ's face.**

**"To one as young as you, I'm sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.**

Tonks snorted at that "I guess that's one way to put it sir."

**You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all — the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."**

**AJ lay there, lost for words. Dumbledore hummed a little and smiled at the ceiling.**

**"Sir?" said AJ. "I've been thinking… sir — even if the Stone's gone, Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who —"**

Charlie looked surprised at that "I never thought I'd hear you call him you-know-who."

"Yeah well don't get used to it." AJ grumbled

**"Call him Voldemort, AJ. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself."**

**"Yes, sir. Well, Voldemort's going to try other ways of coming back, isn't he? I mean, he hasn't gone, has he?"**

AJ grimaced at that, no he certainly wasn't gone anymore.

**"No, AJ, he has not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share… not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. He left Quirrell to die; he shows just as little mercy to his followers as his enemies. Nevertheless, AJ, while you may only have delayed his return to power, it will merely take someone else who is prepared to fight what seems a losing battle next time — and if he is delayed again, and again, why, he may never return to power."**

Hermione looked over at AJ who was too wrapped up in memories to notice her best friends worried look.

**AJ nodded, but stopped quickly, because it made her head hurt. Then she said, "Sir, there are some other things I'd like to know, if you can tell me… things I want to know the truth about…"**

**"The truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution. However, I shall answer your questions unless I have a very good reason not to, in which case I beg you'll forgive me. I shall not, of course, lie."**

"At least he isn't lying to her." Bill said quietly to Hermione

She nodded her head in agreement with that "You're right, she would never forgive him if he lied to her."

**Well… Voldemort said that he only killed my mother because she tried to stop him from killing me. But why would he want to kill me in the first place?"**

**Dumbledore sighed very deeply this time.**

**"Alas, the first thing you ask me, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. You will know, one day… put it from your mind for now, AJ. When you are older… I know you hate to hear this… when you are ready, you will know."**

AJ glared at Dumbledore, he shouldn't be the one to decide that.

**And AJ knew it would be no good to argue.**

Snape raised an eyebrow at that, she had common sense. Who knew?

**"But why couldn't Quirrell touch me?"**

**"Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign… to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good."**

AJ buried her head in her dad's chest avoiding the astonished looks, she didn't like people knowing all this about her. It was too personal for everyone to know these things.

**Dumbledore now became very interested in a bird out on the windowsill, which gave AJ time to dry her eyes on the sheet. When she had found her voice again, AJ said, "And the invisibility cloak — do you know who sent it to me?"**

**"Ah — your father happened to leave it in my possession, and I thought you might like it." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Useful things… your father used it mainly for sneaking off to the kitchens to steal food when he was here."**

McGonagall looked at the headmaster "I doubt that was the main reason Albus."

Dumbledore merely chuckled at that.

**"And there's something else…"**

**"Fire away."**

**"Quirrell said Professor Snape hates me because he hated my father. Is that true?"**

Snape glared at the headmaster for even talking about that.

**"Well, they did rather detest each other. Not unlike yourself and Mr. Malfoy. And then, your father did something Snape could never forgive."**

**"What?"**

**"He saved his life."**

Tonks looked over at Snape "usually one is grateful when their life is saved you arrogant jack ass!"

**"What?"**

**"Yes…" said Dumbledore dreamily. "Funny, the way people's minds work, isn't it? Professor Snape couldn't bear being in your father's debt… I do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year because he felt that would make him and your father even. Then he could go back to hating your father's memory in peace…"**

"Thank Merlin for that." Bit out Snape but careful to avoid AJ's eyes during this conversation.

**AJ tried to understand this but it made her head pound, so she stopped.**

**"And sir, there's one more thing…"**

**"Just the one?"**

"You're hilarious professor." Snarked AJ

**"How did I get the Stone out of the mirror?"**

**"Ah, now, I'm glad you asked me that. It was one of my more brilliant ideas, and between you and me, that's saying something. You see, only one who wanted to find the Stone — find it, but not use it — would be able to get it,**

"That was brilliant sir." Regulus complimented a little reluctantly though

**otherwise they'd just see themselves making gold or drinking Elixir of Life. My brain surprises even me sometimes… Now, enough questions. I suggest you make a start on these sweets. Ah! Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans! I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit flavored one,**

Kingsley looked as if he himself just at a vomit flavored one, that was really more information than one needed.

**and since then I'm afraid I've rather lost my liking for them — but I think I'll be safe with a nice toffee, don't you?"**

**He smiled and popped the golden-brown bean into his mouth. Then he choked and said, "Alas! Ear wax!"**

Sirius laughed at that "You have horrible luck with them sir. I suggest you stick with lemon drops."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled much brighter when thinking about lemon drops.

**Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was a nice woman, but very strict.**

**"Just five minutes," AJ pleaded.**

**"Absolutely not."**

**"You let Professor Dumbledore in…"**

Remus ran a hand through AJ's hair "True cub, but not many would say no their employer."

**"Well, of course, that was the headmaster, quite different. You need rest."**

**"I am resting, I am in bed after all. Please, Madam Pomfrey…"**

**"Oh, very well," she said. "But five minutes only."**

"You have to be the exception to everything don't you sweets?" Regulus smiled at his niece.

**And she let Ron and Hermione in.**

**"AJ!"**

**Hermione looked ready to fling her arms around her again, but AJ was glad she held herself in as her head was still very sore.**

Hermione was about to open her mouth but AJ cut her off "It's okay Mio, I know you worried."

**"Oh, AJ, we were sure you were going to — Dumbledore was so worried —"**

**"The whole school's talking about it," said Ron. "What really happened?"**

**It was one of those rare occasions when the true story is even more strange and exciting than the wild rumors.**

"I'm sure since you three started, the rumors have been even more crazy." Bill said, finally calm enough to think straight again.

**AJ told them everything: Quirrell; the mirror; the Stone; and Voldemort. Ron and Hermione were a very good audience; they gasped in all the right places, and when AJ told them what was under Quirrell's turban, Hermione screamed out loud. **

**"So the Stone's gone?" said Ron finally. "Flamel's just going to die?"**

"You should really work for the greeting card corporation Ron." Chuckled AJ

**"That's what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that — what was it? — 'to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.'"**

**"I always said he was off his rocker," said Ron, looking quite impressed at how crazy his hero was.**

Charlie laughed loudly at this "He is a nutter but he has to be to put up with you three."

**"So what happened to you two?" said AJ.**

**"Well, I got back all right," said Hermione. "I brought Ron round — that took a while — and we were dashing up to the owlery to contact Dumbledore when we met him in the entrance hall — he already knew — he just said, 'AJ's gone after him, hasn't she?' and hurtled off to the third floor."**

**"D'you think he meant you to do it?" said Ron. "Sending you your father's cloak and everything?"**

Regulus turned a glare back on Dumbledore with hearing that, he better not have.

**"Well, " Hermione exploded, "if he did — I mean to say that's terrible — you could have been killed."**

"Damn right it would have been terrible." Muttered Sirius, it seemed like Dumbledore had set them up.

**"No, it isn't," said AJ thoughtfully. "He's a funny man, Dumbledore. I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know. I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just taught us enough to help. I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It's almost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could…"**

**"Yeah, Dumbledore's off his rocker, all right," said Ron proudly. "Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course — you missed the last Quidditch match, we were steamrollered by Ravenclaw without you — but the food'll be good."**

"You don't always have to think with your stomach Ron." Huffed Hermione

**At that moment, Madam Pomfrey bustled over.**

**"You've had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT" she said firmly.**

Remus shook his head at that, it was fifteen more minutes then he usually got with his friends after the full moon.

**After a good night's sleep, AJ felt nearly back to normal.**

**"I want to go to the feast," she told Madam Pomfrey as she straightened her many candy boxes. "I can, can't I?"**

**"Professor Dumbledore says you are to be allowed to go," she said stiffly, as though in her opinion Professor Dumbledore didn't realize how risky feasts could be. "And you have another visitor."**

"Who is it?" asked Kingsley

Tonks thought for a moment "probably Hagrid."

**"Oh, good," said AJ. "Who is it?"**

**Hagrid sidled through the door as he spoke. As usual when he was indoors, Hagrid looked too big to be allowed. He sat down next to AJ, took one look at her, and burst into tears.**

**"It's — all — my — ruddy — fault!" he sobbed, his face in his hands. "I told the evil git how ter get past Fluffy! I told him! It was the only thing he didn't know, an' I told him! Yeh could've died! All fer a dragon egg! I'll never drink again! I should be chucked out an' made ter live as a Muggle!"**

Charlie started to jump up and down with excitement "SEE? I DIDN'T GIVE HIM THE DRAGONS EGG!"

Regulus just looked at him "Okay dragon boy you didn't give Hagrid the dragon egg, but how did Quirrell get ahold of a dragon egg?" Sirius and Remus nodded at that,

"That's a good point," agreed Bill "this has dragon boys name written all over it." Charlie glared at his laughing brother while he tried to clear his name which wasn't easy in the least.

**"Hagrid!" said AJ, shocked to see Hagrid shaking with grief and remorse, great tears leaking down into his beard. "Hagrid, he'd have found out somehow, this is Voldemort we're talking about, he'd have found out even if you hadn't told him."**

**"Yeh could've died!" sobbed Hagrid. "An' don' say the name!"**

"Poor Hagrid," muttered Sirius "he could have been spared a lot of guilt if it wasn't for dragon boy over there." AJ was laughing at the angry look on Charlie's face, while Bill pretended to be innocent in all of this.

**"VOLDEMORT!" AJ bellowed, and Hagrid was so shocked, he stopped crying. "I've met him and I'm calling him by his name. Please cheer up, Hagrid, we saved the Stone, it's gone, he can't use it. Have a Chocolate Frog, I've got loads…"**

**Hagrid wiped his nose on the back of his hand and said, "That reminds me. I've got yeh a present."**

AJ smiled at the reminder of that particular present.

**"It's not a stoat sandwich, is it?" said AJ anxiously, and at last Hagrid gave a weak chuckle.**

**"Nah. Dumbledore gave me the day off yesterday ter fix it. 'course, he shoulda sacked me instead — anyway, got yeh this…"**

**It seemed to be a handsome, leather-covered book. AJ opened it curiously. It was full of wizard photographs. Smiling and waving at her from every page were her mother and father.**

Remus smiled at that, he would give her more for the album.

**"Sent owls off ter all yer parents' old school friends, askin' fer photos… knew yeh didn' have any… d'yeh like it?"**

**AJ couldn't speak, but Hagrid understood.**

**AJ made her way down to the end-of-year feast alone that night. She had been held up by Madam Pomfrey's fussing about, insisting on giving her one last checkup, so the Great Hall was already full. It was decked out in the Slytherin colors of green and silver to celebrate Slytherins winning the house cup for the seventh year in a row. A huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table.**

Tonks groaned at that "Damn it, I forgot you got you guys lost too many points to make up for in such a short amount of time."

**When AJ walked in there was a sudden hush, and then everybody started talking loudly at once. She slipped into a seat between Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table and tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look at her.**

**Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived moments later. The babble died away.**

**"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were… you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts…"Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two."**

**A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. AJ could see Draco Malfoy banging his goblet on the table. It was a sickening sight.**

**"Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."**

**The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little.**

Kingsley snorted at that, they deserved to knocked down a notch.

**"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes…**

**"First — to Mr. Ronald Weasley…"**

**Ron went purple in the face; he looked like a radish with bad sunburn.**

Ron glared at his friend "Thanks AJ."

**"… for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."**

Molly looked as if she could burst with pride at that.

**Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percy could be heard telling the other prefects, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!"**

**At last there was silence again.**

**"Second — to Miss Hermione Granger… for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."**

**Hermione buried her face in her arms; AJ strongly suspected she had burst into tears.**

"I didn't burst into tears, I was just embarrassed dork." Hermione huffed

**Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves — they were a hundred points up.**

**"Third — to Miss. AJ Potter…" said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet. "… for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."**

"So you tied with Slytherin?" Kingsley had been keeping track of the points "That's better than losing I suppose."

**The din was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points — exactly the same as Slytherin. They had tied for the house cup — if only Dumbledore had given AJ just one more point.**

**Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.**

**"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."**

Everyone besides Snape, Dumbledore and McGonagall were cheering at that.

**Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table. AJ, Ron, and Hermione stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him. He had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before. AJ, still cheering, nudged Ron in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy, who couldn't have looked more stunned and horrified if he'd just had the Body-Bind Curse put on him.**

Sirius howled in laughter at that, anything that made Malfoy look like that was good in his book.

**"Which means," Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin, "we need a little change of decoration."**

**He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall's hand, with a horrible, forced smile. He caught AJ's eye and AJ knew at once that Snape's feelings toward her hadn't changed one jot. This didn't worry AJ. It seemed as though life would be back to normal next year, or as normal as it ever was at Hogwarts.**

Bill sighed at that "None of your years at Hogwarts have ever been normal."

**It was the best evening of AJ's life, better than winning at Quidditch, or Christmas, or knocking out mountain trolls… she would never, ever forget tonight. AJ had almost forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. To his great surprise, Ron passed with good marks; Hermione, and of course, AJ had the best grades of the first years.**

Charlie pulled AJ into hug for that, he smiled at the pure joy written on her face to just be in his arms. It was the little things with AJ and he loved that about her.

**Even Neville scraped through, his good Herbology mark making up for his abysmal Potions one. They had hoped that Goyle, who was almost as stupid as he was mean, might be thrown out, but he had passed, too. It was a shame, but as Ron said, you couldn't have everything in life. And suddenly, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks were packed, Neville's toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets; notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the holidays ("I always hope they'll forget to give us these," said Fred Weasley sadly); Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; they were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier; eating Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans as they sped past Muggle towns; pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station.**

**It took quite a while for them all to get off the platform. A wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they didn't attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles.**

**"You must come and stay this summer," said Ron, "both of you — I'll send you an owl."**

AJ, Hermione and Ron winced thinking about AJ's missing letters.

**"Thanks," said AJ, "I'll need something to look forward to." People jostled them as they moved forward toward the gateway back to the Muggle world. Some of them called:**

**"Bye, AJ!"**

**"See you, Potter!"**

**"Still famous," said Ron, grinning at her.**

AJ grimaced at that, why did he insist on showcasing her fame?

**"Not where I'm going, I promise you," said AJ.**

**She, Ron, and Hermione passed through the gateway together. "There she is, Mom, there she is, look!"**

**It was Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister, but she wasn't pointing at Ron.**

Ginny who had remained silent throughout most of the book glared at AJ and her damn observation skills.

**"AJ Potter!" she squealed. "Look, Mom! I can see —"**

Ginny turned bright red at this and tried to hide behind her mother.

**"Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point."**

**Mrs. Weasley smiled down at them.**

**"Busy year?" she said.**

Ron shrugged his shoulders while Charlie snorted "No not busy at all."

**"Very," said AJ. "Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs. Weasley."**

**"Oh, it was nothing, dear."**

**"Ready, are you?"**

**It was Uncle Vernon, still purple-faced, still mustached, still looking furious at the nerve of AJ, carrying an owl in a cage in a station full of ordinary people. Behind him stood Aunt Petunia and Dudley, looking terrified at the very sight of AJ. AJ couldn't help but feel the sudden rise of fear as she looked at Uncle Vernon.**

Sirius, Remus and Regulus glared at the book while Kingsley went back to thinking about how to get Amelia Bones to get involved with pressing charges against that bastard.

**She could tell just by looking at him that this summer wasn't going to be fun, but she could hope.**

**"You must be AJ's family!" said Mrs. Weasley.**

AJ winced at that, they hated being reminded that they had any blood ties to her.

**"In a manner of speaking," said Uncle Vernon. "Hurry up, girl, we haven't got all day." He walked away.**

**AJ hung back for a last word with Ron and Hermione. She knew this was going to cost her but she would deal with what came when it came.**

Hermione and Ron couldn't help but feel guilty for being the reason AJ got punished.

**"See you over the summer, then."**

**"Hope you have — er — a good holiday," said Hermione, looking uncertainly after Uncle Vernon, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant.**

"He scared the piss out of me AJ, I don't know how you don't show fear in front of that man!"

AJ just shrugged "Years and years of practice doll."

**"Oh, I will," said AJ, lying. And they were surprised at the grin that was spreading over her face. "They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer…" She said silently hoping they wouldn't see the lie.**

Ron and Hermione groaned at that, AJ was too good of a liar.

Tonks set the book down, "Well that's the end of that." Sirius, Remus and Regulus jumped up, Sirius looked at his daughter who was sitting next to Charlie with her head on his chest "Listen dragon boy, we need to speak with our daughter/niece. Can you sit here for a little while and not smuggle any dragon eggs in? I know that must be difficult for you and all." AJ chuckled at her dads antics, she gave Charlie a quick peck on the cheek and followed her family upstairs but not before she heard Bill yell "DAMN CHARLIE! What was that for?"


	21. Talks and Such

***Upstairs Library***

AJ watched in amusement as her dad, papa and Uncle Regulus paced up and down the lengths of library occasionally stopping to look at her with concern flashing in their eyes. Sure understood that they wanted to talk, she really did. What she didn't understand was the need for them to act as if she was going to blow up if they didn't chose her words carefully. Before she had time to react they finally sat down on the couch across from her all the while looking at her as if she was made of glass.

Regulus decided to be the first one to open to voice his concerns "Look sweets, we aren't mad at what you did," seeing the disbelieving look his niece held he continued "okay we are mad but not for the reasons you think."

"Your uncle is right cub, what you did was very noble and we're very proud of you but what's bothering us is your lack of self-preservation. " Remus spoke calmly but his mind was screaming to protect his daughter

Sirius nodded at what his husband was saying but AJ didn't think that was true at all "Look," she said through clenched teeth "I have plenty of self-preservation skills, but the stone needed to be saved and obviously no teacher was going to help us anytime soon if you recall."

"AJ watch your tone when talking to us." Sirius warned "We understand your need to save the stone but you didn't need to egg Voldemort on by being sarcastic and telling him to have patients! Merlin AJ you almost died at twelve years old and you can't seem to understand how that's a big fucking deal!" he tried to remain calm but the thought of losing AJ was too much to bare. Remus and Regulus had closed their eyes during Sirius' little rant because they too couldn't imagine life without AJ.

Remus cleared his throat "You don't realize how much you're loved AJ and that was obvious reading this book that needs to change."

"What you people don't seem to understand is that this happened four years ago! Yes I was hurt, yes I managed to piss of Voldemort but it's in the past! If you recall I didn't have much of a family that cared if I lived or died. It didn't matter if Voldemort finished me off or not because unlike Ron and Hermione I didn't have a family to pick me up when I was down or just tell me everything was going to be okay when it was obvious that it wasn't. Don't judge me for what I thought back then and don't sit here and tell me I should have valued my life because so many cared because no one cared besides Ron and Hermione." AJ was breathing very hard at the end of her mini speech but she had to get it out before she lost what was left of her sanity. She was prepared for them yelling or even the silent treatment but what she wasn't prepared for was her Uncle Regulus wrapping his arms around her holding her tight.

"We know you never had a good family life sweets and we know back then you didn't have someone to depend on but now you do and it would be nice if you leaned on us more. You wake up in the middle of the night because of nightmare come to us, your scar hurts tell us, if dragon boy smuggles in anymore dragon eggs for the love of Merlin tell us!" AJ couldn't help but laugh at her uncles' way of trying to lighten the mood. Seeing his daughter laugh and smile a genuine smile was one of the best moments in Sirius' life, she didn't give off genuine smiles often but when she did you could almost see just a sixteen year old girl that hadn't spent her entire life fighting to survive.

Wanting to lighten the mood even more Remus turned to AJ "What's with dragon boy giving Voldemort a dragon egg? Does he have a death wish?"

"I agree, he's another one who has absolutely no self-preservation skills." Sirius had to fight to keep a smile off his face

AJ rolled her eyes "You guys do realize that it wasn't him giving Voldemort the dragon egg right?"

Regulus snorted at that "Yeah right, dragon boy was a part of it I'm sure." AJ just rolled her eyes at that,

"If we're done here we should probably go down stairs for some dinner and get to bed, it's been a long day." Sirius, Remus and Regulus nodded in agreement, it had been a long day and it needed to end soon.

***Downstairs***

AJ, Remus, Sirius and Regulus walked into the kitchen listening to Charlie yell at Bill and Tonks for calling him dragon boy, while Hermione, Ron and Kingsley were too busy laughing at the outraged look on Charlie's face to come to his defense.

Everyone sat down at the table while Molly served the meal and engaged in various conversations. Charlie noticed that AJ was being quieter than usual which was very unnerving. AJ was usually bouncing with energy and firing off jokes left and right, he'd have to talk to her after dinner to make sure she was okay. After cleaning up the kitchen and the goodnights were said everyone slowly made their ways up their rooms.

Bill and Charlie waited a good hour before finding their way into Hermione and AJ's room. They weren't surprised to find Hermione and AJ sharing one big bed, AJ was changing her hair from shamrock green to black with pink highlights while Hermione read her copy of "Hogwarts A History". Noticing the guys AJ perked up a little

"Hey guys, take a seat." Charlie smiled at his girlfriend but didn't sit down

"AJ come on into my room, I want to talk punk, and you look upset." AJ gave a nod of her head while Bill flopped onto the extra bed trying to figure his feelings for Hermione out.

AJ and Charlie crawled into his bed, AJ looked over at Charlie expectantly "Well you wanted to talk dragon boy."

Charlie gave her a glare but there was no heat behind it "Come on punk, tell me what's bothering you, please." AJ took a deep breath and told him of what was said in the library and how even now with all the family she had surrounding her she still felt alone in a way.

Charlie stayed quiet knowing AJ needed this time to work through her thoughts when she was finished he chose his words carefully "Alessandra I promise you that I will never leave you, I will always be here for you and no matter what you can come to me. I'm planning on transferring to the Dragon Reserve in Whales so I can be closer to you, I'm not going to tell my mom for obvious reasons but this is the right thing for me to do. You're not alone and you'll never be alone, promise punk."

AJ smiled at Charlie with love filled eyes, he was amazing and he made her feel alive, that wasn't something that AJ had ever felt before. When Charlie spoke to AJ about his love for her she could feel it, taste it almost and she knew as long as she lived she would never find a love like this again. AJ gave Charlie a slow passionate absorbing every last bit of love and honest he had to offer.

***Sex scene coming up, nothing too graphic but if it offends just skip ahead***

The kisses didn't stay slow and gentle for long, they turned hot and needy quickly. Like any other time AJ and Charlie stared to make out it turned into more faster than either could process what was going on. AJ pulled away from Charlie long enough to take his and her shirts off, she needed to feel his skin on hers, his skin was always hot as if he was on fire. Charlie raked his hands up and down her sides feeling every last piece of skin imaginable, he slowly unhooked her bra and started to slowly massage her mounds while her body arched into his touch.

"Charlie" she panted with need, all he could do was nod in response, AJ always made him lose his ability to speak when they made love. He started to kiss his way down her neck, chest, and stomach. He slowly pulled down her pajama pants to reveal her black lace thong he bought her for Valentine 's Day last year. He couldn't help the groan of need at that, there was something so hot about having your girlfriend wear the underwear you picked out for her. He started to kiss his way back up to AJ where he sought out her lips and feasted on her as if she was his last meal.

AJ went to the button on Charlie's jeans and slowly started to work them down his tan, toned legs. She threw them across the room and started to peel off his midnight blue boxers. Once he was completely naked AJ couldn't help but stare, he had the body of a God and it was all hers just like she was all his. Charlie flipped them over so he was staring down into piercing green eyes that were clouded with lust, Merlin he loved this women beneath him. He slowly entered his own private heaven and allowed his and AJ's need to take over.

***End of sex scene***

Wrapped in each other's arms AJ slowly opened her eyes to find Charlie sleeping soundly next to her. After making love they took a shower and changed into clean pajamas and just help one another in hopes to ignore the world around them. Charlie slowly opened his eyes and smiled,

"Hey punk, we better get downstairs before your family comes up and kills me. Don't laugh AJ! They would do it too." AJ just chuckled at that but agreed knowing her dad's and uncle could be rather over protective.

Walking into the kitchen Charlie and AJ took their usual seats while Remus, Sirius and Regulus glared at Charlie. Breakfast was a quiet affair but AJ noticed Ron was throwing Hermione and AJ looks which both tried and failed to ignore. As everyone was walking into the sitting room McGonagall said goodbye and said she would be back later. Ron pulled AJ and Hermione aside and asked if they could talk before the next reading.

Hermione and AJ stared at Ron while he tried to collect his thoughts. "AJ, Hermione, I'm really sorry. I was a complete idiot and I can't even tell you why. Well I can but it's hard to explain, I was jealous of you guys. Neither of you have to worry about people getting on your case because of things that happen at school or always being compared to your older brothers. I know it sounds stupid but I just wish my mom wasn't so intense and I see you guys being able to joke around without getting scolded over every little move you make. I'm just really sorry and I hope you guys can forgive me."

AJ and Hermione both looked at one another as if having a silent conversation, AJ turned to Ron "We can't forgive you for all you did right off the bat, but we're willing to try and move on." Hermione and AJ gave him a small smile which he gladly returned.

The golden trio walked in to living room and took their usual seats, AJ dropped her head into Charlie's lap while her legs went onto her parents laps much to their amusement. Dumbledore pulled out the next book,

"I suppose I'll read first," he said with a smile "**AJ Potter and The Chamber of Secrets, Chapter One: The Worst Birthday…"**

AN: I'm on my way to work (I work nights at a bar in NYC) I'll try to post more chapters during a break or a slow period but if not I'll do it tomorrow. Oh If I get AJs name goofed up I'm really sorry!


	22. The Worst Birthday

Charlie groaned at hearing the name of the chapter "Oh good, the book is going to be positive."

**Not for the first time, an argument had broken out over breakfast at number four, Privet Drive. Mr. Vernon Dursley had been woken in the early hours of the morning by a loud, hooting noise from his niece AJ's room.**

Sirius raised an eyebrow at that "Hedwig is usually quiet, why would she be making so much noise?" but AJ just closed her eyes, these books were made to torment her she was sure of it.

**"Third time this week!" he roared across the table. "If you can't control that owl, it'll have to go!"**

**AJ tried, yet again, to explain.**

**"She's bored," she said. "She's used to flying around outside. If I could just let her out at night -"**

"Looks like we can put cruelty of animals on our list Tonks, Amelia is going to have a field day with these bastards." Kingsley and Tonks looked over joyed at the thought of them getting into legal trouble.

**"Do I look stupid?" snarled Uncle Vernon, a bit of fried egg dangling from his bushy mustache.**

Hermione looked green at that "as a matter of fact you do look rather stupid if the description is accurate." She mumbled

**"I know what'll happen if that owl's let out."**

**He exchanged dark looks with his wife, Petunia.**

**AJ tried to argue back but her words were drowned by a long, loud belch from the Dursleys' son, Dudley.**

Molly glared distastefully at the book, that child belonged over someone's knee.

**"I want more bacon."**

**"There's more in the frying pan, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia, turning misty eyes on her massive son. "We must build you up while we've got the chance… I don't like the sound of that school food…"**

Regulus started rubbing his temples feeling a headache coming on "The food is probably healthy and they give out normal size portions you horse!"

**"Nonsense, Petunia, I never went hungry when I was at Smeltings," said Uncle Vernon heartily. "Dudley gets enough, don't you, son?"**

**Dudley, who was so large his bottom drooped over either side of the kitchen chair, grinned and turned to AJ.**

"This is one of the few times I absolutely hate your observation skills, I really didn't need to know that." Disgust dripping with every word Tonks spoke.

AJ smiled apologetically "Sorry, but if you thinking hearing about it is bad, trying living it."

**"Pass the frying pan."**

**"You've forgotten the magic word," said AJ irritably.**

"That was a rather dumb thing to say Po-Black." Snape sneered but it was lacking his usual malice

**The effect of this simple sentence on the rest of the family was incredible: Dudley gasped and fell off his chair with a crash that shook the whole kitchen; Mrs. Dursley gave a small scream and clapped her hands to her mouth; Mr. Dursley jumped to his feet, veins throbbing in his temples.**

"Bunch of drama queens! Honestly it wasn't as if she told him to go kill the pig and make it himself." Bill growled out

**"I meant 'please'!" said AJ quickly. "I didn't mean —"**

**"WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU," thundered his uncle, spraying spit over the table, "ABOUT SAYING THE 'M' WORD IN OUR HOUSE?"**

"The "m" word?" laughed Remus "They can't even say the word magic?"

**"But I —"**

**"HOW DARE YOU THREATEN DUDLEY!" roared Uncle Vernon, pounding the table with his fist.**

"You didn't threaten him!" Ron yelled

Charlie shook his head "I think even if she talks to him, it's considered a threat."

**"I just —"**

**"I WARNED YOU! I WILL NOT TOLERATE MENTION OF YOUR ABNORMALITY UNDER THIS ROOF!"**

**AJ stared from her purple-faced uncle to her pale aunt, who was trying to heave Dudley to his feet.**

**"All right," said AJ, "all right…"**

**Uncle Vernon sat back down, breathing like a winded rhinoceros and watching AJ closely out of the corners of his small, sharp eyes.**

"She's not going to do anything you fat pig." Sirius snarled

**Ever since AJ had come home for the summer holidays, Uncle Vernon had been treating her like a bomb that might go off at any moment, because AJ Potter wasn't a normal girl. As a matter of fact, she was as not normal as it is possible to be.**

Charlie smirked at that while AJ rolled her eyes, who wanted to be normal anyhow?

**AJ Potter was a witch.**

"Thank Merlin we're reading this, I never knew you were a witch AJ." Bill chuckled

Hermione slapped him on the shoulder "It's a muggles perspective now." Bill pouted at that which made it almost impossible for Hermione not to kiss him.

— **a witch fresh from her first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And if the Dursleys were unhappy to have her back for the holidays, it was nothing to how AJ felt. She missed Hogwarts so much it was like having a constant stomachache. She missed the castle, with its secret passageways and ghosts, her classes (though perhaps not Snape, the Potions master),**

"I actually don't mind potions, but when you start to pick on the Gryffindors for no reason I get annoyed and want to leave." Commented AJ

Snape smirked "Well on the bright side we only have to deal with one another for another year then you may drop potions." Ron looked extremely relieved at that while AJ just smiled; she doubted she would drop potions.

**the mail arriving by owl, eating banquets in the Great Hall, sleeping in her four-poster bed in the tower dormitory, visiting the gamekeeper, Hagrid, in his cabin next to the Forbidden Forest in the grounds, and, especially, Quidditch, the most popular sport in the wizarding world (six tall goal posts, four flying balls, and fourteen players on broomsticks).**

"The best sport ever!" Charlie and Sirius cheered

**All AJ's spell-books, her wand, robes, cauldron, and top-of-the-line Nimbus Two Thousand broomstick had been locked in a cupboard under the stairs by Uncle Vernon the instant AJ had come home. That was of course followed by a long beating that left AJ so sore she could hardly move for two days.**

Remus glared murderously at the book, he would love to kill the Dursleys for all they did to his daughter, and they deserved it.

**What did the Dursleys care if AJ lost her place on the House Quidditch team because she hadn't practiced all summer?**

Kingsley laughed at that "Somehow I doubt they would replace you kid! You're their ticket to winning every game."

**What was it to the Dursleys if AJ went back to school without any of her homework done? The Dursleys were what wizards and witches called Muggles (not a drop of magical blood in their veins), and as far as they were concerned, having a witch in the family was a matter of deepest shame. Uncle Vernon had even padlocked AJ's owl, Hedwig, inside her cage, to stop her from carrying messages to anyone in the wizarding world.**

"He should have let her out at night. Stupid bastard." Charlie bit out

**AJ looked nothing like the rest of the family.**

Regulus smiled at that "And we thank Merlin every day you don't sweets."

**Uncle Vernon was large and neck-less, with an enormous black mustache; Aunt Petunia was horse-faced and bony; Dudley was blond, pink, and porky. AJ, on the other hand, was small and skinny, with brilliant green eyes and jet-black hair that she could change the color, length and style with that went down to her thin waist. On her forehead was a thin, lightning-shaped scar.**

Tonks suddenly remembered something "How didn't your hair change throughout your childhood? Mine used to every couple of minutes."

AJ shrugged "I used to play around with it at night but during the day I wouldn't let myself loose that control I gained on it." Tonks nodded at that, AJ was really powerful in order to control her power like that.

**It was this scar that made AJ so particularly unusual, even for a witch. This scar was the only hint of AJ's very mysterious past, of the reason she had been left on the Dursleys' doorstep eleven years before. At the age of one year old, AJ had somehow survived a curse from the greatest Dark sorcerer of all time,**

"More like the greatest jackass of all time." Regulus glared at the book

**Lord Voldemort, whose name most witches and wizards still feared to speak. AJ's parents had died in Voldemort's attack, but AJ had escaped with her lightning scar, and somehow — nobody understood why —Voldemort's powers had been destroyed the instant he had failed to kill AJ. So AJ had been brought up by her dead mother's sister and her husband. She had spent ten years with the Dursleys, never understanding why she kept making odd things happen without meaning to, believing the Dursleys' story that she had got her scar in the car crash that had killed her parents.**

Hermione grabbed Bill's hand and fought back the tears that wanted to fall "I don't think we need a reminder of how you lost your parents."

Sirius nodded "I agree, this is turning out to be worse than the last book." He leaned into Remus who gave him a kiss silently reminding him he wasn't alone.

**And then, exactly a year ago, Hogwarts had written to AJ, and the whole story had come out. AJ had taken up her place at a wizard and witches school, where she and her scar were famous… but now the school year was over, and she was back with the Dursleys for the summer, back to being treated like a dog that had rolled in something smelly.**

Regulus laughed at the disgruntled look on Sirius' face "Aw don't worry Siri, we still love you."

Sirius smiled evilly "Thanks Reggie, seen any bunnies around lately?" he asked innocently, Regulus glared at his brother, he hated his animagus and Sirius knew it.

**The Dursleys hadn't even remembered that today happened to be AJ's thirteenth birthday. Although she might be wrong and Uncle Vernon might come and punch her a few times.**

"I swear to Merlin punk, I'll kill him if he even thinks of touching you." Charlie said through clenched teeth, but AJ just ignored what he said and held his hand closer to her heart.

**Of course, her hopes hadn't been high; they'd never given her a real present, let alone a cake — but to ignore it completely… unless for the beating session occasionally on her birthday. **

**At that moment, Uncle Vernon cleared his throat importantly and said, "Now, as we all know, today is a very important day."**

**AJ looked up, hardly daring to believe it.**

Tonks shook her head "I wouldn't believe it either."

**"This could well be the day I make the biggest deal of my career," said Uncle Vernon.**

Kingsley let his head fall back against the seat "Of course he wouldn't care that it was your birthday!"

**AJ went back to her toast. Of course, she thought bitterly, Uncle Vernon was talking about the stupid dinner party. He'd been talking of nothing else for two weeks. Some rich builder and his wife were coming to dinner and Uncle Vernon was hoping to get a huge order from him (Uncle Vernon's company made drills).**

Snape sighed at this, how much more of these muggles would be in this blasted book?

**"I think we should run through the schedule one more time," said Uncle Vernon. "We should all be in position at eight o'clock. Petunia, you will be —?"**

**"In the lounge," said Aunt Petunia promptly, "waiting to welcome them graciously to our home."**

"You didn't tell us they scheduled what they would do when his boss and wife got there." Laughed Ron

AJ snorted "Of course they had a schedule, I just had to tweak it a bit."

**"Good, good. And Dudley?"**

**"I'll be waiting to open the door." Dudley put on a foul, simpering smile. "May I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Mason?"**

**"They'll love him!" cried Aunt Petunia rapturously.**

"I wouldn't want that kid being the first thing I see when knocking on a door." Hermione laughed at that, Bill was funny and she needed a dose of funny while reading these.

**Excellent, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon. Then he rounded on AJ. "And you?"**

**"I'll be in my bedroom, making no noise and pretending I'm not there," said AJ tonelessly.**

"I'd rather you be in your room away from them cub," Remus said sympathetically "even though it was probably boring."

AJ shook her head "No, things got rather interesting pretty quickly." Hermione and Ron glared at their friend making light of such a serious situation.

**"Exactly," said Uncle Vernon nastily. "I will lead them into the lounge, introduce you, Petunia, and pour them drinks. At eight-fifteen —"**

**"I'll announce dinner," said Aunt Petunia.**

Tonks snorted "At eight-fifteen exactly? What would happen if they didn't eat till eight-seventeen?"

"The world would end of course." Kingsley deadpanned

**"And, Dudley, you'll say —"**

**"May I take you through to the dining room, Mrs. Mason?" said Dudley, offering his fat arm to an invisible woman.**

"I wouldn't want that kid touching me so I can't imagine how uncomfortable Mrs. Mason would feel." Charlie said

**"My perfect little gentleman!" sniffed Aunt Petunia.**

**"And you?" said Uncle Vernon viciously to AJ.**

**"I'll be in my room, making no noise and pretending I'm not there," said AJ dully.**

"It's not like you're going to forget your very important role." Snarked Sirius

**"Precisely. Now, we should aim to get in a few good compliments at dinner. Petunia, any ideas?"**

**"Vernon tells me you're a wonderful golfer, Mr. Mason… Do tell me where you bought your dress, Mrs. Mason…"**

**"Perfect… Dudley?"**

**"How about —'We had to write an essay about our hero at school, Mr. Mason, and I wrote about you.'"**

"Oh now come on!" exclaimed Regulus "No one is going to believe that, right Remus?"

Remus nodded, "I would have asked if I could see it."

**This was too much for both Aunt Petunia and AJ. Aunt Petunia burst into tears and hugged her son, while AJ ducked under the table so they wouldn't see her laughing.**

**"And you, girl?"**

"Use her name and maybe she'll tell you." Snarled Ron

**AJ fought to keep her face straight as she emerged. It wouldn't be good for her health if she was caught laughing at Dudley.**

**"I'll be in my room, making no noise and pretending I'm not there," she said.**

"I'm pretty sure that's the last time I had to repeat that guys." AJ was silently praying the book would magically disappear but she knew she would never get that lucky.

**"Too right, you will." said Uncle Vernon forcefully. "The Masons don't know anything about you and it's going to stay that way.**

"You mean you didn't tell them you're an abusive monster to your niece?" Bill asked

"I know, why wouldn't he brag about that, it's such an endearing quality." Charlie sneered

**When dinner's over, you take Mrs. Mason back to the lounge for coffee, Petunia, and I'll bring the subject around to drills. With any luck, I'll have the deal signed and sealed before the news at ten. Be shopping for a vacation home in Majorca this time tomorrow."**

**AJ couldn't feel too excited about this. She didn't think the Dursleys would like her any better in Majorca than they did on Privet Drive.**

**"Right — I'm off into town to pick up the dinner jackets for Dudley and me. And you," he snarled at AJ. "You stay out of your aunt's way while she's cleaning."**

AJ fake pouted at that "But I so want to spend more time than necessary with her."

**AJ left through the back door. It was a brilliant, sunny day. She crossed the lawn, slumped down on the garden bench, and sang under her breath:**

**"Happy birthday to me… happy birthday to me…"**

AJ shut her eyes to ignore the looks of pity she was getting, that was the last thing she needed.

**No cards, no presents, and she would be spending the evening pretending not to exist. She gazed miserably into the hedge. She had never felt so lonely. More than anything else at Hogwarts, more even than playing Quidditch, AJ missed her best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.**

**They, however, didn't seem to be missing her at all. Neither of them had written to her all summer, even though Ron had said he was going to ask AJ to come and stay.**

Before everyone could start to turn on them AJ elaborated "It'll be explained next chapter, no need to get annoyed or mad at them."

**Countless times, AJ had been on the point of unlocking Hedwig's cage by magic and sending her to Ron and Hermione with a letter, but it wasn't worth the risk. Underage wizards and witches weren't allowed to use magic outside of school. AJ hadn't told the Dursleys this; she knew it was only their terror that she might turn them all into dung beetles that stopped them from locking her in the cupboard under the stairs with her wand and broomstick. Of course this didn't stop them hitting her, but she very much doubted anything would stop that.**

"Oh I could think of a few people that could put a stop to that." Kingsley said calmly

**For the first couple of weeks back, AJ had enjoyed muttering nonsense words under her breath and watching Dudley tearing out of the room as fast as his fat legs would carry him. **

AJ winced at that, her uncle usually back handed her when he caught her doing that but the look of terror on her cousins face was well worth it.

**But the long silence from Ron and Hermione had made AJ feel so cut off from the magical world that even taunting Dudley had lost its appeal — and now Ron and Hermione had forgotten her birthday. **

Regulus glared at his nieces friends but didn't say anything, they better of had a damn good excuse for ignoring her.

**What wouldn't she give now for a message from Hogwarts? From any witch or wizard? She was hoping that Charlie Weasley would write to her but it seemed doubtful…**

Bill glared at his brother "Feeling a little guilty dragon boy?" Charlie punched Bill in the arm then noticed the looks he was getting and he just sent them a nervous smile

**Not that her whole year at Hogwarts had been fun. At the very end of last term, AJ had come face-to-face with none other than Lord Voldemort himself. Voldemort might be a ruin of his former self, but he was still terrifying, still cunning, still determined to regain power. AJ had slipped through Voldemort's clutches for a second time, but it had been a narrow escape, and even now, weeks later, AJ kept waking in the night, drenched in cold sweat, wondering where Voldemort was now, remembering his livid face, his wide, mad eyes —**

Everyone tensed at that, no one should have to go through something like that.

**A suddenly sat bolt upright on the garden bench. She had been staring absent-mindedly into the hedge — and the hedge was staring back. Two enormous green eyes had appeared among the leaves.**

Tonks and Kingsley tensed at that she was only thirteen and couldn't defend herself with magic.

**AJ jumped to her feet just as a jeering voice floated across the lawn.**

**"I know what day it is," sang Dudley, waddling toward her.**

"Awesome!" yelled Charlie

"Tomorrow we can start you on the months of the year porky." Tonks fake cheered

**The huge eyes blinked and vanished.**

**"What?" said AJ, not taking her eyes off the spot where they had been.**

"Good," approved Kingsley "don't take your eyes off the enemy."

**"I know what day it is," Dudley repeated, coming right up to her.**

**"Well done," said AJ. "So you've finally learned the days of the week."**

**"Today's your birthday," sneered Dudley. "How come you haven't got any cards? Haven't you even got friends at that freak place?"**

Hermione and Ron scowled at that "Of course she has friends!"

**"Why're you staring at the hedge?" he said suspiciously.**

**"I'm trying to decide what would be the best spell to set it on fire," said AJ.**

Sirius cracked a small smile "Probably not the best move pup."

**Dudley stumbled backward at once, a look of panic on his fat face.**

**"You c-can't — Dad told you you're not to do m-magic — he said he'll chuck you out of the house — and you haven't got anywhere else to go — you haven't got any friends to take you — and if he didn't chuck you out, then he'd beat you-"**

Remus started to growl "That's not something to throw in someone else's face you little brat!"

"Papa it happened a while ago, it's over and done with." AJ sent him a smile then turned to Dumbledore who looked older than ever before.

**"Jiggery pokery!" said AJ in a fierce voice. "Hocus pocus — squiggly wiggly —"**

**"MUUUUUUM!" howled Dudley, tripping over his feet as he dashed back toward the house. "MUUUUM! She's doing you know what!"**

**AJ paid dearly for her moment of fun.**

Hermione glared at the book and rested her head on Bill's shoulder, this wasn't fair at all.

**As neither Dudley nor the hedge was in any way hurt, Aunt Petunia knew she hadn't really done magic, but she still had to duck as she aimed a heavy blow at her head with the soapy frying pan.**

"I can't wait to visit those bastards and give them a taste of their own medicine!" Charlie was beyond furious at them AJ should have had a better childhood.

**Then she gave her work to do, with the promise she wouldn't eat again until she'd finished.**

"So eating in that house is considered a fucking privilege now?" a teary eyed Tonks asked

**While Dudley lolled around watching and eating ice cream, AJ cleaned the windows, washed the car, mowed the lawn, trimmed the flowerbeds, pruned and watered the roses, and repainted the garden bench. The sun blazed overhead, burning the back of her neck. AJ knew she shouldn't have risen to Dudley's bait, but Dudley had said the very thing AJ had been thinking herself… maybe she didn't have any friends at Hogwarts…**

AJ smiled at her distraught friends "I know I have friends, best friends I would be lost without."

**Wish they could see famous Alessandra Potter now, she thought savagely as she spread manure on the flower beds, her back aching, more than it should have because of the beating she had received the night before but it had been a light beating. If you could call Uncle Vernon's beatings light, sweat running down her face.**

Regulus clenched and unclenched his fists at hearing his niece get beat was the single most painful thing imaginable.

**It was half past seven in the evening when at last, exhausted, she heard Aunt Petunia calling her.**

**"Get in here! And walk on the newspaper!"**

"She's not a fucking dog!" Bill snarled "Sorry Sirius, I mean no offense." Sirius waved that off, he was beyond livid that his baby was treated worse than some house pets.

**AJ moved gladly into the shade of the gleaming kitchen. On top of the fridge stood tonight's pudding: a huge mound of whipped cream and sugared violets. A loin of roast pork was sizzling in the oven.**

**"Eat quickly! The Masons will be here soon!" snapped Aunt Petunia, pointing to two slices of bread and a lump of cheese on the kitchen table. She was already wearing a salmon-pink cocktail dress.**

Hermione and Tonks chocked on their laughter at that, who wore salmon-pink anymore?

**AJ washed her hands and bolted down her pitiful supper. The moment she had finished, Aunt Petunia whisked away her plate. "Upstairs! Hurry!"**

"Merlin forbid you let your niece take her time. Bitch." Ron muttered angrily

Molly was about to reprimand her son but one look at Bill and Charlie had her thinking otherwise.

**As she passed the door to the living room, AJ caught a glimpse of Uncle Vernon and Dudley in bow ties and dinner jackets. She had only just reached the upstairs landing when the doorbell rang and Uncle Vernon's furious face appeared at the foot of the stairs.**

**"Remember, girl — one sound —"**

"The full moon can't come fast enough if you ask me." Snarled Regulus to his brother-in-law

**AJ crossed to her bedroom on tiptoe slipped inside, closed the door, and turned to collapse on her bed. The trouble was, there was already someone sitting on it.**

Kingsley grabbed the book from Dumbledore "I'll read….**Dobby's Warning…"**


	23. Dobby's Warning

"Dobby's warning? What's a dobby and why is it warning you?" Sirius asked in a rush

"Dobby is harmless daddy." AJ tried her best to smile

**AJ managed not to shout out, but it was a close thing. The little creature on the bed had large, bat-like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls.**

Sirius and Regulus shared confused looks at that, why would a house elf be there?

**AJ knew instantly that this was what had been watching her out of the garden hedge that morning.**

Kingsley let out a small breath at that at least it wasn't something too dangerous.

**As they stared at each other, AJ heard Dudley's voice from the hall.**

**"May I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Mason?"**

**The creature slipped off the bed and bowed so low that the end of its long, thin nose touched the carpet. AJ noticed that it was wearing what looked like an old pillowcase, with rips for arm- and leg-holes.**

"Disgusting! Completely disgusting!" Hermione snarled

Bill nodded his head in agreement "Whoever the elf belongs too is a bastard that's for sure."

**"Alessandra Potter!" said the creature in a high-pitched voice AJ was sure would carry down the stairs. "So long has Dobby wanted to meet you, miss - Such an honor it is -"**

"He can't be that loud!" Remus was getting scared for AJ's safety

**Th-thank you," said AJ, edging along the wall and sinking into his desk chair, next to Hedwig, who was asleep in her large cage. She wanted to ask, "What are you?" but thought it would sound too rude, so instead she said, "Who are you?"**

Molly nodded approvingly at that, at least she was showing she had manners.

**"Dobby, miss. Just Dobby. Dobby the house-elf," said the creature.**

**"Oh - really?" said AJ. "Er - I don't want to be rude or anything, but - this isn't a great time for me to have a house-elf in my bedroom."**

Charlie started to shift uncomfortable at the sense of foreboding that washed over the tense room.

**Aunt Petunias high, false laugh sounded from the living room. The elf hung his head.**

Ron rolled his eyes at that; they couldn't even laugh like normal people?

**"Not that I'm not pleased to meet you," said AJ quickly, "but, er, is there any particular reason you're here?"**

**"Oh, yes, miss," said Dobby earnestly. "Dobby has come to tell you, miss- it is difficult, sir - Dobby wonders where to begin -"**

**"Sit down," said AJ politely, pointing at the bed.**

Charlie groaned loudly at that "Damn punk now is the time not to be polite, this not going to end well."

Sirius nodded grimly at that "Dragon boy is right pup, he's used to being treated like garbage."

**To her horror, the elf burst into tears - very noisy tears.**

**"S-sit down!" he wailed. "Never - never ever -"**

**AJ thought she heard the voices downstairs falter. A bit of panic shot through her veins.**

"No! Shut up, shut up Dobby!" Kingsley exploded

Tonks was near tears "He's going to get you killed!"

**"I'm sorry," she whispered, "I didn't mean to offend you or anything - "**

**"Offend Dobby!" choked the elf. "Dobby has never been asked to sit down by a wizard - like an equal -"**

**AJ, trying to say "Shh!" and look comforting at the same time, ushered Dobby back onto the bed where he sat hiccoughing, looking like a large and very ugly doll.**

"That's a crap ass description AJ." Snorted Hermione

AJ rolled her eyes "Yeah well he wasn't giving me much to go on when it came to complimenting him."

**At last he managed to control himself, and sat with his great eyes fixed on AJ in an expression of watery adoration.**

**"You can't have met many decent wizards," said AJ, trying to cheer him up.**

AJ nodded " I was right and I still am right, that family is nothing but a bunch of cowering bastards."

Snape shifted uncomfortable at that, the Malfoy's were behind this and godson was in the middle of it he was sure.

**Dobby shook his head. Then, without warning, he leapt up and started banging his head furiously on the window, shouting, "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!"**

Hermione looked horrified at that "Why would he do that?"

"A house elf cannot talk bad about their masters Hermione, it's sad but that's how they are." Sirius explained patiently

**"Don't - what are you doing?" AJ hissed, springing up and pulling Dobby back onto the bed - Hedwig had woken up with a particularly loud screech and was beating her wings wildly against the bars of her cage.**

**"Dobby had to punish himself, miss," said the elf, who had gone slightly cross-eyed. "Dobby almost spoke ill of his family, miss-"**

Hermione glared at the book, no one should treat a creature like that.

**"Your family?"**

**"The wizard family Dobby serves, miss- Dobby is a house-elf - bound to serve one house and one family forever -"**

**"Do they know you're here?" asked AJ curiously.**

"Doubtful," muttered Tonks "they're tricky creatures and well known in finding loopholes in any command."

**Dobby shuddered.**

**"Oh, no, miss, no - Dobby will have to punish himself most grievously for coming to see you, miss. Dobby will have to shut his ears in the oven door for this. If they ever knew, miss-"**

Seeing Hermione was at her breaking point Bill put an arm around her and kissed the top of her head. To his surprise and happiness she went willingly and calmed down fast.

**"But won't they notice if you shut your ears in the oven door?"**

**"Dobby doubts it, miss. Dobby is always having to punish himself for something, miss. They lets Dobby get on with it, miss. Sometimes they reminds me to do extra punishments -"**

"This is one fucked in the head!" Sirius snarled "I may not like my house elf but I would never treat him like that."

**"But why don't you leave? Escape?"**

**"A house-elf must be set free, miss. And the family will never set Dobby free Dobby will serve the family until he dies, miss-"**

AJ smiled smugly at that, she was rather proud of herself in how she accomplished the impossible.

**AJ stared.**

**"And I thought I had it bad staying here for another four weeks," she said.**

"You do punk and it's fucking bullshit how they treat you like that damn elf!" Charlie was so angry the glasses on the table shattered but he couldn't bring himself to apologize yet, he couldn't stand hearing these things.

**"This makes the Dursleys sound almost human. Can't anyone help you? Can't I?"**

"No cub there's nothing anyone can do besides the family." Remus said sadly

Ron hid his laughter by coughing which fooled no one.

**Almost at once, AJ wished she hadn't spoken. Dobby dissolved again into wails of gratitude.**

**"Please," AJ whispered frantically, "please be quiet. If the Dursleys hear anything, if they know you're here -"**

**"Alessandra Potter asks if she can help Dobby - Dobby has heard of your greatness, miss, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew -"**

Everyone smiled at the now red headed girl, she was too modest at times.

**AJ, who was feeling distinctly hot in the face, said, "Whatever you've heard about my greatness is a load of rubbish. I'm not even top of my year at Hogwarts; that's Hermione, she -"**

Hermione blushed at that but had a small smile on her face.

**But she stopped quickly, because thinking about Hermione was painful.**

**"Alessandra Potter is humble and modest," said Dobby reverently, his orb-like eyes aglow. "Alessandra Potter speaks not of her triumph over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named -"**

AJ glared at the wall "Why would I brag over my parent's deaths?"

**"Voldemort?" said AJ.**

**Dobby clapped his hands over his bat ears and moaned, "Ah, speak not the name, miss! Speak not the name!"**

**"Sorry," said AJ quickly. "I know lots of people don't like it. My friend Ron -"**

**She stopped again. Thinking about Ron was painful, too**

Ron looked upset at that, he should have tried to get her out of that house sooner.

**Dobby leaned toward AJ, his eyes wide as headlights.**

**"Dobby heard tell," he said hoarsely, "that Alessandra Potter met the Dark Lord for a second time just weeks ago - that Alessandra Potter escaped yet again."**

"How would he know about that?" Tonks asked

Regulus shrugged "His family was probably talking about it while he was in earshot."

**AJ nodded and Dobby's eyes suddenly shone with tears.**

**"Ah, miss," he gasped, dabbing his face with a corner of the grubby pillowcase he was wearing. "Alessandra Potter is valiant and bold! She has braved so many dangers already! But Dobby has come to protect Alessandra Potter, to warn her, even if he does have to shut his ears in the oven door later - Alessandra Potter must not go back to Hogwarts."**

"Why in the bloody hell not!" Sirius shouted

"She has to go back!" Charlie shouted over Sirius

**There was a silence broken only by the chink of knives and forks from downstairs and the distant rumble of Uncle Vernon's voice.**

**"W-what?" AJ stammered. "But I've got to go back - term starts on September first. It's all that's keeping me going. You don't know what it's like here. I don't belong here. I belong in your world - at Hogwarts."**

**"No, no, no," squeaked Dobby, shaking his head so hard his ears flapped. "Alessandra Potter must stay where she is safe. She is too great, too good, to lose. If Alessandra Potter goes back to Hogwarts, she will be in mortal danger."**

Remus sucked in a breath "Mortal danger?"

"Where she's safe? How in the hell is that house considered safe?" Regulus wanted to know

**"Why?" said AJ in surprise.**

**"There is a plot, Alessandra Potter. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year," whispered Dobby, suddenly trembling all over. "Dobby has known it for months, miss.**

The golden trio looked shocked at that.

**Alessandra Potter must not put herself in peril. She is too important, miss!"**

"Can't argue with that." Murmured Ron

**"What terrible things?" said AJ at once. "Who's plotting them?"**

**Dobby made a funny choking noise and then banged his head frantically against the wall.**

**"All right!" cried AJ, grabbing the elf's arm to stop him. "You can't tell me. I understand. But why are you warning me?"**

"I doubt he'll be able to tell you, that would make life a hell of a lot easier." Kingsley grumbled

**A sudden, unpleasant thought struck her. "Hang on - this hasn't got anything to do with Vol - sorry - with You-Know-Who, has it? You could just shake or nod," she added hastily as Dobby's head tilted worryingly close to the wall again.**

**Slowly, Dobby shook his head.**

**"Not - not He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, miss-" But Dobby's eyes were wide and he seemed to be trying to give AJ a hint. AJ, however, was completely lost.**

"Who wouldn't be? That isn't even a good hint." Bill remarked

Hermione was looking at the book with fear though, something bad was going to happen because of Dobby.

**"He hasn't got a brother, has he?"**

Remus pulled a face "Merlin I hope not, one snake faced bastard is enough for me."

**Dobby shook his head, his eyes wider than ever.**

**"Well then, I can't think who else would have a chance of making horrible things happen at Hogwarts," said AJ. "I mean, there's Dumbledore, for one thing - you know who Dumbledore is, don't you?"**

That got a chuckle out of everyone, you must live under a rock if you don't know who Dumbledore is.

**Dobby bowed his head.**

**"Albus Dumbledore is the greatest headmaster Hogwarts has ever had. Dobby knows it, miss. Dobby has heard Dumbledore's powers rival those of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named at the height of his strength. But, miss" - Dobby's voice dropped to an urgent whisper - "there are powers Dumbledore doesn't - powers no decent wizard -"**

**And before AJ could stop him, Dobby bounded off the bed, seized AJ's desk lamp, and started beating himself around the head with earsplitting yelps.**

Charlie glared at the book "He's going to get you into trouble!"

"I may end up killing a house elf." Sirius muttered

**A sudden silence fell downstairs. Two seconds later AJ, heart thudding madly, heard Uncle Vernon coming into the hall, calling, "Dudley must have left his television on again, the little tyke!"**

Tonks and Hermione screamed "HIDE!"

AJ shook her head, "It wouldn't have done much good."

**"Quick! In the closet!" hissed AJ, stuffing Dobby in, shutting the door all the while thinking she was going to pay dearly for Dobby's noises, and flinging herself onto the bed just as the door handle turned.**

**"What - the - devil - are - you - doing?" said Uncle Vernon through gritted teeth, his face horribly close to AJ's. "You've just ruined the punch line of my Japanese golfer joke –**

"Sorry that joke didn't work so well for you!" Regulus glared

"Idiot!" shouted Bill

**One more sound and you'll wish you'd never been born, girl!"**

**He stomped flat-footed from the room.**

**Shaking, AJ let Dobby out of the closet.**

**"See what it's like here?" she said. "See why I've got to go back to Hogwarts? It's the only place I've got - well, I think I've got friends."**

Hermione and Ron nodded vigorously at that, they were her friends till the very end.

**"Friends who don't even write to Alessandra Potter?" said Dobby slyly.**

Remus looked wide eyed "How would he know that?"

"He must have taken her letters!" Sirius snapped

**AJ frowned and her eyes narrowed. "How do you know my friends haven't been writing to me?"**

**Dobby shuffled his feet.**

"Fucking house elf." Glared Charlie

**"Alessandra Potter mustn't be angry with Dobby. Dobby did it for the best -"**

**"Have you been stopping my letters?"**

"How could he manage that?" Tonks asked shocked

**"Dobby has them here, miss," said the elf. Stepping nimbly out of AJ's reach, he pulled a thick wad of envelopes from the inside of the pillowcase he was wearing. AJ could make out Hermione's neat writing, Ron's untidy scrawl, and even a scribble that looked as though it was from the Hogwarts gamekeeper, Hagrid. Some of them were even from Seamus and one looked like it was from Charlie.**

Sirius, Remus and Regulus shifted uncomfortable at that "Sorry dragon boy, Mio and Ron." Was muttered around the room.

AJ laughed at the shocked look on Charlie's face. He didn't care they called him by that damn name as long as they knew he wasn't playing their daughter.

**Dobby blinked anxiously up at AJ.**

**"Alessandra Potter mustn't be angry - Dobby hoped - if Alessandra Potter thought her friends had forgotten her – Alessandra Potter might not want to go back to school, miss-"**

Snape looked a little shocked the elf was actually using some sort of intelligence.

**AJ wasn't listening. Seeing red, she made a grab for the letters, but Dobby jumped out of reach.**

**"Alessandra Potter will have them, miss, if she gives Dobby her word that she will not return to Hogwarts. Ah, miss, this is a danger you must not face! Say you won't go back, miss!"**

"Why didn't you just agree?" asked Ron

Remus snapped his head at that "NO! He was trying to trick her into a magical contract!"

**"No," said AJ angrily. "Give me my friends' letters!"**

"Thank Merlin," breathed Sirius

**"Then Alessandra Potter leaves Dobby no choice," said the elf sadly.**

**Before Alessandra could move, Dobby had darted to the bedroom door, pulled it open, and sprinted down the stairs.**

"NO!" screamed everyone besides Snape and Dumbledore

**Mouth dry, stomach lurching, AJ sprang after him, trying not to make a sound. She ran down the steps looking around for Dobby. **

**From the dining room she heard Uncle Vernon saying, "- tell Petunia that very funny story about those American plumbers, Mr. Mason. She's been dying to hear -"**

**AJ ran up the hall into the kitchen and felt her stomach disappear.**

**Aunt Petunia's masterpiece of a pudding, the mountain of cream and sugared violets, was floating up near the ceiling. On top of a cupboard in the corner crouched Dobby.**

"Oh Merlin NO!" Tonks cried, Kingsley wrapped an arm around her in silent support.

"I will kill Dobby!" yelled Sirius and Regulus

**"No," croaked AJ. "Please - they'll kill me -"**

Charlie closed his eyes at that knowing it was completely true.

**"Alessandra Potter must say she's not going back to school -"**

**"Dobby - please -"**

"_Please Dobby don't do it." _Remus silently prayed while holding onto his husband.

**"Say it, miss-"**

**"I can't -"**

Hermione buried her head into Bill's chest willing the past to change.

**Dobby gave her a tragic look and AJ nearly cried with fear. "Then Dobby must do it, miss, for Alessandra Potter's own good."**

**The pudding fell to the floor with a heart-stopping crash. Cream splattered the windows and walls as the dish shattered. With a crack like a whip, Dobby vanished.**

The silence was deafening, Regulus let out a shaky breath "Just finish this chapter as fast as possible Kingsley."

**There were screams from the dining room and Uncle Vernon burst into the kitchen to find AJ, rigid with shock, covered from head to foot in Aunt Petunia's pudding.**

**At first, it looked as though Uncle Vernon would manage to gloss the whole thing over. ("Just our niece- very disturbed - has a bit of madness problem- meeting strangers upsets her, so we kept her upstairs -") He shooed the shocked Masons back into the dining room, promised AJ he would flay her to within an inch of her life when the Masons had left,**

AJ shuddered at that, that was not a good night to be a witch in the Dursleys home.

**and handed her a mop. Aunt Petunia dug some ice cream out of the freezer and AJ, still shaking, started scrubbing the kitchen clean whilst hoping she would still be alive tomorrow. Uncle Vernon might still have been able to make his deal - if it hadn't been for the owl.**

"Are you kidding me?" Sirius couldn't take much more of this

**Aunt Petunia was just passing around a box of after-dinner mints when a huge barn owl swooped through the dining room window, dropped a letter on Mrs. Mason's head, and swooped out again. Mrs. Mason screamed like a banshee and ran from the house shouting about lunatics. Mr. Mason stayed just long enough to tell the Dursleys that his wife was mortally afraid of birds of all shapes and sizes, and to ask whether this was their idea of a joke.**

Ron snarled "They wouldn't know a joke if it bit them on the ass."

**AJ stood in the kitchen, clutching the mop for support, as Uncle Vernon advanced on her, a frightening demonic glint in his tiny eyes.**

Snape shuddered at that, she suffered too much at the hands of those muggles.

**"Read it!" he hissed evilly, brandishing the letter the owl had delivered. "Go on - read it!"**

**AJ took it. It did not contain birthday greetings.**

**Dear Miss Potter,**

**We have received intelligence that a Hover Charm was used at your place of residence this evening at twelve minutes past nine. As you know, underage witches are not permitted to perform spells outside school, and further spell-work on your part may lead to expulsion from said school. (Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, Paragraph C).**

**We would also ask you to remember that any magical activity that risks notice by members of the non-magical community (Muggles) is a serious offense under section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy.**

**Enjoy your holidays!**

"Are you serious? I'm sure she would have been over the moon at that point!" yelled Hermione

**Yours sincerely,**

**Mafalda Hopkirk**

**IMPROPER USE OF MAGIC OFFICE**

**Ministry of Magic**

"Ministry has the biggest idiots ever in charge!" roared Remus, the wolf wanted to come out and protect his cub

**AJ looked up from the letter and gulped. Her breath came out shaky. Now they knew the truth; that she wasn't allowed to perform magic outside of school.**

**"You didn't tell us you weren't allowed to use magic outside school," said Uncle Vernon, a mad gleam dancing in his eyes. "Forgot to mention it - Slipped your mind, I daresay -"**

"I doubt it you jackass, she just wanted to protect herself." Snarled Charlie

**He was bearing down on AJ like a great bulldog, all his teeth bared. "Well, I've got news for you, girl - I'm locking you up - You're never going back to that school - never – and if you try and magic yourself out - they'll expel you!"**

**And laughing like a crazy person, he dragged AJ back upstairs.**

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY DAUGHTER DURSELY!" Sirius and Remus bellowed, AJ shifted in her seat so she was closer to them, they needed her by them.

**He tossed AJ to her room and followed her in. AJ couldn't help but think her life was about to end and she wouldn't even get to say goodbye to her friends. **

Hermione and Ron both had tears in their eyes at that, AJ was such a good person.

**It was going to be one of the longest nights of her life…**

**Uncle Vernon was as bad as his word. The following morning, he paid a man to fit bars on AJ's window.**

"How did muggles not call the police?" Tonks yelled

AJ shook her head "I think they told them I was a troubled child or something."

**The fun didn't stop there though, Vernon decided to install a cat-flap on her bedroom door so her Aunt could fit food through there. She was only allowed out twice to go to the bathroom and at night her uncle would beat her.**

Regulus growled at that "I'll beat his head into the fucking floor see how he likes it."

Sirius was in complete agreement "We're gonna help Reggie, we'll make it a family thing I suppose."

**Three days later, the Dursleys were showing no sign of relenting, and AJ couldn't see any way out of her situation. She lay on her bed watching the sun sinking behind the bars on the window and wondered miserably what was going to happen to her. She was in constant pain and every time her magic tried to heal her, her uncle would come in for another round of pain.**

Charlie was so angry at this point he couldn't think straight, he needed her out of that hell hole.

**What was the good of magicking herself out of his room if Hogwarts would expel her for doing it? Yet life at Privet Drive had reached an all-time low. Now that the Dursleys knew they weren't going to wake up as fruit bats, she had lost her only weapon. Dobby might have saved AJ from horrible happenings at Hogwarts, but the way things were going, she'd probably starve to death anyway**

Sirius and Remus couldn't hold back their tears, this was too much for a thirteen year old to deal with let alone think about.

**The cat-flap rattled and Aunt Petunias hand appeared, pushing a bowl of canned soup into the room. AJ, whose insides were aching with hunger, jumped off her bed and seized it. The soup was stone-cold, but she drank half of it in one gulp. Then she crossed the room to Hedwig's cage and tipped the soggy vegetables at the bottom of the bowl into her empty food tray. **

**She ruffled her feathers and gave her a look of deep disgust.**

**"It's no good turning your beak up at it — that's all we've got," said AJ grimly.**

Charlie smiled proudly at AJ "That's sweet of you punk but I'd rather you not starve to death."

AJ nodded and gave him a small smile.

**She put the empty bowl back on the floor next to the cat-flap and lay back down on the bed, somehow even hungrier than she had been before the soup.**

**Supposing she was still alive in another four weeks, what would happen if she didn't turn up at Hogwarts? Would someone be sent to see why she hadn't come back? Would they be able to make the Dursleys let him go?**

Snape nodded at that, he would take pleasure in tormenting them.

**The room was growing dark. Exhausted, stomach rumbling, mind spinning over the same unanswerable questions, AJ fell into an uneasy sleep. She dreamed that she was on show in a zoo, with a card reading UNDERAGE WIZARD attached to her cage.**

Ron, Hermione and Bill all cracked small smiles at that, she had an awesome imagination.

Tonks giggled "I love you AJ." AJ smiled back and gave her a playful wink.

**People goggled through the bars at her as she lay, starving and weak, on a bed of straw. She saw Dobby's face in the crowd and shouted out, asking for help, but Dobby called, "Alessandra Potter is safe there, miss!" and vanished. Then the Dursleys appeared and Dudley rattled the bars of the cage, laughing at her.**

Kingsley was laughing at this, he didn't want to but it was hilarious to dream of something like that.

**"Stop it," AJ muttered as the rattling pounded in her sore head. "Leave me alone… cut it out… I'm trying to sleep…"**

**She opened his eyes. Moonlight was shining through the bars on the window. And someone was goggling through the bars at her: a freckle-faced, red-haired, long-nosed someone.**

**Ron Weasley was outside AJ's window.**

Charlie let out a long breath, finally she was going to be safe.

Bill grabbed the book from Kingsley "I'll read next…**The Burrow"**


	24. The Burrow

**"Ron." breathed AJ, creeping to the window and pushing it up so they could talk through the bars. "Ron, how did you —? What the —?"**

Charlie smiled gratefully at his brother; he would get AJ out of there.

**AJ's mouth fell open as the full impact of what she was seeing hit her. Ron was leaning out of the back window of an old turquoise car, which was parked in midair.**

Remus laughed loudly at that "That's brilliant!"

"It was totally irresponsible Remus! They could have been hurt!" Fumed Molly

**Grinning at AJ from the front seats were Fred and George, Ron's elder twin brothers.**

**"All right, AJ?" asked George. **

**"What's been going on?" said Ron. "Why haven't you been answering my letters? I've asked you to stay about twelve times, and then Dad came home and said you'd got an official warning for using magic in front of Muggles —"**

"I'm still confused as to how ministry found out about her "using" magic, elf magic isn't detectable." Argued Tonks

"I'm sure Dobby copied her magical signature, he wanted her expelled badly." Kingsley said reasonably even though he was considering pressing charges on the little elf.

**"It wasn't me — and how did he know?"**

**"He works for the Ministry," said Ron. "You know we're not supposed to do spells outside school —"**

**"You should talk," said AJ, staring at the floating car.**

Bill and Charlie chuckled at that, "I'm sure dad enchanted it."

"The beauty of a loophole that doesn't get my niece killed." Regulus said wistfully

**"Oh, this doesn't count," said Ron. "We're only borrowing this. It's Dad's, we didn't enchant it. But doing magic in front of those Muggles you live with —"**

**"I told you, I didn't — but it'll take too long to explain now — look, can you tell them at Hogwarts that the Dursleys have locked me up and won't let me come back, and obviously I can't magic myself out, because the Ministry'll think that's the second spell I've done in three days, so —"**

Ron glared at AJ "Like I would ever leave you after seeing the bars on your window." AJ smiled at him finally seeing her friend go back to normal

**"Stop gibbering," said Ron. "We've come to take you home with us."**

**"But you can't magic me out either —"**

**"We don't need to," said Ron, jerking his head toward the front seat and grinning. "You forget who I've got with me."**

"I have never been so grateful that the twins are known pranksters." Hermione laughed

**"Tie that around the bars," said Fred, throwing the end of a rope to AJ. **

**"If the Dursleys wake up, I'm dead," said AJ as she tied the rope tightly around a bar and Fred revved up the car.**

**"Don't worry," said Fred, "and stand back." **

**AJ moved back into the shadows next to Hedwig, who seemed to have realized how important this was and kept still and silent.**

Sirius nodded approvingly "She's a really smart owl; I need to buy her some owl treats."

**The car revved louder and louder and suddenly, with a crunching noise, the bars were pulled clean out of the window as Fred drove straight up in the air. AJ ran back to the window to see the bars dangling a few feet above the ground. Panting, Ron hoisted them up into the car. AJ listened anxiously, but there was no sound from the Dursleys' bedroom.**

"I don't think I've ever been so happy that they're the biggest idiots that ever walked the earth." Snorted Bill

**When the bars were safely in the back seat with Ron, Fred reversed as close as possible to AJ's window. **

**"Get in," Ron said. **

**"But all my Hogwarts stuff — my wand — my broomstick —" **

"The broomstick should be the first thing you grab." AJ joked

**"Where is it?" **

**"Locked in the cupboard under the stairs, and I can't get out of this room —" **

**"No problem," said George from the front passenger seat. "Out of the way, AJ."**

"If they can't do magic how do they get the stuff?" Hermione asked

Bill looked thoughtful than laughed "I bed they pick the lock! Dad taught all of us how to pick locks." Molly was positively fuming at this; Arthur shouldn't be teaching them things that could get them into so much trouble!

**Fred and George climbed catlike through the window into AJ's room. You had to hand it to them, thought AJ, as George took an ordinary hairpin from his pocket and started to pick the lock.**

"See? Told ya." Bill said rather smugly

Charlie hit his brother with a pillow "No one argued with you idiot."

**"A lot of wizards think it's a waste of time, knowing this sort of Muggle trick," said Fred, "but we feel they're skills worth learning, even if they are a bit slow."**

Regulus laughed "When Siri learned how to pick locks he would show our father just to piss him off."

"Well of course I wanted to show father! He should have been proud I taught myself something." Sirius laughed at the reminder of how he used to torment his father.

**There was a small click and the door swung open.**

**"So — we'll get your trunk — you grab anything you need from your room and hand it out to Ron," whispered George. **

**"Watch out for the bottom stair — it creaks," AJ whispered back as the twins disappeared onto the dark landing.**

"If they hadn't woken up because of the bars on the window why would they wake up because of the creaking of a step?" Ron generally wanted to know.

"Sometimes the littlest things wake people up rather than the louder things." AJ replied

**AJ dashed around her room, collecting her things and passing them out of the window to Ron. Then she went to help Fred and George heave her trunk up the stairs. AJ heard Uncle Vernon cough.**

Everyone was getting rather tense now; it was almost as if the universe was telling her it wasn't a good idea to go to Hogwarts.

**At last, panting, they reached the landing, than carried the trunk through AJ's room to the open window. Fred climbed back into the car to pull with Ron, and AJ and George pushed from the bedroom side. Inch by inch, the trunk slid through the window. **

**Uncle Vernon coughed again.**

"Hurry up, get out of there." Remus started to panic

**A bit more," panted Fred, who was pulling from inside the car. "One good push —"**

**AJ and George threw their shoulders against the trunk and it slid out of the window into the back seat of the car.**

"Thanks Merlin, now get out of there!" Tonks said frantically

**"Okay, let's go," George whispered.**

**But as AJ climbed onto the windowsill there came a sudden loud screech from behind her, followed immediately by the thunder of Uncle Vernon's voice.**

Hermione paled at that "Oh no! You forgot Hedwig!"

"You can't leave her there punk! They'll kill her or something!" Charlie was torn between wanting to get Hedwig and just leaving so AJ could be safe.

**"THAT RUDDY OWL!**

**"I've forgotten Hedwig!"**

**AJ tore back across the room as the landing light clicked on — she snatched up Hedwig's cage, dashed to the window, and passed it out to Ron. She was scrambling back onto the chest of drawers when Uncle Vernon hammered on the unlocked door — and it crashed open. For a split second, Uncle Vernon stood framed in the doorway; then he let out a bellow like an angry bull and dived at AJ, grabbing her by the ankle.**

"Damn it!" Yelled Regulus

"Now's not the time for shitty luck kid!" Kingsley screamed, no one seemed to realize that this had already happened.

**Ron, Fred, and George seized AJ's arms and pulled as hard as they could.**

"Be careful guys!" Charlie snarled

"Listen to dragon boy!" Bill said hastily "She doesn't need more injuries!"

**"Petunia!" roared Uncle Vernon. "She's getting away! SHE'S GETTING AWAY!" **

**But the Weasleys gave a gigantic tug and AJ's leg slid out of Uncle Vernon's grasp — AJ was in the car — she'd slammed the door shut —**

Everyone let out a breath at that, she was safe from those evil monsters. Now she could go to the burrow and not worry about getting beaten to death.

**"Put your foot down, Fred!" yelled Ron, and the car shot suddenly toward the moon. **

**AJ couldn't believe it — she was free. She rolled down the window, the night air whipping her hair, and looked back at the shrinking rooftops of Privet Drive. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley were all hanging, dumbstruck, out of AJ's window.**

"I would have done just about anything to see that." Regulus chuckled darkly

**"See you next summer!" AJ yelled.**

Hermione slapped the back of AJ's head "Sure AJ, poke the sleeping bear why don't ya?"

**The Weasleys roared with laughter and AJ settled back in her seat, grinning from ear to ear. **

**"Let Hedwig out," she told Ron. "She can fly behind us. She hasn't had a chance to stretch her wings for ages."**

Charlie let out a breath at hearing that, the poor Owl must have been in such pain for not being allowed to stretch her wings.

**George handed the hairpin to Ron and, a moment later, Hedwig soared joyfully out of the window to glide alongside them like a ghost.**

**"So — what's the story, AJ?" said Ron impatiently. "What's been happening?" **

"I was worried when I hadn't heard from her all summer." Defended Ron

**AJ told them all about Dobby, the warning he'd given AJ and the fiasco of the violet pudding.**

**There was a long, shocked silence when she had finished. **

"I would think so, not many people have such a bad experience with house elves kid." Kingsley said looking over at AJ.

**"Very fishy," said Fred finally. **

**"Definitely dodgy" agreed George. "So he wouldn't even tell you who's supposed to be plotting all this stuff?" **

"You guys did believe her though right?" Regulus forced himself to remain calm

Ron nodded "Of course we did, but the whole thing was totally bizarre."

**"I don't think he could," said AJ. "I told you, every time he got close to letting something slip, he started banging his head against the wall." **

**She saw Fred and George look at each other. **

**"What, you think he was lying to me?" said AJ.**

"I can't imagine a house elf reacting that way if he was lying." Remus remarked

Sirius nodded "Even though we wish it were a lie."

**"Well," said Fred, "put it this way — house-elves have got powerful magic of their own, but they can't usually use it without their master's permission. I reckon old Dobby was sent to stop you coming back to Hogwarts. Someone's idea of a joke. Can you think of anyone at school with a grudge against you?"**

AJ rolled her eyes at that "Me? Enemies with a grudge? Never."

**"Yes," said AJ and Ron together, instantly. **

**"Draco Malfoy," AJ explained. "He hates me." **

**"Draco Malfoy?" said George, turning around. "Not Lucius Malfoy's son?"**

"Future death eater in training right there." AJ snarled

Snape glared at think pink and black haired teen, he wouldn't allow his godson to join the death eaters. He had the option of a better life and he'd be damned if Draco threw that all away for the life his father continues to lead.

**"Must be, it's not a very common name, is it?" said AJ. **

**"I've heard Dad talking about him," said George. "He was a big supporter of You-Know-Who."**

Sirius snorted at that "Was a supporter? Try still is Georgie."

**"And when You-Know-Who disappeared," said Fred, craning around to look at AJ, "Lucius Malfoy came back saying he'd never meant any of it. Load of dung — Dad reckons he was right in You- Know-Who's inner circle."**

"WAS AND STILL IS!" AJ exploded

Charlie rubbed her back soothingly "We know punk, we'll make sure he's sent to Azkaban and never sees the outside world again."

"Damn right dragon boy. He's going to pay and we'll make sure of it." Remus muttered angrily.

**AJ had heard these rumors about Malfoy's family before, and they didn't surprise her at all. Malfoy made Dudley Dursley look like a kind, thoughtful, and sensitive boy…**

Snape shifted uncomfortable at that, it was sad but true. He had too much of his father in him.

**"I don't know whether the Malfoy's own a house-elf…" said AJ. **

**"Well, whoever owns him will be an old wizarding family, and they'll be rich," said Fred. **

**"Yeah, Mum's always wishing we had a house-elf to do the ironing," said George. "But all we've got is a lousy old ghoul in the attic and gnomes all over the garden. House-elves come with big old manors and castles and places like that; you wouldn't catch one in our house…**

"Good!" snarled Hermione "They are treated completely unfairly and no family needs their own personal slave."

**AJ was silent. Judging by the fact that Draco Malfoy usually had the best of everything, his family was rolling in wizard gold; she could just see Malfoy strutting around a large manor house. Sending the family servant to stop AJ from going back to Hogwarts also sounded exactly like the sort of thing Malfoy would do. Had AJ been stupid to take Dobby seriously?**

"No," stated Tonks "always be on your guard especially when you get a warning."

**"I'm glad we came to get you, anyway," said Ron. "I was getting really worried when you didn't answer any of my letters. I thought it was Errol's fault at first —"**

"Maybe you should think of getting a new owl before that one passes on." Kingsley suggested

**"Who's Errol?" **

**"Our owl. He's ancient. It wouldn't be the first time he'd collapsed on a delivery. So then I tried to borrow Hermes —" **

**"Who?" **

"It sounded as if you were talking in codes." Laughed AJ

**"The owl Mum and Dad bought Percy when he was made prefect," said Fred from the front.**

**"But Percy wouldn't lend him to me," said Ron. "Said he needed him." **

**"Percy's been acting very oddly this summer," said George, frowning.**

Charlie and Bill glared at the book, Percy had no family loyalties and they were getting sick of it.

**"And he has been sending a lot of letters and spending a load of time shut up in his room… I mean, there's only so many times you can polish a prefect badge… You're driving too far west, Fred," he added, pointing at a compass on the dashboard. Fred twiddled the steering wheel. **

**"So, does your dad know you've got the car?" said AJ, guessing the answer.**

Molly glared at Ron "No I did not! That was very stupid of you Ronald Weasley."

"Mom!" Bill said frustrated "It happened and knowing you, you already laid into them so just let it go already!"

**"Er, no," said Ron, "he had to work tonight. Hopefully we'll be able to get it back in the garage without Mum noticing we flew it."**

"I love that you're an optimist Ron." Sirius said with amusement

"It was worth it." Ron shrugged

**"What does your dad do at the Ministry of Magic, anyway?" **

**"He works in the most boring department," said Ron. "The Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office."**

Ron winced at his past self; that was really mean to say even if his dad wasn't here to hear it.

**"The what?" **

**"It's all to do with bewitching things that are Muggle-made, you know, in case they end up back in a Muggle shop or house. Like, last year, some old witch died and her tea set was sold to an antiques shop. This Muggle woman bought it, took it home, and tried to serve her friends tea in it. It was a nightmare — Dad was working overtime for weeks."**

"Without overtime I'm sure." Remus hated the ministry, they didn't treat anyone fairly and that included their damn employees.

**"What happened?"**

**"The teapot went berserk and squirted boiling tea all over the place and one man ended up in the hospital with the sugar tongs clamped to his nose. Dad was going frantic — it's only him and an old warlock called Perkins in the office — and they had to do Memory Charms and all sorts of stuff to cover it up —"**

Hermione winced at that, that must have been a long day for Mr. Weasley.

**"But your dad — this car —"**

**Fred laughed. "Yeah, Dad's crazy about everything to do with Muggles; our shed's full of Muggle stuff. He takes it apart, puts spells on it, and puts it back together again. If he raided our house he'd have to put himself under arrest. It drives Mum mad."**

"With good reason," snarled Molly "It's illegal and it gives the children bad ideas."

Dumbledore shook his head at that, Molly would never truly appreciate this life until it was ripped away from her.

**"That's the main road," said George, peering down through the windshield. "We'll be there in ten minutes… Just as well, it's getting light…"**

**A faint pinkish glow was visible along the horizon to the east. Fred brought the car lower, and AJ saw a dark patchwork of fields and clumps of trees. **

**"We're a little way outside the village," said George. "Ottery St. Catchpole."**

Bill and Charlie shared sad smiles, at one point they considered that home. Now it was just another house in the wizarding world.

**Lower and lower went the flying car. The edge of a brilliant red sun was now gleaming through the trees. **

**"Touchdown!" said Fred as, with a slight bump, they hit the ground. They had landed next to a tumbledown garage in a small yard, and AJ looked out for the first time at Ron's house.**

"At least they landed safely Molly." Tonks said with a cheeky smile.

**It looked as though it had once been a large stone pigpen, but extra rooms had been added here and there until it was several stories high and so crooked, it was most likely held together by magic. Four or five chimneys were perched on top of the red roof. A lopsided sign stuck in the ground near the entrance read, THE BURROW. Around the front door lay a jumble of rubber boots and a very rusty cauldron. Several fat brown chickens were pecking their way around the yard.**

"It's a great house." Smiled Hermione "I don't think you should change a thing about it.

**"It's not much," said Ron. **

**"It's wonderful," said AJ happily, thinking of Privet Drive.**

"I stand by what I said back then." AJ said with determination

**They got out of the car. **

**"Now, we'll go upstairs really quietly," said Fred, "and wait for Mum to call us for breakfast. Then, Ron, you come bounding downstairs going, 'Mum, look who turned up in the night!' and she'll be all pleased to see AJ and no one need ever know we flew the car."**

"Nice try guys, but that will never work." Charlie said through laughter

Ron sighed sadly "Trust me, I know."

**"Right," said Ron. "Come on, AJ, I sleep at the — at the top —"**

**Ron had gone a nasty greenish color, his eyes fixed on the house. The other three wheeled around. Mrs. Weasley was marching across the yard, scattering chickens, and for a short, plump, kind-faced woman, it was remarkable how much she looked like a saber-toothed tiger.**

Molly glared at her laughing sons, she did not look like a tiger!

**"Ah, "said Fred. **

**"Oh, dear," said George. **

Sirius let his head fall back onto Remus' shoulder, this wouldn't end well.

**Mrs. Weasley came to a halt in front of them, her hands on her hips, staring from one guilty face to the next. She was wearing a flowered apron with a wand sticking out of the pocket. **

**"So," she said. **

**"Morning, Mum," said George, in what he clearly thought was a jaunty, winning voice.**

"Nah, sounded like he was full of shit to be honest." Chuckled AJ

**"Have you any idea how worried I've been?" said Mrs. Weasley in a deadly whisper. **

**"Sorry, Mum, but see, we had to —"**

Remus, Sirius and Regulus all had narrowed eyes now.

**All three of Mrs. Weasley's sons were taller than she was, but they cowered as her rage broke over them.**

**"Beds empty! No note! Car gone — could have crashed — out of my mind with worry — did you care? — never, as long as I've lived — you wait until your father gets home, we never had trouble like this from Bill or Charlie or Percy —"**

Charlie groaned at that "Mom you sent me at least two howlers a week for getting into trouble with my friends."

"You don't always have to compare them to us mom," Bill stated tiredly "they aren't us and frankly they never will be. You just hurt them when you compare them to others, it's not fair."

**"Perfect Percy," muttered Fred. **

**"YOU COULD DO WITH TAKING A LEAF OUT OF PERCY'S BOOK!" yelled Mrs. Weasley, prodding a finger in Fred's chest. "You could have died, you could have been seen, you could have lost your father his job —"**

**It seemed to go on for hours. Mrs. Weasley had shouted herself hoarse before she turned on AJ, who backed away. "I'm very pleased to see you, AJ, dear," she said. "Come in and have some breakfast."**

"Maybe she has a split-personality disorder." Muttered Kingsley to a laughing Tonks

**She turned and walked back into the house and AJ, after a nervous glance at Ron, who nodded encouragingly, followed her. The kitchen was small and rather cramped. There was a scrubbed wooden table and chairs in the middle, and AJ sat down on the edge of her seat, looking around. She had never been in a wizard house before.**

Remus closed his eyes, AJ shouldn't have been with the Dursleys, she should have been with her mom and dad.

**The clock on the wall opposite her had only one hand and no numbers at all. Written around the edge were things like Time to make tea, Time to feed the chickens, and You're late. Books were stacked three deep on the mantelpiece, books with titles like Charm Your Own Cheese, Enchantment in Baking, and One Minute Feasts — It's Magic! And unless AJ's ears were deceiving her, the old radio next to the sink had just announced that coming up was "Witching Hour, with the popular singing sorceress, Celestina Warbeck."**

Regulus and Sirius shuddered at that, their mother played those songs over and over again.

**Mrs. Weasley was clattering around, cooking breakfast a little haphazardly, throwing dirty looks at her sons as she threw sausages into the frying pan. Every now and then she muttered things like "don't know what you were thinking of," and "never would have believed it." **

**"I don't blame you, dear," she assured AJ, tipping eight or nine sausages onto her plate.**

"You better not have." Snarled Sirius "She was being starved and beaten, none of it was her fault."

**"Arthur and I have been worried about you, too. Just last night we were saying we'd come and get you ourselves if you hadn't written back to Ron by Friday. But really," (she was now adding three fried eggs to her plate) "flying an illegal car halfway across the country — anyone could have seen you —" She flicked her wand casually at the dishes in the sink, which began to clean themselves, clinking gently in the background. **

Hermione shook her head "You should have been happy your children were safe and not harmed in anyway."

**"It was cloudy, Mum!" said Fred. **

**"You keep your mouth closed while you're eating!" Mrs. Weasley snapped. **

Tonks looked disgusted at that, boys never had manners.

**"They were starving her, Mum!" said George.**

Regulus glared at the red headed women "They told you she was being starved?"

"You didn't do anything about it?" shouted Sirius

Remus growled lowly "Why wouldn't you bring this little bit of information to Dumbledore?"

Molly shook her head in irritation "They are always joking! I never know what the truth is with them!"

"Here's an idea mom, when they talk about their friend being STARVED take them seriously!" Charlie yelled

**"And you!" said Mrs. Weasley, but it was with a slightly softened expression that she started cutting AJ's bread and buttering it for her.**

"Just a word to the wise, I am capable of handling things with my hands." AJ said with sarcasm

Charlie nodded "Don't I know it." AJ shook her head at her clueless boyfriend.

Sirius glared "Shut it dragon boy." Charlie went red and made a mental note not to say things without thinking them through.

**At that moment there was a diversion in the form of a small, redheaded figure in a long nightdress, who appeared in the kitchen, gave a small squeal, and ran out again. "Ginny," said Ron in an undertone to AJ. "My sister. She's been talking about you all summer."**

"You're so stupid Ron!" yelled Ginny making everyone jump, they had completely forgot she was there.

**"Yeah, she'll be wanting your autograph, AJ," Fred said with a grin, but he caught his mother's eye and bent his face over his plate without another word. Nothing more was said until all four plates were clean, which took a surprisingly short time.**

**"Blimey, I'm tired," yawned Fred, setting down his knife and fork at last. "I think I'll go to bed and —"**

Kingsley laughed at that "I doubt that worked out too well for any of you."

**"You will not," snapped Mrs. Weasley. "It's your own fault you've been up all night. You're going to de-gnome the garden for me; they're getting completely out of hand again —" **

**"Oh, Mum —" **

**"And you two," she said, glaring at Ron and Fred. "You can go up to bed, AJ," she added to AJ. "You didn't ask them to fly that wretched car —"**

**AJ put on a bright smile "It's okay Mrs. Weasley, I'll help them. I've never seen a wizard's garden."**

"I can't believe you wanted to help AJ." Laughed Ron

**"That's very sweet of you, dear, but it's dull work," said Mrs. Weasley. "Now, let's see what Lockhart's got to say on the subject —"**

Everyone who was there for Lockhart's teaching groaned.

**And she pulled a heavy book from the stack on the mantelpiece. George groaned. "Mum, we know how to de-gnome a garden —" **

**AJ looked at the cover of Mrs. Weasley's book. Written across it in fancy gold letters were the words Gilderoy Lockhart's Guide to Household Pests. There was a big photograph on the front of a very conceded looking wizard with blonde hair and bright blue eyes.**

"Very accurate description." Ron snorted while Hermione went red.

**As always in the wizarding world, the photograph was moving; the wizard, who AJ supposed was Gilderoy Lockhart, kept winking cheekily up at them all. Mrs. Weasley beamed down at him. **

**"Oh, he is marvelous," she said. "He knows his household pests, all right, it's a wonderful book…" **

"He's a dumb ass wrapped in a moron." AJ snarked "He got what he deserved."

Ginny glared "No one deserves that!"

AJ glared right back "Oh yeah Gin, ya think so? I guess we'll see by the end of the book."

**"Mum fancies him," said Fred, in a very audible whisper.**

**"Don't be so ridiculous, Fred," said Mrs. Weasley, her cheeks rather pink. "All right, if you think you know better than Lockhart, you can go and get on with it, and woe betide you if there's a single gnome in that garden when I come out to inspect it."**

**Yawning and grumbling, the Weasleys slouched outside with AJ behind them. The garden was large, and in AJ's eyes, exactly what a garden should be.**

Molly smiled brightly at that, she loved her garden and took pride in it.

**The Dursleys wouldn't have liked it — there were plenty of weeds, and the grass needed cutting — but there were gnarled trees all around the walls, plants AJ had never seen spilling from every flower bed, and a big green pond full of frogs.**

**"Muggles have garden gnomes, too, you know," AJ told Ron they crossed the lawn.**

Sirius couldn't help but laugh at remembering the gift he gave his parents for their anniversary. He thought giving them a muggle gnome was a rather nice gift, father didn't think so though. Shame really.

**"Yeah, I've seen those things they think are gnomes," said Ron, bent double with his head in a peony bush, "like fat little Father Christmas' with fishing rods…" There was a violent scuffling noise, the peony bush shuddered, and Ron straightened up. "This is a gnome," he said grimly. **

**"Gerroff me! Gerroff me!" squealed the gnome.**

**It was certainly nothing like Father Christmas. It was small and leathery looking, with a large, knobby, bald head exactly like a potato.**

"They're so bloody annoying," muttered Tonks "my mom used to make me do that once or twice a month.

**Ron held it at arm's length as it kicked out at him with its horny little feet; he grasped it around the ankles and turned it upside down.**

**"This is what you have to do," he said. He raised the gnome above his head ("Gerroff me!") and started to swing it in great circles like a lasso. Seeing the shocked look on AJ's face, Ron added, "It doesn't hurt them —you've just got to make them really dizzy so they can't find their way back to the gnome holes." He let go of the gnome's ankles: It flew twenty feet into the air and landed with a thud in the field over the hedge.**

"That's totally barbaric." Grumbled Hermione

Bill laughed softly "Trust me Mio, it doesn't hurt them."

**"Pitiful," said Fred. "I bet I can get mine beyond that stump."**

**AJ learned quickly not to feel too sorry for the gnomes. She decided just to drop the first one she caught over the hedge, but the gnome, sensing weakness, sank its razor-sharp teeth into AJ's finger and she had a hard job shaking it off — until — **

**"Wow, AJ — that must've been fifty feet…"**

"Damn kid, beat my record by a long shot." Kingsley remarked.

**The air was soon thick with flying gnomes. **

**"See, they're not too bright," said George, seizing five or six gnomes at once. "The moment they know the de-gnoming's going on they storm up to have a look. You'd think they'd have learned by now just to stay put."**

Regulus shook his head "They're mini Dursleys, they don't learn."

**Soon, the crowd of gnomes in the field started walking away in a straggling line, their little shoulders hunched. **

**"They'll be back," said Ron as they watched the gnomes disappear into the hedge on the other side of the field. "They love it here… Dad's too soft with them; he thinks they're funny…"**

Molly was fuming at that, they always ruined her garden.

**Just then, the front door slammed. **

**"He's back!" said George. "Dad's home!"**

AJ smiled at that, no matter how old children get they always want to see their dads.

**They hurried through the garden and back into the house.**

**Mr. Weasley was slumped in a kitchen chair with his glasses off and his eyes closed. He was a thin man, going bald, but the little hair he had was as red as any of his children's. He was wearing long green robes, which were dusty and travel-worn. **

**"What a night," he mumbled, groping for the teapot as they all sat down around him. "Nine raids. Nine! And old Mundungus Fletcher tried to put a hex on me when I had my back turned…" Mr. Weasley took a long gulp of tea and sighed.**

"He's an idiot, never had and never will have much sense." Remus stated

**"Find anything, Dad?" said Fred eagerly. **

**"All I got were a few shrinking door keys and a biting kettle," yawned Mr. Weasley. "There was some pretty nasty stuff that wasn't my department, though. Mortlake was taken away for questioning about some extremely odd ferrets,**

The golden trio couldn't help but laugh at that, ferrets were their favorite animals of course.

**but that's the Committee on Experimental Charms, thank goodness…" **

**"Why would anyone bother making door keys shrink?" said George.**

"Because they're mean and have nothing better to do with their pathetic lives." Hermione deadpanned

**"Just Muggle-baiting," sighed Mr. Weasley. "Sell them a key that keeps shrinking to nothing so they can never find it when they need it... Of course, it's very hard to convict anyone because no Muggle would admit their key keeps shrinking — they'll insist they just keep losing it. Bless them, they'll go to any lengths to ignore magic, even if it's staring them in the face… But the things our lot have taken to enchanting, you wouldn't believe —"**

**"LIKE CARS, FOR INSTANCE?"**

"Damn," muttered Charlie "dad walked right into that one."

**Mrs. Weasley had appeared, holding a long poker like a sword. Mr. Weasley's eyes jerked open. He stared guiltily at his wife. **

**"C-cars, Molly, dear?" **

Sirius rolled his eyes "You shouldn't have this conversation in front of your children.

**"Yes, Arthur, cars," said Mrs. Weasley, her eyes flashing. "Imagine a wizard buying a rusty old car and telling his wife all he wanted to do with it was take it apart to see how it worked, while really he was enchanting it to make it fly."**

"Speaking in third person, gotta be really pissed for that to happen." Tonks said

**Mr. Weasley blinked. **

**"Well, dear, I think you'll find that he would be quite within the law to do that, even if — er — he maybe would have done better to, um, tell his wife the truth… There's a loophole in the law, you'll find… As long as he wasn't intending to fly the car, the fact that the car could fly wouldn't —"**

"Now I could be mistaken but didn't Arthur help to get that law passed?" Kingsley asked with laughter in his voice

Remus couldn't help but laugh "I'm pretty sure he did."

**"Arthur Weasley, you made sure there was a loophole when you wrote that law!" shouted Mrs. Weasley. "Just so you could carry on tinkering with all that Muggle rubbish in your shed! And for your information, AJ arrived this morning in the car you weren't intending to fly!" **

**"AJ?" said Mr. Weasley blankly. "AJ who?"**

Everyone chuckled at that, AJ must have been very happy at hearing that.

**He looked around, saw AJ, and jumped.**

**"Good lord, is it AJ Potter? Very pleased to meet you, Ron's told us so much about —"**

"You're one of my best friends, of course my parents know a lot about you." Ron smiled at his blushing friend

**"Your sons flew that car to AJ's house and back last night!" shouted Mrs. Weasley. "What have you got to say about that, eh?"**

**"Did you really?" said Mr. Weasley eagerly. "Did it go all right? I — I mean," he faltered as sparks flew from Mrs. Weasley's eyes, "that — that was very wrong, boys — very wrong indeed…"**

Charlie and Bill laughed at that, their dad could be strict but it was very rare.

**"Let's leave them to it," Ron muttered to AJ as Mrs. Weasley swelled like a bullfrog. "Come on, I'll show you my bedroom." **

**"Where will I be sleeping?" AJ wanted to know as they left the kitchen. "Unless you want to?" AJ asked in false seductiveness**

Charlie glared at his blushing brother, he couldn't help that he got jealous with guys around AJ.

"Better not have." Sirius grumbled

**Ron blushed and shook his head. "Mum was going to put you up in Ginny's room... but she's being a little... shy."**

**They walked down a narrow passageway to an uneven staircase, which wound its way, zigzagging up through the house. On the second landing, a door stood open. AJ just caught sight of a pair of brown eyes staring at her before it closed with a snap.**

Ginny blushed very deeply at that, while Hermione was trying to contain her mirth, Ginny could be very odd around AJ.

**"Ginny," said Ron. "You don't know how weird it is for her to be this shy. She never shuts up normally —"**

**"She does seem very shy," said AJ worriedly. "I don't want her to feel like I'm invading her space."**

Ginny gave AJ a small smile "Thanks AJ."

**"Nah," Ron waved her off. "She'll get over it, we all grew up hearing about the famous AJ Potter and all you did. It's kind of like a fairy tale the way your story was told to kids. But once she sees what nut you are she'll lose the shyness." He grinned at her.**

**"Oh you crack me up boo," she pushed at him lightly and grinned back.**

Sirius and Remus smiled at that, the marauders used to joke around like that all the time. They wished James was here to see how grown up his little girl was.

**They climbed two more flights until they reached a door with peeling paint and a small plaque on it, saying RONALD'S ROOM. AJ stepped in, her head almost touching the sloping ceiling, and blinked. It was like walking into a furnace:**

"A very nice furnace though." AJ smiled apologetically at her friend

**Nearly everything in Ron's room seemed to be a violent shade of orange: the bedspread, the walls, even the ceiling. Then AJ realized that Ron had covered nearly every inch of the shabby wallpaper with posters of the same seven witches and wizards, all wearing bright orange robes, carrying broomsticks, and waving energetically.**

**"Your Quidditch team?" said AJ. **

Hermione rolled her eyes, honestly they acted as if Quidditch made the world go round.

**"The Chudley Cannons," said Ron, pointing at the orange bedspread, which was emblazoned with two giant black C's and a speeding cannonball. "Ninth in the league."**

Regulus smiled proudly "That's my team too Ron!"

"We need to talk later!" Ron said enthusiastically

**Ron's school spell-books were stacked untidily in a corner, next to a pile of comics that all seemed to feature The Adventures of Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle.**

Bill smiled at that, he introduced Ron into those comics, it was something they had in common.

**Ron's magic wand was lying on top of a fish tank full of frog spawn on the windowsill, next to his who was snoozing in a patch of sun. **

"Stupid rat, wish would go die." Snared Remus

**AJ stepped over a pack of Self-Shuffling playing cards on the floor and looked out of the tiny window. In the field far below she could see a gang of gnomes sneaking one by one back through the Weasleys' hedge. Then she turned to look at Ron, who was watching her almost nervously, as though waiting for her opinion. **

**"It's a bit small," said Ron quickly. "Not like that room you had with the Muggles. And I'm right underneath the ghoul in the attic; he's always banging on the pipes and groaning…" **

"Sounds pretty kick ass if you ask me." Kingsley said offhandedly

**But AJ, grinning widely, said, "This is the best house I've ever been in."**

**Ron's ears went pink.**

"Want to read next dragon boy?" Kingsley asked with a cheerful voice

Charlie grumbled but grabbed the book none the less "**At Flourish and Blotts..."**


	25. Flourish and Blotts

**Life at the Burrow was as different as possible from life on Privet Drive.**

Sirius snorted at that "I would hope so."

**The Dursleys liked everything neat and ordered; the Weasleys' house burst with the strange and unexpected. AJ got a shock the first time she looked in the mirror over the kitchen mantelpiece and it shouted, "Tuck your shirt in, scruffy!"**

"Has it always done that?" asked Hermione

Bill shook his head "Nope the twins took dads wand one day and hit the mirror now it insults teenagers."

**The ghoul in the attic howled and dropped pipes whenever he felt things were getting too quiet, and small explosions from Fred and George's bedroom were considered perfectly normal.**

"They always have something planned." Charlie smiled

"It's never anything good either." Molly muttered furiously

**What AJ found most unusual about life at Ron's, however, wasn't the talking mirror or the clanking ghoul: it was the fact that everybody there seemed to like her.**

"That's because you're amazing punk." Charlie gave a forced smile, wanting nothing more than to kill the occupants of Number Four Private Drive.

**Mrs. Weasley fussed over the state of her socks and tried to force her to eat fourth helpings at every meal. Mr. Weasley liked AJ to sit next to him at the dinner table so that he could bombard her with questions about life with Muggles, asking her to explain how things like plugs and the postal service worked. **

**"Fascinating." he would say as AJ talked him through using a telephone.**

"And yet using the phone was still lost on some people throughout that conversation." AJ said with a pointed look to Ron

Ron blushed "Sorry AJ, I didn't mean to cause more trouble for you."

**"Ingenious, really, how many ways Muggles have found of getting along without magic." **

**AJ heard from Hogwarts one sunny morning about a week after she had arrived at the Burrow. She and Ron went down to breakfast to find Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Ginny already sitting at the kitchen table. The moment she saw AJ, Ginny accidentally knocked her porridge bowl to the floor with a loud clatter. Ginny seemed very prone to knocking things over whenever AJ entered a room. She dived under the table to retrieve the bowl and emerged with her face glowing like the setting sun. Pretending she hadn't noticed this, AJ sat down and took the toast Mrs. Weasley offered her.**

Ginny glared at AJ "You don't have to pretend, I knew you noticed. You notice everything."

"Fine, next time you make an ass out of yourself I'll call you out on it in front of everyone." Shrugged AJ, it didn't matter to either way.

**"Letters from school," said Mr. Weasley, passing AJ and Ron identical envelopes of yellowish parchment, addressed in green ink. "Dumbledore already knows you're here, AJ— doesn't miss a trick, that man. You two've got them, too," he added, as Fred and George ambled in, still in their pajamas.**

**For a few minutes there was silence as they all read their letters. AJ's told her to catch the Hogwarts Express as usual from King's Cross station on September first. There was also a list of the new books she'd need for the coming year. **

**SECOND-YEAR STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE:**

**The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 by Miranda Goshawk**

**Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart**

**Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart**

**Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart**

**Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart**

**Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart**

**Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart**

**Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart**

Remus glared darkly at the book "He was an ass at school and by the titles of these books he's still an ass."

"What I want to know it how he actually wrote books, he wouldn't know the difference between a tickling charm and the killing curse. He was a stuck up jackass during school." Sirius said with a frown

**Fred, who had finished his own list, peered over at AJ's. **

**"You've been told to get all Lockhart's books, too!" he said. "The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher must be a fan — bet it's a witch." At this point, Fred caught his mother's eye and quickly busied himself with the marmalade.**

"Was he really the only option sir?" asked Tonks "Like you couldn't find a homeless person willing to teach?"

Dumbledore shook his head sadly "No I'm afraid not, he was our option."

**"That lot won't come cheap," said George, with a quick look at his parents. "Lockhart's books are really expensive…"**

**"Well, we'll manage," said Mrs. Weasley, but she looked worried. "I expect we'll be able to pick up a lot of Ginny's things secondhand."**

Ginny scowled at that, she didn't have to mention that in front of AJ Potter.

**"Oh, are you starting at Hogwarts this year?" AJ asked Ginny. **

**She nodded, blushing to the roots of her flaming hair, and put her elbow in the butter dish.**

Bill couldn't help the chuckle at that "I suppose you could take that as a yes."

**Fortunately no one saw this except AJ, because just then Ron's elder brother Percy walked in. He was already dressed, his Hogwarts prefect badge pinned to his sweater vest.**

"That's not stuck up in the least." Hermione rolled her eyes, she never understood Percy.

**"Morning, all," said Percy briskly. "Lovely day." **

**He sat down in the only remaining chair but leapt up again almost immediately, pulling from underneath him a molting, gray feather duster — at least, that was what AJ thought it was, until she saw that it was breathing.**

"I'm buying the family an owl, he's obviously on his last wing and it's not right to push him." Charlie said

**"Errol!" said Ron, taking the limp owl from Percy and extracting a letter from under its wing. "Finally— he's got Hermione's answer. I wrote to her saying we were going to try and rescue you from the Dursleys." He carried Errol to a perch just inside the back door and tried to stand him on it, but Errol flopped straight off again so Ron lay him on the draining board instead, muttering, "Pathetic."**

Molly glared "He's been a faithful owl to us Ron and they are very expensive."

"Maybe you shouldn't have had so many kids if you were going to barely make ends meet." Suggested Regulus under his breath, Sirius hit him with a pillow upon hearing that but couldn't help but snicker along with his little brother.

**Then he ripped open Hermione's letter and read it out loud: **

_**"`Dear Ron, and AJ if you're there, **_

_**"`I hope everything went all right and that AJ is okay and that you didn't do anything illegal to get her out, Ron, because that would get AJ into trouble, too.**_

"Maybe you should have sent your letter a little sooner Mio." Suggested Kingsley

Hermione snorted "That wouldn't have done anything."

_**I've been really worried and if AJ is all right, will you please let me know at once, but perhaps it would be better if you used a different owl because I think another delivery might finish your one off. I'm very busy with schoolwork, of course**_

**'— How can she be?" said Ron in horror. "We're on vacation! **

"You still get homework over vacation Ron." Smiled Remus

—_**'and we're going to London next Wednesday to buy my new books. Why don't we meet in Diagon Alley? Let me know what's happening as soon as you can. **_

_**Love from Hermione.'"**_

**"Well, that fits in nicely, we can go and get all your things then, too," said Mrs. Weasley, starting to clear the table. "What're you all up to today?"**

**AJ, Ron, Fred, and George were planning to go up the hill to a small paddock the Weasleys owned. It was surrounded by trees that blocked it from view of the village below, meaning that they could practice Quidditch there, as long as they didn't fly too high. **

"Why don't you guys ever ask me to play?" Asked Ginny

Ron shrugged "You never seem interested in quidditch."

**They couldn't use real Quidditch balls, which would have been hard to explain if they had escaped and flown away over the village; instead they threw apples for one another to catch. They took turns riding AJ's Nimbus Two Thousand, which was easily the best broom; Ron's old Shooting Star was often outstripped by passing butterflies.**

Ron shifted uncomfortable at that.

**Five minutes later they were marching up the hill, broomsticks over their shoulders. They had asked Percy if he wanted to join them, but he had said he was busy. AJ had only seen Percy at mealtimes so far; he stayed shut in his room the rest of the time.**

"Better then annoying the hell out of everyone else." Bill muttered

**"Wish I knew what he was up to," said Fred, frowning. "He's not himself. His exam results came the day before you did; twelve O.W.L.s and he hardly gloated at all."**

"Twelve?" gaped Remus "I only got six."

"It's okay love I still love you." Smiled Sirius

**"Ordinary Wizarding Levels," George explained, seeing AJ's puzzled look. "Bill got twelve, too. If we're not careful, we'll have another Head Boy in the family. I don't think I could stand the shame."**

"What's wrong with being head boy?" Bill asked offended

Charlie started to snicker "What isn't wrong with being head boy?"

**Bill was the oldest Weasley brother. He and the next brother, Charlie, had already left Hogwarts. AJ had never met Bill but she had met Charlie briefly the year before,**

"Yeah can't forget about that little meeting with dragon boy can we?" Snorted Kingsley

**Charlie was in Romania studying dragons and Bill in Egypt working for the wizard's bank, Gringotts.**

"Egypt is so much better then Romania AJ. I should come first in that sentence." Teased Bill

Charlie glared but AJ answered before he could rise to the bait "Playing with dragons would be a lot more fun than hanging around a bunch of Goblins." Charlie smiled and Bill pretended to pout at that.

**"Dunno how Mum and Dad are going to afford all our school stuff this year," said George after a while. "Five sets of Lockhart books! And Ginny needs robes and a wand and everything…"**

**AJ said nothing. She felt a bit awkward.**

"Don't feel awkward AJ, we shouldn't have been talking about stuff like that in front of a guest." Ron said in a surprisingly mature way

**Stored in an underground vault at Gringotts in London was a small fortune that her parents had left her. Of course, it was only in the wizarding world that she had money; you couldn't use Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts in Muggle shops. She had never mentioned her Gringotts bank account to the Dursleys; she didn't think their hatred of anything connected with magic would stretch to a large pile of gold.**

"Stupid greedy bastards." Tonks muttered angrily

**Mrs. Weasley woke them all early the following Wednesday. After a quick half a dozen bacon sandwiches each, they pulled on their coats and Mrs. Weasley took a flowerpot off the kitchen mantelpiece and peered inside.**

**"We're running low, Arthur," she sighed. "We'll have to buy some more today… Ah well, guests first! After you, AJ dear!" And she offered her the flowerpot.**

"She has no idea what that is." Sirius stated "She lived with muggles."

**AJ stared at them all watching her. **

**"W-what am I supposed to do?" she stammered.**

"Don't be embarrassed kid, you're not used to all the ins and outs with magic." Not wanting the girl to feel stupider then she already did no doubt.

**"She's never travelled by Floo powder," said Ron suddenly. "Sorry, AJ, I forgot." **

**"Never?" said Mr. Weasley. "But how did you get to Diagon Alley to buy your school things last year?" **

AJ smiled at the memory of going with Hagrid.

**"I went on the Underground —" **

**"Really?" said Mr. Weasley eagerly. "Were there escapators? How exactly —"**

Everyone snorted at that, Arthur was very funny when it came to anything Muggle related.

**"Not now, Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley. "Floo powder's a lot quicker, dear, but goodness me, if you've never used it before —" **

**"She'll be all right, Mum," said Fred.**

Ron hid a smile "Fred was a little off on that one."

**"AJ, watch us first."**

**He took a pinch of glittering powder out of the flowerpot, stepped up to the fire, and threw the powder into the flames. With a roar, the fire turned emerald-green and rose higher than Fred, who stepped right into it, shouted, "Diagon Alley!" and vanished.**

AJ shook her head "That was one of the most bizarre moments of my life."

**"You must speak clearly, dear," Mrs. Weasley told Juniper as George dipped his hand into the flowerpot. "And be sure to get out at the right grate…" **

**"The right what?" said AJ nervously as the fire roared and whipped George out of sight, too.**

**"Well, there are an awful lot of wizard fires to choose from, you know, but as long as you've spoken clearly —"**

Remus groaned "You're all giving her too much information; you're just going to make her more nervous."

**"She'll be fine, Molly, don't fuss," said Mr. Weasley, helping himself to Floo powder too.**

**"But, dear, if she got lost, how would we ever explain to her aunt and uncle?"**

**"They wouldn't mind," AJ reassured her. "Dudley would think it was a brilliant joke if I got lost up a chimney, don't worry about that —"**

Sirius gripped the arm rest rather tight at that "Of course they wouldn't mind, they're soulless bastards."

**"Well… all right… you go after Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley. "Now, when you get into the fire, say where you're going."**

**"And keep your elbows tucked in," Ron advised. **

**"And your eyes shut," said Mrs. Weasley. "The soot —" **

**"Don't fidget," said Ron. "Or you might fall out of the wrong fireplace —" **

**"But don't panic and get out too early; wait until you see Fred and George."**

Bill dropped his head into his hands at that "You're overloading her with information! You're going to make this harder than it is."

**Trying hard to bear all this in mind, AJ took a pinch of Floo powder and walked to the edge of the fire. She took a deep breath, scattered the powder into the flames, and stepped forward; the fire felt like a warm breeze; she opened her mouth and immediately swallowed a lot of hot ash. **

**"D-Dia-gon Alley," she coughed.**

"Somehow I doubt you winded up in Diagon Alley." Regulus muttered

**It felt as though she was being sucked down a giant drain. She seemed to be spinning very fast — the roaring in her ears was deafening — she tried to keep her eyes open but the whirl of green flames made her feel sick —something hard knocked her elbow and she tucked it in tightly, still spinning and spinning — now it felt as though cold hands were slapping her face — squinting through her glasses she saw a blurred stream of fireplaces and snatched glimpses of the rooms beyond — her bacon sandwiches were churning inside her— she closed her eyes again wishing it would stop, and then…she fell, face forward, onto cold stone.**

Hermione winced sympathetically at that, she only used floo powder once and she didn't like it one bit either.

**Dizzy and bruised, covered in soot, she got gingerly to her feet. She was quite alone, but where she was, she had no idea. All she could tell was that she was standing in the stone fireplace of what looked like a large, dimly lit wizard's shop — but nothing in here was ever likely to be on a Hogwarts school list. A glass case nearby held a withered hand on a cushion,**

Regulus and Sirius moaned in fear at that, they knew where she was and they wanted her out of there as fast as possible!

**a bloodstained pack of cards, and a staring glass eye. Evil-looking masks stared down from the walls, an assortment of human bones lay upon the counter, and rusty, spiked instruments hung from the ceiling. Even worse, the dark, narrow street AJ could see through the dusty shop window was definitely not Diagon Alley.**

**The sooner she got out of here, the better.**

Tonks wrinkled her nose at that "You should leave before someone comes in, it doesn't sound like a good place to be."

**Nose still stinging where it had hit the hearth, AJ made her way swiftly and silently toward the door, but before she'd got halfway toward it, two people appeared on the other side of the glass — and one of them was the very last person AJ wanted to meet when she was lost, covered in soot, and aching: Draco Malfoy.**

Kingsley rolled his eyes "Daddy isn't far behind I'm sure."

Remus narrowed his eyes "He's either selling or buying and when it comes to a Malfoy it could go either way."

**AJ looked quickly around and spotted a large black cabinet to her left; she shot inside it and pulled the doors closed, leaving a small crack to peer through.**

Charlie looked wide eyed at that "Don't ever do that punk! You never know what may be in that cabinet or what kind it is."

"I know now Charlie, don't worry." AJ smiled at the concern he had for her.

**Seconds later, a bell clanged, and Malfoy stepped into the shop. **

**The man who followed could only be Draco's father.**

Everyone scowled at that.

**He had the same pale, pointed face and identical cold, gray eyes. Mr. Malfoy crossed the shop, looking lazily at the items on display, and rang a bell on the counter before turning to his son and saying, "Touch nothing, Draco."**

"Well I'll be damned Lucy has common sense." Snarled Sirius

Regulus snorted "I doubt it was out of love for his son that he didn't want him to touch anything."

**Malfoy, who had reached for the glass eye, said, "I thought you were going to buy me a present."**

"Why would he want something from that place?" Hermione asked with distaste

Bill shrugged "It must be a death eater thing, only wanting dark things."

**"I said I would buy you a racing broom," said his father, drumming his fingers on the counter.**

**"What's the good of that if I'm not on the House team?" said Malfoy, looking sulky and bad-tempered. "Alessandra Potter got a Nimbus Two Thousand last year.**

"Someone's jealous of you kid," Kingsley smirked "and I doubt it has to do with fame."

**Special permission from Dumbledore so she could play for Gryffindor. She's not even that good, it's just because she's famous… famous for having a stupid scar on her forehead…"**

"If he wants a scar on his forehead by all means just ask," Ron snarled "I'd be happy to give him one."

**Malfoy bent down to examine a shelf full of skulls. "… everyone thinks she's so smart, wonderful Potter with her scar and her broomstick —"**

"What do intelligence and a racing broom have anything to do with one another?" Tonks asked confused

"They don't Tonks, he just wants to bitch and moan." Regulus bit out

**"You have told me this at least a dozen times already," said Mr. Malfoy, with a quelling look at his son. "And I would remind you that it is not — prudent — to appear less than fond of Alessandra Potter, not when most of our kind regards her as the hero who made the Dark Lord disappear — ah, Mr. Borgin."**

"Damn," Remus swore "you need to get out of there as soon as possible."

AJ laid a hand on his arm silently reminding him she was there and not in that disgusting store.

**A stooping man had appeared behind the counter, smoothing his greasy hair back from his face. "Mr. Malfoy, what a pleasure to see you again," said Mr. Borgin in a voice as oily as his hair. "Delighted — and young Master Malfoy, too — charmed.**

"Of course he'd be happy to have the Malfoy's there," sneered Bill "more chance of a big sale."

**How may I be of assistance? I must show you, just in today, and very reasonably priced —" **

**"I'm not buying today, Mr. Borgin, but selling," said Mr. Malfoy.**

"Good," muttered Kingsley "he's nervous."

Tonks looked up happily "Maybe there's something in here we can use against him!"

**"Selling?" The smile faded slightly from Mr. Borgin's face. **

**"You have heard, of course, that the Ministry is conducting more raids," said Mr. Malfoy, taking a roll of parchment from his inside pocket and unravelling it for Mr. Borgin to read. "I have a few — ah — items at home that might embarrass me, if the Ministry were to call…"**

Charlie rolled his eyes "It wouldn't embarrass him, it would get his ass locked in Azkaban."

**Mr. Borgin fixed a pair of pince-nez to his nose and looked down the list. "The Ministry wouldn't presume to trouble you, sir, surely?"**

**Mr. Malfoy's lip curled. "I have not been visited yet. The name Malfoy still commands a certain respect, yet the Ministry grows ever more meddlesome. There are rumors about a new Muggle Protection Act — no doubt that flea-bitten, Muggle-loving fool Arthur Weasley is behind it —"**

The Weasley family glared at that, he was always insulting their family!

**AJ felt a hot surge of anger.**

**"— and as you see, certain of these poisons might make it appear —"**

Kingsley and Tonks were writing down things left and right in hopes of getting something on Malfoy Senior.

**"I understand, sir, of course," said Mr. Borgin. "Let me see…"**

**"Can I have that?" interrupted Draco, pointing at the withered hand on its cushion.**

**"Ah, the Hand of Glory!" said Mr. Borgin, abandoning Mr. Malfoy's list and scurrying over to Draco. "Insert a candle and it gives light only to the holder! Best friend of thieves and plunderers! Your son has fine taste, sir."**

"Yeah I'm sure that's exactly what any father wants to hear." Hermione glared

**"I hope my son will amount to more than a thief or a plunderer, Borgin," said Mr. Malfoy coldly,**

"And yet I don't see him turning out to be a decent person." Ron argued

**and Mr. Borgin said quickly, "No offence, sir, no offence meant —"**

**"Though if his grades don't pick up," said Mr. Malfoy, more coldly still, "that may indeed be all he is fit for —"**

**"It's not my fault," retorted Draco. "The teachers all have favorites, that Hermione Granger —"**

Bill snarled at that "What did Hermione ever do to him?"

"I exist, that will annoy him forever." Hermione said with a small smile

**"I would have thought you'd be ashamed that a girl of no wizard family beat you in every exam," snapped Mr. Malfoy.**

**"Ha!" said AJ under her breath, pleased to see Draco looking both abashed and angry.**

"It really doesn't take much to get under juniors skin." Remarked Sirius

AJ shook her head "No he's always flying off the handle over something."

**"It's the same all over," said Mr. Borgin, in his oily voice. "Wizard blood is counting for less everywhere —" **

**"Not with me," said Mr. Malfoy, his long nostrils flaring.**

"He needs to give it a rest already!" Regulus yelled "You're a pure blood, good for you dumbass! Now go do something other than brag about it."

Remus laughed "I don't think that's how their minds work."

**"No, sir, nor with me, sir," said Mr. Borgin, with a deep bow.**

Kingsley shook his head, he'd say anything if it guaranteed a sale.

**"In that case, perhaps we can return to my list," said Mr. Malfoy shortly. "I am in something of a hurry, Borgin, I have important business elsewhere today —"**

**They started to haggle. AJ watched nervously as Draco drew nearer and nearer to her hiding place, examining the objects for sale. Draco paused to examine a long coil of hangman's rope and to read, smirking, the card propped on a magnificent necklace of opals, Caution: Do Not Touch. Cursed — Has Claimed the Lives of Nineteen Muggle Owners to Date.**

Hermione paled at that while Bill gave her gentle kiss on the head, he wouldn't let anything happen to her.

**Draco turned away and saw the cabinet right in front of him.**

"He didn't see me!" AJ said noticing everyone getting rather tense

**He walked forward — he stretched out his hand for the handle — "Done," said Mr. Malfoy at the counter. "Come, Draco —" **

**AJ wiped her forehead on her sleeve as Draco turned away.**

Everyone let out a breath at that, now she could leave.

**"Good day to you, Mr. Borgin. I'll expect you at the manor tomorrow to pick up the goods."**

**The moment the door had closed, Mr. Borgin dropped his oily manner. "Good day yourself, Mister Malfoy, and if the stories are true, you haven't sold me half of what's hidden in your manor…"**

"Oh they're true all right." Growled Tonks

Kingsley nodded "We'll get him; these books will help for something when it comes to that."

**Muttering darkly, Mr. Borgin disappeared into a back room. AJ waited for a minute in case he came back, then, quietly as she could, slipped out of the cabinet, past the glass cases, and out of the shop door. AJ stared around. She had emerged into a dingy alleyway that seemed to be made up entirely of shops devoted to the Dark Arts.**

"Mother and Fathers favorite stores." Sneered Sirius

**The one she'd just left, Borgin and Burkes, looked like the largest, but opposite was a nasty window display of shrunken heads and, two doors down, a large cage was alive with gigantic black spiders.**

Ron shivered at that and glared at AJ for another mention of spiders that in his opinion was completely unnecessary.

**Two shabby-looking wizards were watching her from the shadow of a doorway, muttering to each other in a way that she definitely did not like. Feeling jumpy, AJ set off, hoping against hope she'd be able to find a way out of here.**

"Just try and stay calm pup, it'll be easier to think if you're calm." Sirius advised

AJ smiled "I know daddy, it's over and done with now."

**An old wooden street sign hanging over a shop selling poisonous candles told her she was in Knockturn Alley. This didn't help, as AJ had never heard of such a place. She supposed she hadn't spoken clearly enough through her mouthful of ashes back in the Weasleys' fire. Trying to stay calm, she wondered what to do.**

**"Not lost are you, my dear?" said a voice in his ear, making her jump**

Molly paled at that, AJ needed to find some help.

**An aged witch stood in front of her, holding a tray of what looked horribly like whole human fingernails. She leered at her, showing mossy teeth. AJ backed away. **

**"I'm fine, thanks," she said. **

**"AJ! What d'yeh think yer doin' down there?"**

Charlie breathed out a sigh of relief, Hagrid would keep her safe.

**AJ's heart leapt. So did the witch; a load of fingernails cascaded down over her feet**

"Once again too much information." Hermione muttered

**and she cursed as the massive form of Hagrid, the Hogwarts' gamekeeper, came striding toward them, beetle-black eyes flashing over his great bristling beard. **

**"Hagrid!" AJ sighed in relief. "The floo powder —" **

**Hagrid seized AJ by the scruff of the neck and pulled her away from the witch, knocking the tray right out of her hands. Her shrieks followed them all the way along the twisting alleyway out into bright sunlight. AJ saw a familiar, snow-white marble building in the distance — Gringotts Bank. Hagrid had steered her right into Diagon Alley.**

"Good and stay out of that hell hole!" Regulus said very much relieved

**"Yer a mess!" said Hagrid gruffly; brushing soot off AJ so forcefully he nearly knocked her into a barrel of dragon dung outside an apothecary. "Skulkin' around**

**Knockturn Alley, I dunno – dodgy place, AJ – don' want no one ter see yeh down there —"**

Bill nodded at that, Knockturn Alley was not a good place.

**"I realized that," said AJ, ducking as Hagrid made to brush her off again. "I told you, I was lost — what were you doing down there, anyway?"**

**"I was lookin' fer a Flesh-Eatin' Slug Repellent," growled Hagrid. "They're ruinin' the school cabbages. Yer not on yer own?"**

Sirius laughed a little "Of course she's not on her own."

**"I'm staying with the Weasleys but we got separated," AJ explained. "I've got to go and find them…" **

**They set off together down the street. **

**"How come yeh never wrote back ter me?" said Hagrid as AJ jogged alongside him. AJ explained all about Dobby and the Dursleys**

**"Lousy Muggles," growled Hagrid. "If I'd've known —"**

"Probably would turned Dudley into a pig or something" laughed Tonks

**"AJ! AJ! Over here!" **

**AJ looked up and saw Hermione Granger standing at the top of the white flight of steps to Gringotts. She ran down to meet them, her bushy brown hair flying behind her.**

Hermione blushed at her description.

**"What happened to you? Hello, Hagrid — Oh, it's wonderful to see you two again — Are you coming into Gringotts, AJ?" **

"Nah I was thinking more along the lines of selling blood for my school things." AJ chuckled

Hermione scowled "You're funny, real funny AJ."

**"As soon as I've found the Weasleys," said AJ. **

**"Yeh won't have long ter wait," Hagrid said with a grin.**

"Here we go." Groaned AJ

**AJ and Hermione looked around: sprinting up the crowded street were Ron, Fred, George, Percy, and Mr. Weasley. "AJ," Mr. Weasley panted. "We hoped you'd only gone one grate too far…" He mopped his glistening bald patch. "Molly's frantic — she's coming now —"**

Remus groaned, he could only imagine what Molly had said.

**"Where did you come out?" Ron asked. **

**"Knockturn Alley," said Hagrid grimly. **

**"Excellent!" said Fred and George together.**

"It is most certainly not excellent!" Molly glared

**"We've never been allowed in," said Ron enviously. **

**"I should ruddy well think not," growled Hagrid. Mrs. Weasley now came galloping into view, her handbag swinging wildly in one hand, Ginny just clinging onto the other.**

Ginny blushed at that, she was still young and didn't want to get lost.

"**Oh AJ! Where have you been? We couldn't find you! We told you to speak clearly, that was very irresponsible of you." Mrs. Weasley puffed out**

**AJ took a calming breath "Mrs. Weasley I didn't do it on purpose so please don't try and make me feel bad for an honest mistake."**

"Molly for the record AJ is not your daughter and she never will be. If she marries dragon boy she'll be your daughter-in-law that's it. She didn't do anything wrong and you trying to make her feel guilty over that is complete and utter bullshit!" Sirius bit out

Molly glared daggers "I was worried Sirius! You obviously don't care-"

But Remus cut her off "Don't care? Don't care? How dare you come into our home and tell my husband he doesn't care about our daughter! Molly this happened when she was thirteen so us getting angry at her for making a mistake is beyond stupid! When AJ puts herself in harm's way NOW you better believe that Sirius, Regulus and myself will be there to straighten out the mess. But don't you dare say we don't care about our daughter!" Remus was to the point of shaking he was so furious with the red headed women.

Seeing she wasn't going to give up Charlie cut her off "Let it go mom, you're not AJ's mom and have no right to question Sirius and Remus in their own home. Moving on…"

**"Well, gotta be off," said Hagrid, who was having his hand wrung by Mrs. Weasley ("Knockturn Alley! If you hadn't found her, Hagrid!"). "See yer at Hogwarts!" And he strode away, head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the packed street. **

**"Guess who I saw in Borgin and Burkes?" AJ asked Ron and Hermione as they climbed the Gringotts steps. "Malfoy and his father."**

Ron and Hermione smiled at their friend, she was always honest with them.

**"Did Lucius Malfoy buy anything?" said Mr. Weasley sharply behind them.**

"No," grumbled Kingsley "because he's damn coward."

**"No, he was selling —"**

**"So he's worried," said Mr. Weasley with grim satisfaction. "Oh, I'd love to get Lucius Malfoy for something…"**

"Trust me Arthur, we would too." Tonks muttered

**"You be careful, Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley sharply as they were bowed into the bank by a goblin at the door. "That family's trouble. Don't go biting off more than you can chew —" **

**"So you don't think I'm a match for Lucius Malfoy?" said Mr. Weasley indignantly, but he was distracted almost at once by the sight of Hermione's parents, who were standing nervously at the counter that ran all along the great marble hall, waiting for Hermione to introduce them. "But you're Muggles!" said Mr. Weasley delightedly.**

Hermione chuckled softly at that, her parent's found the Weasleys to be hilarious even if they didn't show it.

**"We must have a drink! What's that you've got there? Oh, you're changing Muggle money. Molly, look!" He pointed excitedly at the ten-pound notes in Mr. Granger's hand.**

**"Meet you back here," Ron said to Hermione as the Weasleys and AJ were led off to their underground vaults by another Gringotts goblin. **

**The vaults were reached by means of small, goblin-driven carts that sped along miniature train tracks through the bank's underground tunnels. AJ enjoyed the breakneck journey down to the Weasleys' vault, but felt dreadful, far worse than she had in Knockturn Alley, when it was opened. There was a very small pile of silver Sickles inside, and just one gold Galleon.**

AJ shifted uncomfortable at that "I'm sorry, I observe way too much."

Charlie shook his head with a smile "It's okay punk, I love you anyway."

**Mrs. Weasley felt right into the corners before sweeping the whole lot into her bag. AJ felt even worse when they reached her vault. She tried to block the contents from view as she hastily shoved handfuls of coins into a leather bag.**

"You didn't," Ron smiled "but it was nice of you to try."

"Thanks Ron." AJ smiled

**Back outside on the marble steps, they all separated. Percy muttered vaguely about needing a new quill. Fred and George had spotted their friend from Hogwarts, Lee Jordan. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were going to a secondhand robe shop. Mr. Weasley was insisting on taking the Grangers off to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink.**

"They really did enjoy that," commented Hermione "they love learning about the magical world almost as much as you all do about the muggle world."

**"We'll all meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour to buy your schoolbooks," said Mrs. Weasley, setting off with Ginny. "And not one step down Knockturn Alley!" she shouted at the twins' retreating backs.**

"They're not going into that Alley Molly!" Regulus sighed "You need to trust your children for the love of Merlin!"

Molly glared "You're not a parent! You wouldn't understand."

Regulus snorted "If you think for one minute that I'm not like a parent to AJ than you obviously haven't been paying attention to our interactions since I got here."

**AJ, Ron, and Hermione strolled off along the winding, cobbled street. The bag of gold, silver, and bronze jangling cheerfully in AJ's pocket was clamoring to be spent, so she bought three large strawberry-and-peanut-butter ice creams,**

Bill, Charlie and Ron all looked at the book wistfully, that ice cream sounded so good right about now but none of them were going to interrupt the chapter to discuss food.

**which they slurped happily as they wandered up the alley, examining the fascinating shop windows. Ron gazed longingly at a full set of Chudley Cannon robes in the windows of Quality Quidditch Supplies until Hermione dragged them off to buy ink and parchment next door. In Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop, they met Fred, George, and Lee Jordan, who were stocking up on Dr. Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks, and in a tiny junk shop full of broken wands, lopsided brass scales, and old cloaks covered in potion stains they found Percy, deeply immersed in a small and deeply boring book called Prefects Who Gained Power.**

Tonks laughed loudly at that "He's going to take over the world I bet."

"Maybe he could take over the ministry first than the world," Kingsley joked "you have to start off small."

**"A study of Hogwarts prefects and their later careers," Ron read aloud off the back cover. "That sounds fascinating…" **

**"Go away," Percy snapped.**

Ron shrugged "Can't say I didn't try to have a conversation with the idiot."

**"'Course, he's very ambitious, Percy, he's got it all planned out… He wants to be Minister of Magic…" Ron told AJ and Hermione in an undertone as they left Percy to it.**

"Does he really?" asked AJ

Bill snorted at that "I'm sure he does, the ministry only has jerks working there, he'd fit right in if he came to power."

**An hour later, they headed for Flourish and Blotts. They were by no means the only ones making their way to the bookshop. As they approached it, they saw to their surprise a large crowd jostling outside the doors, trying to get in. The reason for this was proclaimed by a large banner stretched across the upper windows: **

**GILDEROY LOCKHART **

**will be signing copies of his autobiography **

**MAGICAL ME **

**today 12:30P. 4:30P.M.**

Everyone who had been there that day scowled darkly at the book, that man was a moron.

**"We can actually meet him!" Hermione squealed. "I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist!"**

Hermione blushed deeply at that "Not. One. Word."

**AJ shook her head. Just because someone had written something didn't make it accurate in the least. His picture made him seem very arrogant and vain, but AJ knew better then to judge someone before she met them.**

Everyone smiled proudly at the blushing teen, she was remarkable for a teenager.

**The crowd seemed to be made up mostly of witches around Mrs. Weasley's age. A harassed-looking wizard stood at the door, saying, "Calmly, please, ladies… Don't push, there… mind the books, now…"**

**AJ, Ron, and Hermione squeezed inside. A long line wound right to the back of the shop, where Gilderoy Lockhart was signing his books. They each grabbed a copy of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 and sneaked up the line to where the rest of the Weasleys were standing with Mr. and Mrs. Granger.**

**"Oh, there you are, good," said Mrs. Weasley. She sounded breathless and kept patting her hair. "We'll be able to see him in a minute…"**

"Oh goody, I so want to meet the arrogant jackass." Snarled AJ

Sirius looked at her a bit worriedly, he did something to his niece to make him hate her and that wasn't an easy task to accomplish.

**Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view, seated at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, all winking and flashing dazzlingly white teeth at the crowd. The real Lockhart was wearing robes of forget-me-not blue that exactly matched his eyes; his pointed wizard's hat was set at a jaunty angle on his wavy hair.**

"I'm pretty damn glad I wasn't in the wizarding world while he was living the high life." Remarked Regulus

Sirius nodded "You and me both Reggie, Azkaban was no picnic but I may have preferred to have been there than a part of the real world with this nut."

**A short, irritable-looking man was dancing around taking photographs with a large black camera that emitted puffs of purple smoke with every blinding flash.**

**"Out of the way, there," he snarled at Ron, moving back to get a better shot. "This is for the Daily Prophet —"**

**"Big deal," said Ron, rubbing his foot where the photographer had stepped on it. Gilderoy Lockhart heard him.**

AJ glared daggers at Ron "I hate you."

**He looked up. He saw Ron — and then he saw AJ. He stared. Then he leapt to his feet and positively shouted, "It can't be Alessandra Potter?"**

**The crowd parted, whispering excitedly; Lockhart dived forward, seized AJ's arm, and pulled her to the front. The crowd burst into applause. AJ's face remained blank but her eyes were burning with anger while her hair went blood red as Lockhart shook her hand for the photographer, who was clicking away madly, wafting thick smoke over the Weasleys.**

**"Nice big smile, Alessandra," said Lockhart, through his own gleaming teeth. "Together, you and I are worth the front page."**

"Together?" breathed Kingsley "She's worth it on her own dirt bag!"

**When he finally let go of AJ's hand, AJ could hardly feel her fingers. She tried to sidle back over to the Weasleys, but Lockhart threw an arm around her shoulders and clamped her tightly to his side. AJ felt his fingertips glide up and down her arm in an almost seductive manner which caused AJ to struggle even more.**

"He did what?" Snarled Sirius, Regulus and Remus

Charlie was only seeing red at this point "That stupid son of a bitch! I'll kill him, I don't care where he is now! He deserves to die for whatever he did!"

AJ looked at the protective men "I understand where you're coming from, but he didn't do anything except hit on me." This did little to calm them down though.

Kingsley calmed down enough to mutter "Azkaban for the insane doesn't sound half bad,"

**"Ladies and gentlemen," he said loudly, waving for quiet. "What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time! When young Alessandra here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, she only wanted to buy my autobiography— which I shall be happy to present her now, free of charge —" The crowd applauded again.**

Charlie glared at that "Who gives a fuck what this pedophile has to say?"

"You dragon boy are officially my favorite person." Remus said with a grim smile

**"She had no idea," Lockhart continued, giving AJ a little shake, "that she would shortly be getting much, much more than my book, Magical Me. She and her schoolmates will, in fact, be getting the real magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that this September, I will be taking up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"**

Dumbledore looked down at that, he had made a terrible mistake hiring him and he would never forgive himself.

**The crowd cheered and clapped and AJ was absolutely disgusted when Lockhart pulled her into a hug,**

There were distinctive growls heard around the room at that.

**before she found herself being presented with the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart. Staggering slightly under their weight, she managed to make her way out of the limelight to the edge of the room, where Ginny was standing next to her new cauldron. Her cheeks were still burning.**

**"You have these," AJ mumbled to her, tipping the books into the cauldron. "I'll buy my own —"**

Bill smiled gratefully at AJ; that had saved his parents a lot of money right there.

**"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?" said a voice AJ had no trouble recognizing. She straightened up and found herself face-to-face with Draco Malfoy, who was wearing his usual sneer.**

"He never smiles, he must really be depressed with his life." Hermione remarked randomly

**"Famous Alessandra Potter," said Malfoy. "Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page." **

**"Leave her alone, she didn't want all that!" said Ginny. It was the first time she had spoken in front of AJ.**

"Thanks for that Ginny, it was kind of you." All AJ got in return was a shrug of the shoulders.

**She was glaring at Malfoy. AJ was surprised, even though she had been rooming with Ginny most of the summer.**

Tonks tried not to laugh at the blushing girl, but it was funny that she was a part of some odd club almost.

**"Potter, you've got yourself a fan girl!" drawled Malfoy. **

**Ginny went scarlet as Ron and Hermione fought their way over, both clutching stacks of Lockhart's books. "Oh, it's you," said Ron, looking at Malfoy as if he were something unpleasant on the sole of his shoe. "Bet you're surprised to see AJ here, eh?" **

**"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley," retorted Malfoy. "I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for all those."**

Charlie and Bill glared darkly at that, he needed to leave their family alone.

**Ron went as red as Ginny. He dropped his books into the cauldron, too, and started toward Malfoy, but AJ and Hermione grabbed the back of his jacket. **

"Should have let him get a few punches in." Bill muttered

**"Ron!" said Mr. Weasley, struggling over with Fred and George. "What are you doing? It's too crowded in here, let's go outside." **

**"Well, well, well — Arthur Weasley." It was Mr. Malfoy. He stood with his hand on Draco's shoulder, sneering in just the same way.**

"Lovely family resemblance." Snorted Hermione

**"Lucius," said Mr. Weasley, nodding coldly. **

**"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear," said Mr. Malfoy. "All those raids… I hope they're paying you overtime?"**

Sirius glared "Why can't he just go to an island without magic and never return?"

Remus kissed his husband "Because that would make us happy and if you haven't noticed the world seems to hate us."

**He reached into Ginny's cauldron and extracted, from amid the glossy Lockhart books, a very old, very battered copy of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration.**

AJ, Ron and Hermione growled at that, he must have planted the diary then.

**"Obviously not," Mr. Malfoy said. "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?" Mr. Weasley flushed darker than either Ron or Ginny.**

**"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy," he said. AJ smiled proudly at Mr. Weasley**

Regulus was smiling too "Arthur is awesome, he got an insult in without even rising to the bait. Good man." Bill, Ron, Charlie and Ginny smiled at that. Their father was amazing.

**"Clearly," said Mr. Malfoy, his pale eyes straying to Mr. and Mrs. Granger, who were watching apprehensively. "The company you keep, Weasley… and I thought your family could sink no lower."**

**There was a thud of metal as Ginny's cauldron went flying; Mr. Weasley had thrown himself at Mr. Malfoy, knocking him backward into a bookshelf.**

"GO DAD!" yelled Charlie and Bill

**Dozens of heavy spell-books came thundering down on all their heads; there was a yell of, "Get him, Dad!" from Fred or George; Mrs. Weasley was shrieking, "No, Arthur, no!"; the crowd stampeded backward, knocking more shelves over; "Gentlemen, please — please!" cried the assistant, and then, louder than all — "Break it up, there, gents, break it up —"**

Molly was glaring at the book in her sons hand, fighting in a public place was the dumbest thing Arthur had done.

**Hagrid was wading toward them through the sea of books. In an instant he had pulled Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy apart. Mr. Weasley had a cut lip and Mr. Malfoy had been hit in the eye by an Encyclopedia of Toadstools. He was still holding Ginny's old Transfiguration book. He thrust it at her, his eyes glittering with malice.**

"Hope it left him a black eye for weeks." Remus could only smile at his brother-in-law

**"Here, girl — take your book — it's the best your father can give you —" Pulling himself out of Hagrid's grip he beckoned to Draco and swept from the shop. **

**"Yeh should've ignored him, Arthur," said Hagrid, almost lifting Mr. Weasley off his feet as he straightened his robes. "Rotten ter the core, the whole family, everyone knows that — no Malfoy's worth listening' ter — bad blood, that's what it is— come on now — let's get outta here."**

"I agree with Hagrid," Tonks said "whole family is bad. No Malfoy ever turned out good."

**The assistant looked as though he wanted to stop them leaving, but he barely came up to Hagrid's waist and seemed to think better of it. They hurried up the street, the Grangers shaking with fright and Mrs. Weasley beside herself with fury.**

Bill winced at that "Were your parents turned off when it came to magic after that?"

"No of course not," Hermione smiled "They know that not everyone is going to be a good person. They know it has nothing to do with magic."

**"A fine example to set for your children… brawling in public… what Gilderoy Lockhart must've thought —"**

**"He was pleased," said Fred. "Didn't you hear him as we were leaving? He was asking that bloke from the Daily Prophet if he'd be able to work the fight into his report — said it was all publicity —"**

Snape sneered at that, Lockhart caused more problems with just existing than anyone he knew and that included the Dark Lord.

**But it was a subdued group that headed back to the fireside in the Leaky Cauldron, where AJ, the Weasleys, and all their shopping would be travelling back to the Burrow using Floo powder. They said good-bye to the Grangers, who were leaving the pub for the Muggle street on the other side; Mr. Weasley started to ask them how bus stops worked, but stopped quickly at the look on Mrs. Weasley's face.**

Everyone glared at Molly, honestly he was just asking a simple question.

**AJ mentally prepared herself for the floo system which didn't do much good she knew it would never be her favorite way to travel.**

"Thank God that's over with, Regulus you want to read?" Regulus nodded at Charlie,

"Sure dragon boy. **The Whomping Willow…"**


	26. The Whomping Willow

**The end of the summer vacation came too quickly for AJ's liking.**

"Time flies when you're having fun." Hermione smiled

**She was looking forward to getting back to Hogwarts, but her month at the Burrow had been the happiest of her life. It was difficult not to feel jealous of Ron when she thought of the Dursleys and the sort of welcome she could expect next time she turned up on Privet Drive.**

Ron looked over at AJ with complete shock; he didn't think anyone would ever envy him let alone AJ.

**On their last evening, Mrs. Weasley conjured up a sumptuous dinner that included all of AJ's favorite things, ending with a mouthwatering treacle pudding. Fred and George rounded off the evening with a display of Filibuster fireworks; they filled the kitchen with red and blue stars that bounced from ceiling to wall for at least half an hour.**

"Now that sounds like a good way to end the summer!" Sirius laughed

**Then it was time for a last mug of hot chocolate and bed.**

**It took a long while to get started next morning. They were up at dawn, but somehow they still seemed to have a great deal to do.**

Charlie snickered at that "Something's never change."

"You were the one always making us late; you didn't know what it meant to actually get up on time." Snorted Bill

Charlie glared "Well sorry if I like to sleep and if you recall it was you that would always keep me up."

Hermione and AJ hid their smiles from the bickering brothers, they may argue but at the end of the day they were closer than Fred and George almost.

**Mrs. Weasley dashed about in a bad mood looking for spare socks and quills; people kept colliding on the stairs, half-dressed with bits of toast in their hands; and Mr. Weasley nearly broke his neck, tripping over a stray chicken as he crossed the yard carrying Ginny's trunk to the car. AJ couldn't see how eight people, six large trunks, two owls, and a rat were going to fit into one small Ford Anglia. She had reckoned, of course, without the special features that Mr. Weasley had added.**

Molly started to shift in her seat wishing her husband was their so she could choke him for bringing home that damn car.

**"Not a word to Molly," he whispered to AJ as he opened the trunk and showed her how it had been magically expanded so that the luggage fit easily.**

Kingsley wanted to ask how big it actually got but one look on the angered red head he thought best to keep his mouth shut for now.

**When at last they were all in the car, Mrs. Weasley glanced into the back seat, where AJ, Ron, Fred, George, and Percy were all sitting comfortably side by side, and said, "Muggles do know more than we give them credit for, don't they?" She and Ginny got into the front seat, which had been stretched so that it resembled a park bench. "I mean, you'd never know it was this roomy from the outside, would you?"**

"IT WAS NOT FUNNY!" Molly shouted over the laughter

Remus shook his head "Molly," he tried to contain his laughter but was failing "it's funny and you don't always have to see the world as a dangerous place or see the humor in past situations."

**Mr. Weasley started up the engine and they trundled out of the yard, AJ turning back for a last look at the house. She barely had time to wonder when she'd see it again when they were back. George had forgotten his box of Filibuster fireworks.**

Tonks looked surprised at that "You actually let him go back for them?"

"No I did not. He told me he left a school book." Molly said irritated

"Right," Kingsley said with a nod "I would have believed that too."

**Five minutes after that, they skidded to a halt in the yard so that Fred could run in for his broomstick. They had almost reached the highway when Ginny shrieked that she'd left her diary.**

Ginny groaned and her face behind her mother, she didn't know how she could have been so stupid.

**By the time she had clambered back into the car, they were running very late, and tempers were running high. Mr. Weasley glanced at his watch and then at his wife.**

**"Molly, dear —"**

"I'm surprised mom even let dad think it." Murmured Bill

**"No, Arthur –"**

**"No one would see — this little button here is an Invisibility Booster I installed — that'd get us up in the air — then we fly above the clouds. We'd be there in ten minutes and no one would be any the wiser —"**

Ron and AJ shared a smile at the thought of them actually flying the car to the train station.

**"I said no, Arthur, not in broad daylight —"**

**They reached King's Cross at a quarter to eleven. Mr. Weasley dashed across the road to get trolleys for their trunks and they all hurried into the station. AJ had caught the Hogwarts Express the previous year. The tricky part was getting onto platform nine and three-quarters, which wasn't visible to the Muggle eye. What you had to do was walk through the solid barrier dividing platforms nine and ten. It didn't hurt, but it had to be done carefully so that none of the Muggles noticed you vanishing.**

"I find it odd that getting onto the train platform you have to disappear into thin air basically. Do a lot of muggles notice?" Hermione asked Tonks

"Not a lot," Tonks shook her head "but there's usually a couple that wonder if they just lost whatever sense they had."

**"Percy first," said Mrs. Weasley, looking nervously at the clock overhead, which showed they had only five minutes to disappear casually through the barrier.**

"That's cutting it a little too close." Regulus looked worried "You did make it on time right sweets?" AJ flashed him her million dollar smile but didn't say anything which meant no.

**Percy strode briskly forward and vanished. Mr. Weasley went next; Fred and George followed.**

**"I'll take Ginny and you two come right after us," Mrs. Weasley told AJ and Ron, grabbing Ginny's hand and setting off. In the blink of an eye they were gone.**

**"Let's go together, we've only got a minute," Ron said to AJ.**

"What would have happened if you two hadn't gone together?" Hermione panicked

AJ couldn't help but laugh "Not sure Mio but if you want we can try for a repeat this year and I'll let you know."

**AJ made sure that Hedwig's cage was safely wedged on top of her trunk and wheeled her trolley around to face the barrier. She felt perfectly confident; this wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as using Floo powder. Both of them bent low over the handles of their trolleys and walked purposefully toward the barrier, gathering speed. A few feet away from it, they broke into a run and — **

**CRASH.**

"Crash? Crash?" Sirius said a little hysterical

"What do you mean crash?" Tonks asked fearfully

Ignoring his mother's angry look Ron said "You'll see in a minute."

**Both trolleys hit the barrier and bounced backward; Ron's trunk fell off with a loud thump, AJ was knocked off her feet, and Hedwig's cage bounced onto the shiny floor, and she rolled away, shrieking indignantly;**

"How in the hell would that happen?" growled out Regulus

**people all around them stared and a guard nearby yelled, "What in blazes d'you think you're doing?" **

**"Lost control of the trolley," AJ gasped, clutching her ribs as she got up.**

Kingsley nodded in approval "Good, don't make a scene that will only make things worse."

**Ron ran to pick up Hedwig, who was causing such a scene that there was a lot of muttering about cruelty to animals from the surrounding crowd.**

Charlie gaped at that "AJ is not cruel with animals! That's a horrible thing to say!"

**"Why can't we get through?" AJ hissed to Ron. **

**"I dunno —" Ron looked wildly around. A dozen curious people were still watching them. "We're going to miss the train," Ron whispered. "I don't understand why the gateway's sealed itself —"**

"It's not supposed to seal itself till after eleven o'clock." Remus muttered under his breath

**AJ looked up at the giant clock with a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach. Ten seconds… nine seconds… She wheeled her trolley forward cautiously until it was right against the barrier and pushed with all her might. The metal remained solid. Three seconds… two seconds… one second…**

"Damn it," scowled Bill "how are you getting to Hogwarts now?"

**"It's gone," said Ron, sounding stunned. "The train's left. What if Mum and Dad can't get back through to us? Have you got any Muggle money?"**

**AJ gave a hollow laughed. "The Dursleys haven't given me pocket-money for about six years."**

Hermione looked shocked at that "Why did they give you money?"

"Dudley wanted something from the store but was still having issues with counting money." AJ said without emotion

**Ron pressed his ear to the cold barrier. "Can't hear a thing," he said tensely, "What're we going to do? I don't know how long it'll take Mum and Dad to get back to us."**

**They looked around. People were still watching them, mainly because of Hedwig's continuing screeches. "I think we'd better go and wait by the car," said AJ. "We're attracting too much atten —"**

**"AJ!" said Ron, his eyes gleaming. "The car!"**

Molly glared at her son but kept her mouth shut.

Sirius groaned "Tell me you didn't pup."

"Okay," AJ smiled "I didn't."

Remus glared at his daughter "Cute AJ but now is not the time to joke around."

**AJ looked him over for any signs of insanity. "No! Have you gone crazy?"**

**Ron rolled his eyes. "AJ! What else are we going to do? If we fly the car we'll have a better chance at getting Hogwarts. Who knows if Mum and Dad will be able to get back through?"**

**"But I thought —"**

Bill pinched the bridge of his nose "Merlin help you two, just listen to AJ for once Ron."

"It seemed like a good idea at the time." Glared Ron

**"We're stuck, right? And we've got to get to school, haven't we? And even underage wizards are allowed to use magic if it's a real emergency, section nineteen or something of the Restriction of Thingy —"**

Tonks rolled her eyes "That's considered an emergency because your parents can apporate back into the station."

**"But your Mum and Dad…" said AJ, pushing against the barrier again in the vain hope that it would give way. "How will they get home?"**

**"They don't need the car!" said Ron impatiently.**

"You actually flew the car?" Charlie asked disbelievingly "You both have death wishes!"

**"They know how to apporate! You know, just vanish and reappear at home! They only bother with Floo powder and the car because we're all underage and we're not allowed to apporate yet…"**

**AJ's feeling of panic turned suddenly to excitement.**

Regulus groaned "Of course it did."

**"Can you fly it?"**

**"No problem," said Ron, wheeling his trolley around to face the exit. "C'mon, let's go. If we hurry we'll be able to follow the Hogwarts Express —"**

"No problem? It is a big problem Ron!" shouted Kingsley "You could get into serious trouble!"

**And they marched off through the crowd of curious Muggles, out of the station and back onto the side road where the old Ford Anglia was parked. Ron unlocked the cavernous trunk with a series of taps from his wand. They heaved their luggage back in, put Hedwig on the back seat, and got into the front.**

**"Check that no one's watching," said Ron, starting the ignition with another tap of his wand. AJ stuck her head out of the window: traffic was rumbling along the main road ahead, but their street was empty.**

**"Okay," she said.**

Sirius put his lips to Remus' ear "Is it wrong I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out?"

Suppressing a shudder Remus said "Yes love."

**Ron pressed a tiny silver button on the dashboard. The car around them vanished — and so did they. AJ could feel the seat vibrating beneath her, hear the engine, feel her hands on her knees and her glasses on her nose, but for all she could see, she had become a pair of eyeballs, floating a few feet above the ground in a dingy street full of parked cars. **

**"Let's go," said Ron's voice from her right.**

"It's not too late to turn back though." Regulus said willing the past to change

AJ got up and sat next to her uncle "Sorry Uncle Reggie but the past can't change." Regulus smiled at his niece and wrapped an arm around her.

**And the ground and the dirty buildings on either side fell away, dropping out of sight as the car rose; in seconds, the whole of London lay, smoky and glittering, below them. It reminded AJ of the movie 'Mary Poppins' that she had seen at Mrs. Figg's house before.**

Hermione and Tonks shared a laugh at that; they had both seen that movie a few times.

**Then there was a popping noise and the car, AJ, and Ron reappeared.**

"I don't think that's what's supposed to happen." Bill said trying to remain calm.

**"Uh-oh," said Ron, jabbing at the Invisibility Booster. "It's faulty —"**

**Both of them pummeled it. The car vanished. Then it flickered back again.**

Sirius silently counted to then before speaking "Stupid move. Just a really stupid move."

Snape rolled his eyes at the mutt but privately agreed.

**"Hold on!" Ron yelled, and he slammed his foot on the accelerator; they shot straight into the low, woolly clouds and everything turned dull and foggy. **

**"Now what?" said AJ, blinking at the solid mass of cloud pressing in on them from all sides. **

"Pray to ever god and goddess that you aren't caught." Bill deadpanned

**"We need to see the train to know what direction to go in," said Ron. **

**"Dip back down again — quickly —" **

**They dropped back beneath the clouds and twisted around in their seats, squinting at the ground. "I can see it!" AJ yelled. "Right ahead — there!"**

Charlie smiled "Seeker skills are showing themselves full force."

**The Hogwarts Express was streaking along below them like a scarlet snake.**

Hermione narrowed her eyes at that, a snake reference so soon…it was like an omen.

**"Due north," said Ron, checking the compass on the dashboard. "Okay, we'll just have to check on it every half hour or so — hold on —"**

**And they shot up through the clouds. A minute later, they burst out into a blaze of sunlight. It was a different world. The wheels of the car skimmed the sea of fluffy cloud, the sky a bright, endless blue under the blinding white sun.**

"It sounds really pretty," smiled Tonks "even though it was illegal and all."

"It was really nice being up that high." Agreed AJ

**"All we've got to worry about now are airplanes," said Ron.**

**They looked at each other and started to laugh; for a long time, they couldn't stop. It was as though they had been plunged into a fabulous dream. This, thought AJ, was surely the only way to travel— past swirls and turrets of snowy cloud, in a car full of hot, bright sunlight, with a fat pack of toffees in the glove compartment, and the prospect of seeing Fred's and George's jealous faces when they landed smoothly and spectacularly on the sweeping lawn in front of Hogwarts castle.**

"Jinxed yourself didn't ya kid?" Kingsley asked with a smirk

Ron nodded his head "Yeah that's what we get for positive thinking."

**They made regular checks on the train as they flew farther and farther north, each dip beneath the clouds showing them a different view. London was soon far behind them, replaced by neat green fields that gave way in turn to wide, purplish moors, a great city alive with cars like multicolored ants, villages with tiny toy churches. Several uneventful hours later, however, AJ had to admit that some of the fun was wearing off. The toffees had made them extremely thirsty and they had nothing to drink. She and Ron had pulled off their sweaters, but June's T-shirt was sticking to the back of her seat. She had stopped noticing the fantastic cloud shapes now and was thinking longingly of the train miles below, where you could buy ice-cold pumpkin juice from a trolley pushed by a plump witch. Why hadn't they been able to get onto platform nine and three-quarters?**

"That's what we'd all like to know." Regulus said

"But what could possibly close off the barrier before the given time?" asked Remus

**"Can't be much further, can it?" croaked Ron, hours later still, as the sun started to sink into their floor of cloud, staining it a deep pink. "Ready for another check on the train?" **

**It was still right below them, winding its way past a snowcapped mountain. It was much darker beneath the canopy of clouds. Ron put his foot on the accelerator and drove them upward again, but as he did so, the engine began to whine.**

"Oh no, don't die now car." Sirius said quietly

**AJ and Ron exchanged nervous glances.**

**"It's probably just tired," said Ron. "It's never been this far before…" And they both pretended not to notice the whining growing louder and louder as the sky became steadily darker.**

"I don't think ignoring it is the best idea." Charlie advised

"Always be on your guard, especially with magical objects." Tonks added in

**Stars were blossoming in the blackness. AJ pulled her sweater back on, trying to ignore the way the windshield wipers were now waving feebly, as though in protest. **

**"Not far," said Ron, more to the car than to AJ, "not far now," and he patted the dashboard nervously.**

Hermione looked at her friends "You would be crazy not to be worried."

**When they flew back beneath the clouds a little while later, they had to squint through the darkness for a landmark they knew. "There!" AJ shouted, making Ron and Hedwig jump. "Straight ahead!"**

"My seeker skills are simply amazing, don't you agree Uncle Reggie?" AJ asked wanting to ease the tension radiating off her uncle.

Regulus gave a half smile but his eyes were filled with worry "Yeah sweets, you're seeker skills are the best."

**Silhouetted on the dark horizon, high on the cliff over the lake, stood the many turrets and towers of Hogwarts castle. But the car had begun to shudder and was losing speed.**

"Oh come on!" Remus yelled "Not now! Just keep going!"

**"Come on," Ron said cajolingly, giving the steering wheel a little shake, "nearly there, come on —" **

"Why talk to the car Ron?" Bill asked "I don't think it can hear you."

Ron blushed "I don't know but I felt the need to talk to it I guess."

**The engine groaned. Narrow jets of steam were issuing from under the hood. AJ found herself gripping the edges of her seat very hard as they flew toward the lake. The car gave a nasty wobble. Glancing out of her window, AJ saw the smooth, black, glassy surface of the water, a mile below. Ron's knuckles were white on the steering wheel. The car wobbled again. **

**"Come on," Ron muttered. **

**They were over the lake — the castle was right ahead — Ron put his foot down. There was a loud clunk, a splutter, and the engine died completely.**

**"Uh-oh," said Ron, into the silence.**

Kingsley laughed at that "You said uh-oh? Man I would have pissed my pants if I was your age and that happened to me."

**The nose of the car dropped. They were falling, gathering speed, heading straight for the solid castle wall. **

**"Noooooo!" Ron yelled, swinging the steering wheel around; they missed the dark stone wall by inches as the car turned in a great arc, soaring over the dark greenhouses, then the vegetable patch, and then out over the black lawns, losing altitude all the time.**

Everyone who wasn't there was extremely tense at this, Regulus kept looking down at his niece to make sure this wasn't a dream and she really wasn't there.

**Ron let go of the steering wheel completely and pulled his wand out of his back pocket — "STOP! STOP!" he yelled, whacking the dashboard and the windshield,**

"I know it's a magical care but yelling it to STOP won't do much Ron!" yelled Hermione, hearing this side of the story was nerve racking to say the least.

**but they were still plummeting, the ground flying up toward them — **

**"WATCH OUT FOR THAT TREE!" AJ bellowed, lunging for the steering wheel, but too late — **

**CRUNCH.**

Charlie looked a little relieved at that "Just a tree, it's just a tree."

"Not just a tree dragon boy!" bellowed Remus "THE WHOMPING WILLOW!" everyone paled at that, they hit the one tree that hits back.

**With an earsplitting bang of metal on wood, they hit the thick tree trunk and dropped to the ground with a heavy jolt. Steam was billowing from under the crumpled hood; Hedwig was shrieking in terror; a golf ball-size lump was**

**throbbing on AJ's head where she had hit the windshield; and to her right, Ron let out a low, despairing groan. **

**"Are you okay?" AJ said urgently.**

"A tree just hit you and your first question is if Ron's okay?" Ginny asked shocked

"Of course, he's my best friend and I didn't want him hurt." AJ said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

**"My wand," said Ron, in a shaky voice. "Look at my wand —" **

**It had snapped, almost in two;**

Sirius winced at that "You should write home right away and get a new one."

"It'll be explained later on why I didn't and it's a good thing I didn't really." Ron said thinking back to Lockhart trying to erase their memories.

**the tip was dangling limply, held on by a few splinters. AJ opened her mouth to say she was sure they'd be able to mend it up at the school, but she never even got started. At that very moment, something hit her side of the car with the force of a charging bull,**

"FUCK!" shouted Regulus "NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR BAD LUCK!"

AJ winced at her uncles' shouts "I know Uncle Reggie but it's over now."

**sending her lurching sideways into Ron, just as an equally heavy blow hit the roof. **

**"What's happen —?"**

"You hit a very old tree because you flew that damn car into the school without thinking straight!" Molly said furiously

"Thanks for the reminder Mrs. Weasley, I think we all needed that reminder." Snapped AJ

**Ron gasped, staring through the windshield, and AJ looked around just in time to see a branch as thick as a python smash into it. The tree they had hit was attacking them. **

"Not good, this is really not good." Seemed to be the common sentence throughout the room,

**Its trunk was bent almost double, and its gnarled boughs were pummeling every inch of the car it could reach.**

**"Aaargh!" said Ron as another twisted limb punched a large dent into his door; the windshield was now trembling under a hail of blows from knuckle-like twigs and a branch as thick as a battering ram was pounding furiously on the roof, which seemed to be caving in. **

**"Run for it!" Ron shouted, throwing his full weight against his door, but next second he had been knocked backward into AJ's lap by a vicious uppercut from another branch.**

Remus was shaking at this point, that damn tree was his entire fault. Sirius wrapped him in a hug knowing what Remus was feeling at that moment and that wasn't true at all.

**"We're done for!" he moaned as the ceiling sagged, but suddenly the floor of the car was vibrating — the engine had restarted.**

**"Reverse!" AJ yelled, and the car shot backward; the tree was still trying to hit them; they could hear its roots creaking as it almost ripped itself up, lashing out at them as they sped out of reach.**

"Come on car, get out of their!" whispered Kingsley

**"That," panted Ron, "was close. Well done, car —"**

**The car, however, had reached the end of its tether.**

"What could possibly happen now!" Bill yelled

**With two sharp clunks, the doors flew open and AJ felt her seat tip sideways: next thing she knew she was sprawled on the damp ground. Loud thuds told her that the car was ejecting their luggage from the trunk; Hedwig's cage flew through the air and burst open; she rose out of it with an angry screech and sped off toward the castle without a backward look. Then, dented, scratched, and steaming, the car rumbled off into the darkness, its rear lights blazing angrily.**

"Damn, that's going to cause a few problems I'm sure." Charlie winced in sympathy

**"Come back!" Ron yelled after it, brandishing his broken wand. "Dad'll kill me!" But the car disappeared from view with one last snort from its exhaust. "Can you believe our luck?" said Ron miserably, bending down to pick up Scabbers. "Of all the trees we could've hit, we had to get one that hits back."**

"Worst luck ever." Muttered Ron

**He glanced over his shoulder at the ancient tree, which was still flailing its branches threateningly.**

**"Come on," said AJ wearily, "we'd better get up to the school…"**

**It wasn't at all the triumphant arrival they had pictured.**

"You both are very irresponsible! That was very dangerous!" snapped Molly

Charlie glared at his mother "Are you going to say that every time something happens that you don't agree with because if that's the case we're in for a long reading session!"

**Stiff, cold, and bruised, they seized the ends of their trunks and began dragging them up the grassy slope, toward the great oak front doors. "I think the feast's already started," said Ron, dropping his trunk at the foot of the front steps and crossing quietly to look through a brightly lit window. "Hey — AJ — come and look — it's the Sorting!" **

Hermione rolled her eyes "One would think of going into the hospital wing but whatever."

**AJ hurried over and, together, she and Ron peered in at the Great Hall. **

**Innumerable candles were hovering in midair over four long, crowded tables, making the golden plates and goblets sparkle. Overhead, the bewitched ceiling, which always mirrored the sky outside, sparkled with stars. Through the forest of pointed black Hogwarts hats, AJ saw a long line of scared-looking first years filing into the Hall. Ginny was among them, easily visible because of her vivid Weasley hair.**

Ginny blushed and wished herself away from this torture.

**Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall, a bespectacled witch with her hair in a tight bun, was placing the famous Hogwarts Sorting Hat on a stool before the newcomers. Every year, this aged old hat, patched, frayed, and dirty, sorted new students into the four Hogwarts houses (Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin). AJ well remembered putting it on, exactly one year ago, and waiting, petrified, for its decision as it muttered aloud in her ear. For a few horrible seconds she had feared that the hat was going to put her in Slytherin, the house that had turned out more Dark witches and wizards than any other but she had ended up in Gryffindor, along with Ron, Hermione, and the rest of the Weasleys. Last term, AJ, Hermione and Ron had helped Gryffindor win the House Championship, beating Slytherin for the first time in seven years.**

The golden trio shared a smile at that.

**A very small, mousy-haired boy had been called forward to place the hat on his head.**

AJ groaned while Hermione and Ron laughed much to the confusion of everyone around them.

**AJ's eyes wandered past him to where Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster, sat watching the Sorting from the staff table, his long silver beard and half-moon glasses shining brightly in the candlelight. Several seats along, AJ saw Gilderoy Lockhart, dressed in robes of aquamarine. And there at the end was Hagrid, huge and hairy, drinking deeply from his goblet.**

**"Hang on…" AJ muttered to Ron. "There's an empty chair at the staff table… Where's Snape?"**

Snape glared at the teen, he was there alright and wished he hadn't had to deal with those two so early on in the year.

**Professor Severus Snape was AJ's least favorite teacher. AJ also happened to be Snape's least favorite student. Cruel, sarcastic, and disliked by everybody except the students from his own house (Slytherin), Snape taught Potions.**

"You forgot clinically insane." Tonks muttered under her breath.

**"Maybe he's ill!" said Ron hopefully. **

**"Maybe he's left," said AJ, "because he didn't get the Defense Against Dark Arts job again!"**

**"Or he might have been sacked!" said Ron enthusiastically. "I mean, everyone hates him —"**

Regulus looked at the smug look Snape had on and he realized he was behind them the whole time.

**"Or maybe," said a very cold voice right behind them, "he's waiting to hear why you two didn't arrive on the school train."**

Sirius glared "You don't have to be such a bastard about it."

**AJ spun around. There, his black robes rippling in a cold breeze, stood Severus Snape. He was a thin man with sallow skin, a hooked nose, and greasy, shoulder-length black hair, and at this moment, he was smiling in a way that told AJ that she and Ron were in very deep trouble.**

It was Ron and AJ's turn to look smug now.

**"Follow me," said Snape. **

"I'd rather not." Remus snorted

**Not daring even to look at each other, AJ and Ron followed Snape up the steps into the vast, echoing entrance hall, which was lit with flaming torches. A delicious smell of food was wafting from the Great Hall, but Snape led them away from the warmth and light, down a narrow stone staircase that led into the dungeons. **

Kingsley shook his head "They should have gotten something to eat before you tortured them."

**"In!" he said, opening a door halfway down the cold passageway and pointing. **

**They entered Snape's office, shivering. The shadowy walls were lined with shelves of large glass jars, in which floated all manner of revolting things AJ didn't really want to know the name of at the moment.**

Snape rolled his eyes, his office wasn't that bad. She just couldn't appreciate it.

**The fireplace was dark and empty. Snape closed the door and turned to look at them. **

**"So," he said softly, "the train isn't good enough for the famous Alessandra Potter and her faithful sidekick Weasley.**

AJ glared "Ron is not my sidekick! All three of us are a team."

**Wanted to arrive with a bang, did we, children?" **

**"No, sir, it was the barrier at King's Cross, it —" **

"You better let them explain!" snarled Tonks

**"Silence!" said Snape coldly. "What have you done with the car?" Ron gulped. This wasn't the first time Snape had given AJ the impression of being able to read minds.**

Regulus growled "I'm warning you, stay out of my nieces head!"

**But a moment later, she understood, as Snape unrolled today's issue of the Evening Prophet. "You were seen," he hissed, showing them the headline: FLYING FORD ANGLIA MYSTIFIES MUGGLES.**

**He began to read aloud: "Two Muggles in London, convinced they saw an old car flying over the Post Office tower… at noon in Norfolk, Mrs. Hetty Bayliss, while hanging out her washing… Mr. Angus Fleet, of Peebles, reported to police… Six or seven Muggles in all. I believe your father works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office?" he said, looking up at Ron and smiling still more nastily. "Dear, dear… his own son…" **

"That's a low blow Snape and you know it." Glared Bill

**AJ felt as though she'd just been walloped in the stomach by one of the mad tree's larger branches. If anyone found out Mr. Weasley had bewitched the car… she hadn't thought of that…**

Snape sneered "That much was obvious."

**"I noticed, in my search of the park, that considerable damage seems to have been done to a very valuable Whomping Willow," Snape went on.**

Hermione eyed the professor "You hate that tree, why would you have cared what happened to it."

**"That tree did more damage to us than we —" Ron blurted out. **

**"Silence!" snapped Snape again. "Most unfortunately, you are not in my House and the decision to expel you does not rest with me. I shall go and fetch the people who do have that happy power. You will wait here." **

"You should have let them explain!" snarled Charlie "They had a good reason at least."

**AJ and Ron stared at each other, white-faced. AJ didn't feel hungry any more. She now felt extremely sick. She tried not to look at a large, slimy something suspended in green liquid on a shelf behind Snape's desk.**

Hermione looked a little green herself at hearing that.

**If Snape had gone to fetch Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor House, they were hardly any better off. She might be fairer than Snape, but she was still extremely strict.**

"Too strict at times." Sirius said thinking of the previous year.

**Ten minutes later, Snape returned, and sure enough it was Professor McGonagall who accompanied him. AJ had seen Professor McGonagall angry on several occasions, but either she had forgotten just how thin her mouth could go, or she had never seen her this angry before. She raised her wand the moment she entered; AJ and Ron both flinched, but she merely pointed it at the empty fireplace, where flames suddenly erupted.**

Kingsley narrowed his eyes "You could have lit a fire for Merlin sake."

Snape glared "Life isn't fair."

**"Sit," she said, and they both backed into chairs by the fire. "Explain," she said, her glasses glinting ominously.**

**Ron launched into the story, starting with the barrier at the station refusing to let them through. "— so we had no choice, Professor, we couldn't get on the train."**

Bill laughed "She's going to remind you about Hedwig I'm sure."

**"Why didn't you send us a letter by owl? I believe you have an owl?" Professor McGonagall said coldly to AJ.**

"See? Told ya." Bill smiled

**AJ gaped at her. Now she said it that seemed the obvious thing to have done. " I didn't think —"**

**"That," said Professor McGonagall, "is obvious."**

**There was a knock on the office door and Snape, now looking happier than ever, opened it. There stood the headmaster, Professor Dumbledore.**

Sirius and Remus winced at that, they had gotten into plenty of trouble but only a few times had they actually been sent to Dumbledore.

**AJ's whole body went numb. Dumbledore was looking unusually grave. He stared down his very crooked nose at them, and AJ suddenly found herself wishing she and Ron were still being beaten up by the Whomping Willow.**

Tonks shifted "Guilt trip time, always hardest to swallow."

"You could be nice professor and just yell." Suggested Charlie

**There was a long silence. Then Dumbledore said, "Please explain why you did this."**

"We felt that Hogwarts needed a little entertainment of course." Chuckled AJ

**It would have been better if he had shouted. AJ hated the disappointment in his voice. For some reason, she was unable to look Dumbledore in the eyes, and spoke instead to her knees. She told Dumbledore everything except that Mr. Weasley owned the bewitched car, making it sound as though she and Ron had happened to find a flying car parked outside the station. She knew Dumbledore would see through this at once, but Dumbledore asked no questions about the car. When AJ had finished, he merely continued to peer at them through his spectacles.**

**"We'll go and get our stuff," said Ron in a hopeless sort of voice.**

"You won't get expelled." Smiled Hermione

**"What are you talking about, Weasley?" barked Professor McGonagall.**

**"Well, you're expelling us, aren't you?" said Ron.**

Dumbledore shook his head, he didn't think he could ever do that unless absolutely necessary which this time it wasn't.

**AJ looked quickly at Dumbledore, the Dursleys would kill her. Literally. That would be rich wouldn't it? **_**Alessandra James Potter, murdered by crazy uncle**_**.**

**"Not today, Mr. Weasley," said Dumbledore. "But I must impress upon both of you the seriousness of what you have done. I will be writing to both your families tonight. I must also warn you that if you do anything like this again, I will have no choice but to expel you."**

Ron and AJ avoided each other's eyes upon hearing that.

**Snape looked as though Christmas had been cancelled. He cleared his throat and said, "Professor Dumbledore, these two have flouted the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry, caused serious damage to an old and valuable tree — surely acts of this nature —"**

"Stop acting like a complete jackass." Sirius growled out

**"It will be for Professor McGonagall to decide on these two's punishments, Severus," said Dumbledore calmly. "They are in her House and are therefore her responsibility." He turned to Professor McGonagall. "I must go back to the feast, Minerva, I've got to give out a few notices. Come, Severus, there's a delicious-looking custard tart I want to sample —"**

Remus shook his head at Dumbledore, the man was crazy.

**Snape shot a look of pure venom at AJ and Ron as he allowed himself to be swept out of his office, leaving them alone with Professor McGonagall, who was still eyeing them like a wrathful eagle.**

"They're not going to blow up the office." Bill muttered

Charlie smiled "But that would be awesome!"

**"You'd better get along to the hospital wing, Weasley, you're bleeding."**

**"Not much," said Ron, hastily wiping the cut over his eye with his sleeve. "Professor, I wanted to watch my sister being Sorted —"**

"Thanks for thinking of me." Ginny muttered

Ron just stared "I did want to see it Gin, we didn't do this on purpose."

**"The Sorting Ceremony is over," said Professor McGonagall. "Your sister is also in Gryffindor."**

**"Oh, good," said Ron.**

Ginny glared "So it wouldn't have been good if I wasn't in Gryffindor?"

"No that's not what I meant Ginny!" Ron practically yelled

Kingsley silenced them both with a look "You can finish this piss off contest later, lets finish this chapter though."

**"And speaking of Gryffindor —" Professor McGonagall said sharply, but AJ cut in: "Professor, when we took the car, term hadn't started, so — so Gryffindor shouldn't really have points taken from it — should it?" she finished, watching her anxiously.**

**Professor McGonagall gave her a piercing look, but she was sure she had almost smiled. Her mouth looked less thin, anyway. "I will not take any points from Gryffindor,"**

Sirius and Remus looked wide eyed at their daughter, no one got out of trouble when it came to McGonagall.

**she said, and AJ's heart lightened considerably. "But you will both get a detention." It was better than AJ had expected. As for Dumbledore's writing to the Dursleys, that was nothing. AJ knew perfectly well they'd just be disappointed that the Whomping Willow hadn't killed her.**

Charlie growled at the book, he hated that they were still be mentioned even if it was for only a minute.

**Professor McGonagall raised her wand again and pointed it at Snape's desk. A large plate of sandwiches, two silver goblets, and a jug of iced pumpkin juice appeared with a pop.**

**"You will eat in here and then go straight up to your dormitory," she said. "I must also return to the feast."**

Hermione looked grossed out at the possibility of eating in front of all that dead stuff.

**When the door had closed behind her, Ron let out a long, low whistle. "I thought we'd had it," he said, grabbing a sandwich.**

**"So did I," said AJ, taking one, too. **

Remus nodded approvingly, she needed all the food she could get.

**"Can you believe our luck, though?" said Ron thickly through a mouthful of chicken and ham. "Fred and George must've flown that car five or six times and no Muggle ever saw them." He swallowed and took another huge bite. "Why couldn't we get through the barrier?"**

Molly was positively fuming at this, once Fred and George got back she would be talking to them.

**AJ shrugged. "We'll have to watch our step from now on, though," she said, taking a grateful swig of pumpkin juice. "Wish we could've gone up to the feast…"**

**"She didn't want us showing off," said Ron sagely. "Doesn't want people to think it's clever, arriving by flying car."**

Ron blushed at the incredulous looks he was getting.

**When they had eaten as many sandwiches as they could (the plate kept refilling itself) they rose and left the office, treading the familiar path to Gryffindor Tower. The castle was quiet; it seemed that the feast was over. They walked past muttering portraits and creaking suits of armor, and climbed narrow flights of stone stairs, until at last they reached the passage where the secret entrance to Gryffindor Tower was hidden, behind an oil painting of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress. **

**"Password?" she said as they approached.**

**"Er —" said AJ.**

**They didn't know the new year's password, not having met a Gryffindor prefect yet, but help came almost immediately; they heard hurrying feet behind them and turned to see Hermione dashing toward them.**

AJ and Ron stifled laughter at the way their friend acted upon seeing them.

**"There you are! Where have you been? The most ridiculous rumors — someone said you'd been expelled for crashing a flying car!"**

**"Well, we haven't been expelled," AJ assured her.**

**"You're not telling me you did fly here?" said Hermione, sounding almost as severe as Professor McGonagall.**

"Well honestly! That was so stupid, you could have died." Hermione snapped

Bill held her hand "Yeah but they didn't, so let's not focus on could have."

**"Skip the lecture," said Ron impatiently, "and tell us the new password." **

**"It's 'wattlebird,'" said Hermione impatiently,**

**"but that's not the point —" Her words were cut short, however, as the portrait of the fat lady swung open and there was a sudden storm of clapping. **

**It looked as though the whole of Gryffindor House was still awake,**

The Gryffindors all laughed at that, they were the party house through and through.

**packed into the circular common room, standing on the lopsided tables and squashy armchairs, waiting for them to arrive. Arms reached through the portrait hole to pull AJ and Ron inside, leaving Hermione to scramble in after them. **

**"Brilliant!" yelled Lee Jordan. "Inspired! What an entrance! Flying a car right into the Whomping Willow, people'll be talking about that one for years —"**

"Are they?" asked Tonks

AJ laughed "Of course, no one could top that."

**"Good for you," said a fifth year AJ had never spoken to; someone was patting her on the back as though she'd just won a marathon; Fred and George pushed their way to the front of the crowd and said together, "Why couldn't we've come in the car, eh?" **

Sirius and Remus shook their heads, they didn't need pranksters in the car with them at the time.

**Ron was scarlet in the face, grinning embarrassedly, but AJ could see one person who didn't look happy at all. Percy was visible over the heads of some excited first years, and he seemed to be trying to get near enough to start telling them off. AJ nudged Ron in the ribs and nodded in Percy's direction. Ron got the point at once.**

"Percy ruins all the fun yet again." Charlie groaned

**"Got to get upstairs — bit tired," he said, and the two of them started pushing their way toward the door on the other side of the room, which led to a spiral staircase and the dormitories.**

**"'Night," AJ called back to Hermione, who was wearing a scowl just like Percy's.**

Hermione looked mildly upset at being compared to Percy but she could understand that, she was being really mean but she was scared for her friend's lives.

**Ron and AJ grinned at each other before running to their separate dorms. AJ hurried up it, right to the top, and at last reached the door of her old dormitory, which now had a sign on it saying SECOND YEARS. She entered the familiar, circular room, with its four four-posters hung with red velvet and its high, narrow windows. Her trunk had been brought up for them and stood at the ends of their beds.**

"Your rooms sound nice, I miss mine." Smiled Tonks

"Hogwarts has the best of everything." Sirius hummed

**Before AJ could even think to get settled, the dormitory door flew open and in came the other second year Gryffindor girls, Lavender and Parvarti , and Hermione. **

**"SO cool!" beamed Lavender**

**"Beyond cool, it was amazing," said Parvarti, awestruck.**

**AJ couldn't help it. She grinned, too.**

Sirius, Remus and Regulus grinned at that. They wouldn't be able to hold back their excitement for long either.

Regulus handed the book off to Hermione who gladly excepted it but then scowled at the title **"Gilderoy Lockhart…"**


	27. Gilderoy Lockhart

**The next day, however, AJ barely grinned once.**

"Oh good, this chapter will be a fun read." Kingsley muttered

**Things started to go downhill from breakfast in the Great Hall. The four long house tables were laden with tureens of porridge, plates of kippers, mountains of toast, and dishes of eggs and bacon,**

Ron groaned at that, he loved breakfast foods.

**beneath the enchanted ceiling (today, a dull, cloudy gray). AJ and Ron sat down at the Gryffindor table next to Hermione, who had her copy of Voyages with Vampires propped open against a milk jug. There was a slight stiffness in the way she said "Morning," which told AJ that she was still disapproving of the way they had arrived. Neville Longbottom, on the other hand, greeted them cheerfully. Neville was a round-faced and accident-prone boy with the worst memory of anyone AJ had ever met.**

AJ winced at that "I'm glad Neville isn't here to hear this."

Hermione nodded "He'd never get confidence then."

**"Mail's due any minute — I think Gran's sending a few things I forgot."**

Ron and AJ winced at the reminder of what the mail had brought that day.

**AJ had only just started her porridge when, sure enough, there was a rushing sound overhead and a hundred or so owls streamed in, circling the hall and dropping letters and packages into the chattering crowd. A big, lumpy package bounced off Neville's head and, a second later, something large and gray fell into Hermione's jug, spraying them all with milk and feathers.**

Charlie looked to his red faced brother wondering why his brother would already be receiving mail.

**"Errol!" said Ron, pulling the bedraggled owl out by the feet. Errol slumped, unconscious, onto the table, his legs in the air and a damp red envelope in his beak. "Oh, no —" Ron gasped.**

**"It's all right, he's still alive," said Hermione, prodding Errol gently with the tip of her finger.**

Regulus, Remus and Sirius glared angrily at Molly, if she even thought of putting AJ's name in that howler.

**"It's not that — it's that." Ron was pointing at the red envelope. It looked quite ordinary to AJ, but Ron and Neville were both looking at it as though they expected it to explode.**

"Got yourself a howler," Sirius said sympathetically "those things are horrible and just embarrass whoever is on the receiving end of them."

AJ perked up at that "So…you're not going to send me howlers at school dad?"

"No way in hell would I or Remus or even Regulus send you a howler. If you did something wrong the worst we would do is pull you out of class to discuss the situation." Sirius said looking at his daughter with a smile

**"What's the matter?" said AJ. **

**"She's — she's sent me a Howler," said Ron faintly. **

Charlie and Bill smiled sympathetically at their brother, he didn't deserve a howler.

**"You'd better open it, Ron," said Neville in a timid whisper. "It'll be worse if you don't. My gran sent me one once, and I ignored it and" — he gulped —"it was horrible."**

**AJ looked from their petrified faces to the red envelope. "What's a Howler?" she said.**

"Something that is fowl and embarrassing." Tonks said angrily

**But Ron's whole attention was fixed on the letter, which had begun to smoke at the corners. **

**"Open it," Neville urged. "It'll all be over in a few minutes —"**

**Ron stretched out a shaking hand, eased the envelope from Errol's beak, and slit it open. Neville stuffed his fingers in his ears. A split second later, AJ knew why. She thought for a moment it had exploded; a roar of sound filled the huge hall, shaking dust from the ceiling.**

"Yep," Charlie confirmed "that's a typical mom howler."

**"—STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE —"**

Bill frowned at that "It's not like they were trying to get dad into trouble mom."

**Mrs. Weasleys yells, a hundred times louder than usual, made the plates and spoons rattle on the table, and echoed deafeningly off the stone walls. People throughout the hall were swiveling around to see who had received the Howler, and Ron sank so low in his chair that only his crimson forehead could be seen.**

Ron was glaring darkly at the book now.

**"—LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND ALESSANDRA COULD BOTH HAVE DIED —"**

Remus growled lowly at that "WHEN IT COMES TO PARENTING MOLLY KEEP MY DAUGHTER OUT OF IT! YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO BRING HER NAME INTO THAT HOWLER. YES SHE WAS JUST AS RESPONSIBLE AS RON BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS SHE ISN'T YOUR CHILD! YOU EMBARRASSED RON AND YOU BROUGHT AJ INTO IT! I'M WARNING YOU MOLLY IF YOU CONTINUE TO PARENT AJ YOU WONT BE ALLOWED IN OUR HOME!" no one other than Sirius had ever heard Remus yell before and they didn't want a repeat anytime soon.

**AJ had been wondering when her name was going to come up. She tried very hard to look as though she couldn't hear the voice that was making her eardrums throb.**

**"—ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED — YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."**

Molly looked as if she agreed with every word she put in that howler while everyone else couldn't believe it. Bill and Charlie were disgusted that their mother would say those things so the entire school could hear.

**A ringing silence fell. The red envelope, which had dropped from Ron's hand, burst into flames and curled into ashes. AJ and Ron sat stunned, as though a tidal wave had just passed over them. A few people laughed and, gradually, a babble of talk broke out again Hermione closed Voyages with Vampires and looked down at the top of Ron's head. "Well, I don't know what you expected, Ron, but you —"**

"I don't think that's the best time for an "I told you so" Mio." Bill remarked lightly

"**I told you so has a brother Hermione, his name is shut the hell up." Snapped AJ **

No one could hold back their laughter at that, AJ was very sarcastic but when you made her angry her sarcasm came out full force.

**AJ pushed her porridge away. Her insides were burning with guilt. Mr. Weasley was facing an enquiry at work. After all Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had done for her over the summer… But she had no time to dwell on this; Professor McGonagall was moving along the Gryffindor table, handing out course schedules. AJ took hers and saw that they had double Herbology with the Hufflepuffs first. AJ, Ron, and Hermione left the castle together, crossed the vegetable patch, and made for the greenhouses, where the magical plants were kept. At least the Howler had done one good thing: Hermione seemed to think they had now been punished enough and was being perfectly friendly again.**

Hermione went red at that "I really am sorry guys, I was just really worried."

AJ and Ron waved the apology off, it happened years ago not last week.

**As they neared the greenhouses they saw the rest of the class standing outside, waiting for Professor Sprout. AJ, Ron, and Hermione had only just joined them when she came striding into view across the lawn, accompanied by Gilderoy Lockhart.**

Charlie groaned "You can't even get through the morning without seeing that jackass?"

"No and it just gets worse." AJ said darkly

**Professor Sprout's arms were full of bandages, and with another twinge of guilt, AJ spotted the Whomping Willow in the distance, several of its branches now in slings. Professor Sprout was a squat little witch who wore a patched hat over her flyaway hair; there was usually a large amount of earth on her clothes and her fingernails would have made Aunt Petunia faint.**

Tonks smirked at that "Maybe Professor Sprout would like to visit Petunia, I'm sure they would have loads to talk about."

**Gilderoy Lockhart, however, was immaculate in sweeping robes of turquoise, his golden hair shining under a perfectly positioned turquoise hat with gold trimming.**

**"Oh, hello there!" he called, beaming around at the assembled students. "Just been showing Professor Sprout the right way to doctor a Whomping Willow! But I don't want you running away with the idea that I'm better at Herbology than she is! I just happen to have met several of these exotic plants on my travels…"**

"Professor Sprout was his teacher," Kingsley stated "I'm sure she knows more about plants than ever will."

**"Greenhouse three today, chaps!" said Professor Sprout, who was looking distinctly disgruntled, not at all her usual cheerful self. There was a murmur of interest. They had only ever worked in greenhouse one before — greenhouse three housed far more interesting and dangerous plants. Professor Sprout took a large key from her belt and unlocked the door. AJ caught a whiff of damp earth and fertilizer mingling with the heavy perfume of some giant, umbrella-sized flowers dangling from the ceiling. She was about to follow Ron and Hermione inside when Lockhart's hand shot out.**

"That bastard needs to stop touching my niece!" Regulus snarled out

**"AJ! May I call you AJ? I've been wanting a word — you don't mind if she's a couple of minutes late, do you, Professor Sprout?" Judging by Professor Sprout's scowl, she did mind, but Lockhart said, "That's the ticket," and closed the greenhouse door in her face.**

"Of course she would mind you insolent little man." Scowled Snape

**"AJ," said Lockhart, his large white teeth gleaming in the sunlight as he shook his head. "AJ, AJ, AJ."**

**AJ glared at him "I'm aware of my name professor you don't need to repeat it over and over again."**

Everyone busted out into fits of laughter at that, Sirius managed to calm down finally and say "That's my baby! I am so proud!"

**"Oh I didn't notice I said it more than once. Now back to important matters, when I heard — well, of course, it was all my fault. Could have kicked myself." AJ had no idea what he was talking about. She was about to say so when Lockhart went on, "Don't know when I've been more shocked. Flying a car to Hogwarts! Well, of course, I knew at once why you'd done it. Stood out a mile."**

**It was remarkable how he could show every one of those teeth even when he wasn't talking. "Gave you a taste for publicity, didn't I?" said Lockhart. "Gave you the bug. You got onto the front page of the paper with me and you couldn't wait to do it again."**

"She doesn't need you to make the front page even if she wants it you moron." Muttered Hermione

**"Oh, no, Professor, see —"**

**"AJ," said Lockhart, reaching out and grasping her shoulder, she shifted uncomfortably; he was running his fingers up her arm again.**

"I don't care where he is; he needs to be in hell." Regulus said with a scowl

**"I understand. Natural to want a bit more once you've had that first taste — and I blame myself for giving you that, because it was bound to go to your head— but see here, darling girl, you can't start flying cars to try and get yourself noticed. Just calm down, all right? Plenty of time for all that when you're older. Yes, yes, I know what you're thinking! 'It's all right for him; he's an internationally famous wizard already!'**

"He must really like the sound of his own voice, he never shuts up." Grumbled Ron

**But when I was thirteen, I was just as much of a nobody as you are now. In fact, I'd say I was even more of a nobody! I mean, a few people have heard of you, haven't they? All that business with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!"**

"A few people?" snapped Kingsley "Try the entire wizarding world you moron!"

**He glanced at the lightning scar on AJ's forehead. "I know, I know — it's not quite as good as winning Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award five times in a row, as I have — but it's a start, AJ, it's a start."**

"What a creep." Charlie muttered angrily, he wanted to visit St. Mongo's and kick his ass.

**He gave AJ a hearty wink and strode off. AJ stood stunned for a few seconds, then, remembering she was supposed to be in the greenhouse, she opened the door and slid inside. Professor Sprout was standing behind a trestle bench in the center of the greenhouse. About twenty pairs of different-colored ear muffs were lying on the bench. When AJ had taken her place between Ron and Hermione, she said, "We'll be re-potting Mandrakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?"**

"Damn I hated working with the Mandrakes, I always got hurt." Tonks laughed

**To nobody's surprise, Hermione's hand was first into the air. "Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative," said Hermione, sounding as usual as though she had swallowed the textbook.**

"That's why a lot of times I don't give you points Granger. If you put the answer in your own words I would give you some credit." Snape remarked surprisingly without a sneer or glare. Hermione nodded and made a note to start wording it in her own way.

**"It is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state."**

**"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor," said Professor Sprout. "The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?" **

**Hermione's hand narrowly missed AJ's nose as it shot up again.**

Hermione blushed "Sorry AJ, I get excited."

AJ snorted "Really? I had no idea, you hide it really well."

**"The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it," she said promptly.**

**"Precisely. Take another ten points," said Professor Sprout. "Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young."**

"Thank God," Ron said "that unit was hard enough with them as youngsters."

**She pointed to a row of deep trays as she spoke, and everyone shuffled forward for a better look. A hundred or so tufty little plants, purplish green in color, were growing there in rows. They looked quite unremarkable to AJ, she had read about them her Herbology textbook but she still had no clue as to what it meant by the 'cry' of a Mandrake.**

**"Everyone take a pair of earmuffs," said Professor Sprout.**

**There was a scramble as everyone tried to seize a pair that wasn't pink and fluffy.**

Tonks scowled at that "I happen to like pink!"

Regulus chuckled "I don't think they meant pink hair."

**When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered," said Professor Sprout. "When it is safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs-up. Right — earmuffs on."**

**AJ snapped the earmuffs over her ears. They shut out sound completely. Professor Sprout put the pink, fluffy pair over her own ears, rolled up the sleeves of her robes, grasped one of the tufty plants firmly, and pulled hard. AJ let out a gasp of surprise that no one could hear. Instead of roots, a small, muddy, and extremely ugly baby popped out of the earth.**

"They may be ugly but they're very useful." Bill remarked

"It's just repotting them was very difficult." Hermione said

**The leaves were growing right out of his head. He had pale green, mottled skin, and was clearly bawling at the top of his lungs. Professor Sprout took a large plant pot from under the table and plunged the Mandrake into it, burying him in dark, damp compost until only the tufted leaves were visible. Professor Sprout dusted off her hands, gave them all the thumbs-up, and removed her own earmuffs.**

"She always makes it seem so easy." Chuckled Remus remembering his least favorite subject.

**"As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill yet," she said calmly as though she'd just done nothing more exciting than water a begonia. "However, they will knock you out for several hours, and as I'm sure none of you want to miss your first day back, make sure your earmuffs are securely in place while you work. I will attract your attention when it is time to pack up."**

"I wish we would have let them knock us out." Remarked Ron

**"Four to a tray — there is a large supply of pots here — compost in the sacks over there — and be careful of the Venomous Tentacula, it's teething."**

"That's another good reason as to why I was horrible at Herbology," Remus said with a frown "all the plants were crazy and for some reason were drawn to me."

**She gave a sharp slap to a spiky, dark red plant as she spoke, making it draw in the long feelers that had been inching sneakily over her shoulder. AJ, Ron, and Hermione were joined at their tray by a curly-haired Hufflepuff boy AJ knew by sight but had never spoken to.**

"Hufflepuffs are very loyal, you should befriend him." Tonks smiled

AJ fought the urge to give an eye roll in response, "I'm not sure that would have made a difference Tonks."

**"Justin Finch-Fletchley," he said brightly, shaking AJ by the hand. "Know who you are, of course, the famous AJ Potter… And you're Hermione Granger — always top in everything" (Hermione beamed as she had her hand shaken too) "— and Ron Weasley. Wasn't that your flying car?"**

"Still had the howler on your mind though right?" asked Charlie

Ron nodded grimly.

**Ron didn't smile. The Howler was obviously still on his mind.**

"As it should be Ronald." Molly glared

**"That Lockhart's something isn't he?" said Justin happily as they began filling their plant pots with dragon dung compost. "Awfully brave chap. Have you read his books? I'd have died of fear if I'd been cornered in a telephone booth by a werewolf, but he stayed cool and — zap — just fantastic. My name was down for Eton, you know. I can't tell you how glad I am I came here instead. Of course, Mother was slightly disappointed, but since I made her read Lockhart's books I think she's begun to see how useful it'll be to have a fully trained wizard in the family…"**

"He's rather chatty with you, isn't he sweets?" smiled Regulus

**After that they didn't have much chance to talk. Their earmuffs were back on and they needed to concentrate on the Mandrakes. Professor Sprout had made it look extremely easy, but it wasn't. The Mandrakes didn't like coming out of the earth, but didn't seem to want to go back into it either. They squirmed, kicked, flailed their sharp little fists, and gnashed their teeth; AJ spent ten whole minutes trying to squash a particularly fat one into a pot.**

"Even in lessons you have all the luck in the world." Remus snorted

"We always had good luck in class right Moony?" Sirius asked with a wink, Remus gave him a slow kiss filled with love. Their school days were certainty interesting.

**By the end of the class, AJ, like everyone else, was sweaty, aching, and covered in earth.**

"Or you could say dirt kid, we wouldn't mind." Kingsley laughed

**Everyone traipsed back to the castle for a quick wash and then the Gryffindors hurried off to Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall's classes were always hard work even though AJ found them rather simple, much like todays lesson. **

"I envy your ability for transfiguration." Hermione said with a smile

AJ smirked "What can I say? It's in my DNA."

**They were supposed to transfigure beetles into buttons. The only difficult part of it was trying to keep the beetle still, but AJ performed a simple freezing charm and turned the beetle into a button. Professor McGonagall gave her ten points for her excellent transfiguration. Ron was having a lot problems. He had patched up his wand with some borrowed Spell-o-tape, but it seemed to be damaged beyond repair.**

Bill nodded "They would have been pissed but they would have gotten you a new wand."

"Yeah after mom yelled some more about the money." Ron grumbled which made Bill and Charlie glare at their mother.

**It kept crackling and sparking at odd moments, and every time Ron tried to transfigure his beetle it engulfed him in thick gray smoke that smelled of rotten eggs. Unable to see what he was doing, Ron accidentally squashed his beetle with his elbow and had to ask for a new one. Professor McGonagall wasn't pleased. AJ was slightly disappointed to hear the lunch bell. She managed to make her button turn colors with your mood and put her initials on it.**

Everyone looked impressed at that, "You're really talented pup." Commented a proud Sirius

**Everyone filed out of the classroom except her and Ron, who was whacking his wand furiously on the desk.**

**"Stupid — useless — thing —"**

"That's not going to make matters any simpler." Hermione snorted

**"Write home for another one," AJ suggested as the wand let off a volley of bangs like a firecracker.**

**"Oh, yeah, and get another Howler back," said Ron, stuffing the now hissing wand into his bag. "**_**'It's your own fault your wand got snapped — '**_**"**

Molly looked a little guilty at that, she probably would have said something like that.

**They went down to lunch, where Ron's mood was not improved by Hermione and AJ comparing the handful of perfect coat buttons they had produced in Transfiguration.**

**"What've we got this afternoon?" said AJ, hastily changing the subject once she saw the thundercloud on Ron's face.**

"I'm Switzerland when it comes to those two." Laughed AJ

Charlie smiled at his girlfriend "I think that's for the best punk."

**"Defense Against the Dark Arts," said Hermione at once.**

**"Why," demanded Ron, seizing her schedule, "have you outlined all Lockhart's lessons in little hearts?" Hermione snatched the schedule back, blushing furiously.**

Bill looked at Hermione in shock but at seeing the look of regret in her eyes he knew she no longer held him in high regard.

**They finished lunch and went outside into the overcast courtyard. Hermione sat down on a stone step and buried her nose in Voyages with Vampires again. AJ changed her hair from blonde to turquoise and Ron started talking about Quidditch for several minutes before AJ became aware that she was being closely watched.**

"Your senses are usually spot on punk, who was watching you?" Charlie asked protectively.

AJ just smiled "No one dangerous love."

**Looking up, she saw the very small, mousy-haired boy she'd seen trying on the Sorting Hat last night staring at AJ as though transfixed.**

Kingsley snorted "That wouldn't freak me out at all kid."

**He was clutching what looked like an ordinary Muggle camera, and the moment AJ looked at him, he went bright red.**

"Another kid with a crush?" asked Sirius

"You know it." AJ deadpanned much to Charlie's joy.

**"All right, AJ? I'm — I'm Colin Creevey," he said breathlessly, taking a tentative step forward. "I'm in Gryffindor, too. D'you think — would it be all right if — can I have a picture?" he said, raising the camera hopefully.**

Tonks raised an eyebrow at that "Okay…that's not normal."

"He's harmless; he's just excited to meet AJ for the first time." Ginny said protectively

**"A picture?" AJ repeated blankly.**

**"So I can prove I've met you," said Colin Creevey eagerly, edging further forward. "I know all about you. Everyone's told me.**

"See, I find that creepy." Tonks said without emotion

AJ nodded, she found it creepy too.

**About how you survived when You-Know-Who tried to kill you and how he disappeared and everything and how you've still got a lightning scar on your forehead" (his eyes raked AJ's hairline) "and a boy in my dormitory said if I develop the film in the right potion, the pictures'll move." Colin drew a great shuddering breath of excitement and said, "It's amazing here, isn't it? I never knew all the odd stuff I could do was magic till I got the letter from Hogwarts. My dad's a milkman, he couldn't believe it either. So I'm taking loads of pictures to send home to him. And it'd be really good if I had one of you" — he looked imploringly at AJ — "maybe your friend could take it and I could stand next to you? And then, could you sign it?"**

"I really think this kid is taking it too far." Charlie said

Tonks nodded "Thank you, I'm not being paranoid."

**"Signed photos? You're giving out signed photos, Potter?"**

Remus groaned "Let me guess? Malfoy?"

**Loud and scathing, Draco Malfoy's voice echoed around the courtyard. He had stopped right behind Colin, flanked, as he always was at Hogwarts, by his large and thuggish cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.**

**"Everyone line up!" Malfoy roared to the crowd. "AJ Potter's giving out signed photos!"**

"He's such an asshole." Muttered Hermione

Bill nodded "He needs to back off."

**"Don't worry, Malfoy," AJ said as sweet as she could. "Say please and I'll give you one free of charge."**

"You're awesome sweets, simply awesome." Regulus said threw laughter.

**Those that had turned to listen roared with laughter, making Malfoy sneer and turn a faint pink.**

**"Yeah! You're just jealous," piped up Colin, whose entire body was about as thick as Crabbe's neck.**

**"Jealous?" said Malfoy, who didn't need to shout anymore: half the courtyard was listening in. "Of what? I don't want a foul scar right across my head, thanks. I don't think getting your head cut open makes you that special, myself."**

"You can have my scar you jackass." AJ growled

"He wouldn't know how to handle it punk; he'd be lost spending one week in your shoes." Charlie said trying to cheer AJ up which work like always.

**Crabbe and Goyle were sniggering stupidly.**

**"Eat slugs, Malfoy," said Ron angrily. Crabbe stopped laughing and started rubbing his knuckles in a menacing way.**

**"Be careful, Weasley," sneered Malfoy. "You don't want to start any trouble or your Mummy'll have to come and take you away from school." He put on a shrill, piercing voice. "'If you put another toe out of line'—"**

"That's why a howler is pointless Molly." Sirius glared at the red headed witch who was ignoring him.

**A knot of Slytherin fifth-years nearby laughed loudly at this.**

**"Weasley would like a signed photo, Potter," smirked Malfoy. "It'd be worth more than his family's whole house —"**

**Ron whipped out his Spell-o-taped wand, but AJ intervened. "I know you want my picture badly Malfoy and you knowing the price of it is really flattering but I would never waste my time with an arrogant son of a bitch like you."**

Everyone laughed loudly at that, AJ was on a roll with this!

**Malfoy turned red. "How dare you?" He snapped. "My father-!"**

"What's daddy gonna do?" sneered Kingsley "She didn't do anything to you."

**Hermione shut Voyages with Vampires with a snap and whispered, "Look out!"**

**"What's all this, what's all this?" Gilderoy Lockhart was striding toward them, his turquoise robes swirling behind him. "Who's giving out signed photos?"**

"Son of a bitch, you can't even be left alone after giving off the perfect insult?" Charlie asked with a pout

Regulus laughed loudly at that "Dragon boy you might just be okay for my niece."

**AJ started to speak but she was cut short as Lockhart flung an arm around her shoulders and thundered jovially, "Shouldn't have asked! We meet again, AJ!"**

**Pinned to Lockhart's side, AJ's hair went blood red once again, AJ saw Malfoy slide smirking back into the crowd. "Come on then, Mr. Creevey," said Lockhart, beaming at Colin. "A double portrait can't do better than that, and we'll both sign it for you."**

Sirius snarled at hearing that, he was a sick bastard.

**Colin fumbled for his camera and took the picture as the bell rang behind them, signaling the start of afternoon classes.**

**"Off you go, move along there," Lockhart called to the crowd, and he set off back to the castle with AJ, who was wishing she knew a good Vanishing Spell, still clasped to his side. "A word to the wise, AJ," said Lockhart paternally as they entered the building through a side door. "I covered up for you back there with young Creevey — if he was photographing me, too, your schoolmates won't think you're setting yourself up so much…"**

"What the fuck does "paternally" mean? He's not a parent to her or a parent figure to her for that matter." Remus growled

"He touches our daughter again and I will kill him. I don't give a fuck where he is, he deserves it!" Sirius bit out

**Deaf to AJ's protests, Lockhart swept her down a corridor lined with staring students and up a staircase. The number of girls that glared at AJ as they moved passed, just made her more uncomfortable. **

"If they want him, they can have him!" snarled AJ

**"Let me just say that handing out signed pictures at this stage of your career isn't sensible — looks a tad bigheaded, AJ, to be frank. There may well come a time when, like me, you'll need to keep a stack handy wherever you go, but" — he gave a little chortle — "I don't think you're quite there yet."**

"AJ sneezes and it could make the front page of the profit." Hermione glared

"She's a hell of a lot more famous than this idiot ever will be." Tonks snorted

**They had reached Lockhart's classroom and he let AJ go at last. AJ glared darkly which made him step away rather quickly much to her joy. She sat in the back of the room far away from the jerk and piled her books on the table to avoid looking at the real thing.**

"I'm very proud cub, you did the right thing." Remus smiled but a shadow of the wolf was fighting to come out.

**The rest of the class came clattering in, and Ron and Hermione sat down on either side of AJ.**

**"Your hair was redder then I've ever seen" said Ron. "You'd better hope Creevey doesn't meet Ginny, or they'll be starting a Alessandra Potter fan club."**

Ginny punched her brother in the arm "I was eleven at the time Ron and I'm sure there already was a fan club!"

Ron rubbed his arm "How would you know if there's a fan club?" But Ginny just blushed and glared.

**"Shut up," snapped AJ. The last thing she needed was for Lockhart to hear the phrase "Alessandra Potter fan club."**

Hermione shook her head "It wouldn't have ended well if he heard that."

**When the whole class was seated, Lockhart cleared his throat loudly and silence fell. He reached forward, picked up Neville Longbottom's copy of Travels with Trolls, and held it up to show his own, winking portrait on the front.**

**"Me," he said, pointing at it and winking as well. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"**

"I don't recall anyone caring about anything he received or how his smile won an award." Snarked Bill

**He waited for them to laugh; a few people smiled weakly. "I see you've all bought a complete set of my books — well done.**

"It was on the booklist you moron!" exploded Charlie "They had no choice but to buy the stupid shit!"

**I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about — just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in —" **

**When he had handed out the test papers he returned to the front of the class and said, "You have thirty minutes — start —now!"**

**AJ looked down at her paper and read: **

**1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?**

"Go fuck yourself green of course." Snarked Kingsley

**2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?**

Tonks rolled her eyes "To marry himself, that's too easy."

**3. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?**

Sirius rolled his eyes "He only lasted as a teacher for a year. Thank Merlin for that curse."

**On and on it went, over three sides of paper, right down to:**

Bill rubbed his head "Please dear God make it end soon."

**54. When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be?**

"His birthday is the twelfth of I don't care and his ideal gift would be a death eater that has the orders to kill him." Regulus deadpanned

**Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the papers and rifled through them in front of the class. "Tut, tut — hardly any of you remembered that my favorite color is lilac.**

Remus narrowed his eyes at that "No self-respecting man likes the color lilac and even if he does he should never admit it."

**I say so in Year with the Yeti. And a few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully — I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples — though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogdeds Old Firewhisky!"**

"I can't believe he taught a bunch of twelve year olds that, how thick can you get?" Tonks fumed

**He gave them another roguish wink. Ron was now staring at Lockhart with an expression of disbelief on his face; Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were sitting in front, were shaking with silent laughter. Hermione, on the other hand, was listening to Lockhart with rapt attention and gave a start when he mentioned her name.**

Hermione blushed hotly at that and hid her face in Bill's robes.

**"… but Miss Hermione Granger knew my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions — good girl! In fact" — he flipped her paper over — "full marks! Where is Miss Hermione Granger?"**

**Hermione raised a trembling hand.**

**"Excellent!" beamed Lockhart. "Quite excellent! Take ten points for Gryffindor! And so — to business —"**

"I'm happy we got ten points and all but it sucked having to get them that way." Ron smirked at his blushing friend.

**He bent down behind his desk and lifted a large, covered cage onto it.**

The golden trio all groaned at that, he was an idiot with a death wish.

**"Now — be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizard kind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room.**

**Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here.**

"Yeah what a load of bullshit that is." AJ snarled

Charlie gave her a quick kiss "I plan on kicking his ass punk don't worry."

**All I ask is that you remain calm."**

**In spite of herself, AJ leaned around her pile of books for a better look at the cage. Lockhart placed a hand on the cover. Dean and Seamus had stopped laughing now. Neville was cowering in his front row seat.**

**"I must ask you not to scream," said Lockhart in a low voice. "It might provoke them." **

Remus raised an eyebrow "What in the hell did he bring in?"

**As the whole class held its breath, Lockhart whipped off the cover.**

**"Yes," he said dramatically. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies."**

No one could help but laugh except the ones who experienced that class.

**Seamus Finnigan couldn't control himself. He let out a snort of laughter that even Lockhart couldn't mistake for a scream of terror. "Yes?" He smiled at Seamus.**

AJ scowled at that, he was such a creeper when it came to AJ.

**"Well, they're not — they're not very —dangerous, are they?" Seamus choked.**

"No," Sirius rolled his eyes "they're just pests."

**"Don't be so sure!" said Lockhart, waggling a finger annoyingly at Seamus. "Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!"**

"Tricky?" asked Charlie "They can cause a lot of mayhem if not watched carefully."

**The pixies were electric blue and about eight inches high, with pointed faces and voices so shrill it was like listening to a lot of budgies arguing.**

Tonks nodded "That's a pretty accurate description."

**The moment the cover had been removed, they had started jabbering and rocketing around, rattling the bars and making bizarre faces at the people nearest them.**

**"Right, then," Lockhart said loudly. "Let's see what you make of them!" And he opened the cage.**

"He's an even bigger idiot then I thought possible." Yelled Bill

**It was pandemonium. The pixies shot in every direction like rockets. Two of them seized Neville by the ears and lifted him into the air.**

Regulus needed a headache reliever potion after this chapter "That must have hurt like a bitch for a couple days."

**Several shot straight through the window, showering the back row with broken glass. The rest proceeded to wreck the classroom more effectively than a rampaging rhino. They grabbed ink bottles and sprayed the class with them, shredded books and papers, tore pictures from the walls, up-ended the waste basket, grabbed bags and books and threw them out of the smashed window; within minutes, half the class was sheltering under desks and Neville was swinging from the iron chandelier in the ceiling.**

"Now would be a good time to step in professor." Hermione muttered condescendingly

**"Come on now — round them up, round them up, they're only pixies," Lockhart shouted. He rolled up his sleeves, brandished his wand, and bellowed, "Peskipiksi Pesternomi!"**

"That's not even a bloody spell." Snape blurted out, he didn't hear about this before.

**It had absolutely no effect; one of the pixies seized his wand and threw it out of the window, too.**

"Good." Tonks snarled "Better off without him being armed."

**Lockhart gulped and dived under his own desk, narrowly avoiding being squashed by Neville, who fell a second later as the chandelier gave way. **

"Was Neville okay?" asked Sirius

AJ nodded "Madam Pomfrey fixed him right away."

**The bell rang and there was a mad rush toward the exit. In the relative calm that followed, Lockhart straightened up, caught sight of AJ, Ron, and Hermione, who were almost at the door, and said, "Well, I'll ask you three to just nip the rest of them back into their cage." He swept past them and shut the door quickly behind him.**

"HE DID NOT JUST LEAVE YOU ALONE!" Bellowed Remus

"I'LL KILL THIS STUPID ASSHOLE!" Regulus bit out through clenched teeth

**"Can you believe him?" roared Ron as one of the remaining pixies bit him painfully on the ear.**

"No we can't Ron." Bill said in a false calm voice

**"He just wants to give us some hands-on experience," said Hermione, immobilizing two pixies at once with a clever Freezing Charm and stuffing them back into their cage. **

Hermione blushed "I was an idiot, I know the truth now."

**"Hands on?" said AJ, who was trying to freeze as many of the pixies as she could. "Hermione, he didn't have a clue what he was doing —"**

"That's for damn sure." Charlie said furiously

**"Rubbish," said Hermione. "You've read his books — look at all those amazing things he's done —"**

"Doesn't mean he's actually done them." Remarked Tonks

**"He says he's done," Ron muttered.**

Kingsley nodded "Good Ron don't let him fool ya."

Molly got up, "I think it's time for a break from reading for lunch."

After a hardy lunch Snape picked up the book **"Mudbloods and Murmurs…"**


	28. Mudbloods and Murmurs

**AJ spent a lot of time over the next few days dodging out of sight whenever she saw Gilderoy Lockhart coming down a corridor.**

"Good, stay the hell away from that asshole." Charlie said with a nod

**Harder to avoid was Colin Creevey, who seemed to have memorized AJ's schedule. Nothing seemed to give Colin a bigger thrill than to say, "All right, AJ?" six or seven times a day and hear, "Hello, Colin," back, however annoyed AJ sounded when she said it.**

"Does he have an innocent crush," Kingsley wanted to know "or is he all about your fame?"

AJ shrugged "I think he was just excited to meet me, he's not like that now."

**Hedwig was still angry with AJ about the disastrous car journey**

Ron snorted "It wasn't even your fault."

**and Ron's wand was still malfunctioning, surpassing itself on Friday morning by shooting out of Ron's hand in Charms and hitting tiny old Professor Flitwick squarely between the eyes, creating a large, throbbing green boil where it had struck.**

"This would have been a good time to ask for a wand." Bill commented

Charlie nodded "If you don't want to ask mom and dad for things you guys can come to us, we obviously have money and can help out." Ron smiled a little at that.

**So with one thing and another, AJ was quite glad to reach the weekend.**

**She, Ron, and Hermione were planning to visit Hagrid on Saturday morning. AJ, however, was shaken awake several hours earlier than she would have liked by an insistent knocking against the window.**

"Do you have an idea how annoying that was?" Hermione complained

"Yeah I think I have a good idea Mio considering the damn bird was sent to wake me!" AJ snapped back

**"Whassamatter?" said AJ groggily.**

**"Shut it up!" Lavender groaned furiously, pulling the pillow over her head.**

**Sitting up, AJ opened the window and was practically attacked by a very irate and mean eyed owl. Grumbling, she grabbed the letter it was carrying and it zoomed out after one last hitting her in the head with its wing. Reading the letter, she groaned again. Oliver Wood, a tall and burly sixth year who also happened to be Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, had written a note saying that they had an early morning Quidditch practice -something about a new training program.**

"That's a little early in the morning; James didn't even wake us up that early." Sirius said

Remus laughed "That's only because he wouldn't be caught dead waking up before ten am on a weekend."

**AJ squinted at the window. There was a thin mist hanging across the pink-and-gold sky. Now that she was awake, she couldn't understand how she could have slept through the racket the birds were making. AJ grumbled under her breath. It was barely dawn. Yawning and shivering slightly, AJ tried to find her Quidditch robes.**

"You always leave them in the showers and you never remember." Chuckled Hermione

**When she'd put her long turquoise hair in a ponytail, found her scarlet team robes and pulled on her cloak for warmth, AJ scribbled a note to Hermione explaining where she'd gone and went down the spiral staircase to the common room, her Nimbus Two Thousand on her shoulder. **

"What ever happened to that broom?" Regulus asked

AJ pouted at the thought "You'll have to wait till the third book."

**She had just reached the portrait hole when there was a clatter behind her and Colin Creevey came dashing down the spiral staircase, his camera swinging madly around his neck and something clutched in his hand.**

"Now that's being a stalker!" snapped Tonks

"I really don't think this is safe kid." Seeing the mad look on Ginny's face Kingsley continued "Who is up that early on a Saturday and with a camera? This is not good."

**"I heard someone saying your name on the stairs, AJ! Look what I've got here! I've had it developed; I wanted to show you —"**

"I really don't think she cares one way or the other to be honest." Snickered Regulus

**AJ looked confusedly at the photograph Colin was brandishing under her nose. A moving, black-and-white Lockhart was tugging hard on an arm AJ recognized as her own. She was pleased to see that her photographic self was putting up a good fight and refusing to be dragged into view. As AJ watched, Lockhart gave up and slumped, panting, against the white edge of the picture.**

"That sounds like an awesome picture, I want one." Bill laughed

"Even in your pictures you can tell you hate the idiot, I love that!" Hermione grinned

**"Will you sign it?" said Colin eagerly.**

**"No," said AJ flatly, glancing around to check that the room was really deserted. "Sorry, Colin, I'm in a hurry — Quidditch practice —"**

Sirius shook his head "I somehow doubt that will discourage him."

**She climbed through the portrait hole.**

**"Oh, wow! Wait for me! I've never watched a Quidditch game before!" Colin scrambled through the hole after him.**

"Well technically it's a practice so you're really not missing much." Charlie supplied with a smile.

**"It'll be really boring," AJ said quickly, but Colin ignored her, his face shining with excitement. **

**"You were the youngest House player in a hundred years, weren't you, AJ?" said Colin, trotting alongside her. "You must be brilliant.**

"Your damn right she is." Charlie, Remus and Regulus said in unison much to their confusion

**I've never flown. Is it easy? Is that your own broom? Is that the best one there is?"**

**AJ didn't know how to get rid of him. It was like having an extremely talkative shadow. **

"That's really mean AJ." Ginny said with a frown

"They were my thoughts Ginny and it was true." AJ said in annoyance

**"I don't really understand Quidditch," said Colin breathlessly. "Is it true there are four balls? And two of them fly around trying to knock people off their brooms?"**

"Only during a Slytherin match." Snorted Bill

**"Yes," said AJ heavily, resigned to explaining the complicated rules of Quidditch. "They're called Bludgers. There are two Beaters on each team who carry clubs to beat the Bludgers away from their side. Fred and George Weasley are the Gryffindor Beaters." **

**"And what are the other balls for?" Colin asked, tripping down a couple of steps because he was gazing open-mouthed at AJ.**

"Somehow I doubt he's gaping at the quidditch talk." Ron snickered

Charlie frowned at that "He's a weird kid that's for sure."

**"Well, the Quaffle — that's the biggish red one — is the one that scores goals. Three Chasers on each team throw the Quaffle to each other and try and get it through the goal posts at the end of the pitch — they're three long poles with hoops on the end."**

"Thanks for explaining that part to us pup; we never would have known what those poles were." Sirius joked

**"And the fourth ball —"**

**"— is the Golden Snitch," said AJ, "and it's very small, very fast, and difficult to catch. But that's what the Seeker's got to do, because a game of Quidditch doesn't end until the Snitch has been caught. And whichever team's Seeker gets the Snitch earns his or her team an extra hundred and fifty points."**

Charlie smiled proudly "Best part of the game when the snitch is caught."

**"And you're the Gryffindor Seeker, aren't you?" said Colin in awe.**

"He's really smart," deadpanned Tonks "I don't know how he's only a first year."

**"Yes," said AJ as they left the castle and started across the dew-drenched grass. "And there's the Keeper, too. He guards the goal posts. That's it, really."**

Ron looked wide eyed at that "You better thank Merlin that Oliver isn't here to hear you say that."

AJ nodded grimly "Trust me I know, he would have talked my head off about the importance of the game and how I needed to take it more seriously."

**But Colin didn't stop questioning AJ all the way down the sloping lawns to the Quidditch field, and AJ only shook him off when she reached the changing rooms; Colin called after her in a piping voice, "I'll go and get a good seat, AJ!" and hurried off to the stands.**

"This is why everyone thinks Gryffindors are insane!" Kingsley burst out "The kid is literally trying to get a good seat for a PRACTICE not even a real game. You're all nuts."

Bill looked questioningly at the ranting auror "Yeah we're the crazy ones alright."

**The rest of the Gryffindor team were already in the changing room. Wood was the only person who looked truly awake. Fred and George Weasley were sitting, puffy-eyed and tousle-haired, next to fourth year Alicia Spinnet, who seemed to be nodding off against the wall behind her. Her fellow Chasers, Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson, were yawning side by side opposite them.**

"He's a dedicated player, there's nothing wrong with that." Defended Charlie

Tonks snorted "Yeah I agree with Kingsley now."

**"There you are, AJ, what kept you?" said Wood briskly. "Now, I wanted a quick talk with you all before we actually get onto the field, because I spent the summer devising a whole new training program, which I really think will make all the difference…"**

"He's more than a little dedicated dragon boy." Sirius grinned

"Yeah he's what we would call obsessive." Joked Remus

Charlie ignored them in favor of hugging AJ and hiding his blushing face in her hair.

**Wood was holding up a large diagram of a Quidditch field, on which were drawn many lines, arrows, and crosses in different colored inks. He took out his wand, tapped the board, and the arrows began to wiggle over the diagram like caterpillars. As Wood launched into a speech about his new tactics, Fred Weasley's head drooped right onto Alicia Spinnet's shoulder and he began to snore.**

"On purpose?" asked Ron

"No not at first, then he really did fall asleep." Laughed AJ

**The first board took nearly twenty minutes to explain, but there was another board under that, and a third under that one. AJ sank into a stupor as Wood droned on and on.**

"No wonder you never got to practice." Hermione muttered

**"So," said Wood, at long last, jerking AJ from a wistful fantasy about what she could be eating for breakfast at this very moment up at the castle. "Is that clear? Any questions?"**

**"I've got a question, Oliver," said George, who had woken with a start. "Why couldn't you have told us all this yesterday when we were awake?"**

"Damn good question." Complimented Kingsley "He would have done well in Ravenclaw."

**Wood wasn't pleased.**

**"Now, listen here, you lot," he said, glowering at them all. "We should have won the Quidditch cup last year. We're easily the best team. But unfortunately — owing to circumstances beyond our control —"**

Regulus glared "He isn't seriously mad over that is he?" seeing the look his niece had he went on "Well that's just complete bullshit, he's being an ass for no reason."

**AJ shifted guiltily in her seat. She had been unconscious in the hospital wing for the final match of the previous year, meaning that Gryffindor had been a player short and had suffered their worst defeat in three hundred years.**

"Which wasn't your fault cub; you did something that was very brave when no one else would help." Remus smiled

**Wood took a moment to regain control of himself. Their last defeat was clearly still torturing him.**

**"So this year, we train harder than ever before… Okay, let's go and put our new theories into practice!" Wood shouted, seizing his broomstick and leading the way out of the locker rooms. Stiff-legged and still yawning, his team followed.**

"I get the feeling that practice doesn't go as well as hoped." Bill sighed

Hermione winced at what was to happen "No it gets pretty bad."

**They had been in the locker room so long that the sun was up completely now, although remnants of mist hung over the grass in the stadium. As AJ walked onto the field, she saw Ron and Hermione sitting in the stands.**

**"Aren't you finished yet?" called Ron incredulously.**

"Of course not, they're Gryffindors and nothing good happens with them." Joked a nervous Tonks

**"Haven't even started," said AJ, looking jealously at the toast and marmalade Ron and Hermione had brought out of the Great Hall.**

**"Wood's been teaching us new moves." **

"Or just bitching about a lost game." Muttered Ron

**She mounted her broomstick and kicked at the ground, soaring up into the air. The cool morning air whipped her face, waking her far more effectively than Wood's long talk. It felt wonderful to be back on the Quidditch field. She soared right around the stadium at full speed, racing Fred and George.**

"Remus and I used to that before our practices." Smiled Sirius

Remus chuckled "And after dinner we would fly after dinner around the black lake."

**"What's that funny clicking noise?" called Fred as they hurtled around the corner.**

**AJ looked into the stands. Colin was sitting in one of the highest seats, his camera raised, taking picture after picture, the sound strangely magnified in the deserted stadium.**

"Oh good the stalker is back, he better not cause more trouble." Charlie grumbled under his breath

**"Look this way, AJ! This way!" he cried shrilly. **

Ginny shifted a little at that did seem a bit stalkerish.

**"Who's that?" said Fred.**

**"No idea," AJ lied, putting on a spurt of speed that took her as far away as possible from Colin.**

"Don't lie sweets it's bad for your soul." Regulus said with a laugh

**"What's going on?" said Wood, frowning, as he skimmed through the air toward them. "Why's that first year taking pictures? I don't like it. He could be a Slytherin spy, trying to find out about our new training program."**

Snape snorted at that, Slytherins didn't need to spy on the competition even though it seemed like a good idea.

**"He's in Gryffindor," said AJ quickly.**

"You insist he's a stalker yet you defend him." Remarked Ginny

AJ rolled her eyes "I wasn't about to let him feel the wrath of Wood for no reason."

**"And the Slytherins don't need a spy, Oliver," said George. **

**"What makes you say that?" said Wood testily.**

"They're snakes, you never know with them." Bill remarked offhandedly

**"Because they're here in person," said George, pointing.**

Everyone groaned at that, this would not end well for either team.

**Several people in green robes were walking onto the field, broomsticks in their hands.**

**"I don't believe it!" Wood hissed in outrage. "I booked the field for today! We'll see about this!" Wood shot toward the ground, landing rather harder than he meant to in his anger, staggering slightly as he dismounted. AJ, Fred, and George followed. "Flint!" Wood bellowed at the Slytherin Captain. "This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear off now!"**

"I'm not siding with the snakes," started Remus "but you're only allowed to have the field in three hour increments."

"I know papa," smiled AJ "but we were only out there for an hour."

**Marcus Flint was even larger than Wood. He had a look of trollish cunning on his face as he replied, "Plenty of room for all of us, Wood."**

**Angelina, Alicia, and Katie had come over, too. There were no girls on the Slytherin team, who stood shoulder to shoulder, facing the Gryffindors, leering at them.**

"That's disgusting!" shouted Tonks "What is wrong with boys? They shouldn't be treating you like you're on display."

**"But I booked the field!" said Wood, positively spitting with rage. "I booked it!" **

**"Ah," said Flint. "But I've got a specially signed note here from Professor Snape.**

"What are you playing at Snape?" Charlie wondered

"I'm with dragon boy," Bill said annoyed "You can't just kick another team off the pitch for practice when you decide."

Snape glared "I did not write that note nor did I sign it."

**'I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today on the Quidditch field owing to the need to train their new Seeker.'**

**"You've got a new Seeker?" said Wood, distracted. "Where?"**

"He still needs training, he sucks." Ron and Hermione laughed

**And from behind the six large figures before them came a seventh, smaller boy, smirking all over his pale, pointed face. It was Draco Malfoy.**

**"Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" said Fred, looking at Malfoy with dislike.**

"No one likes the Malfoy's; they're death eaters and need to realize they aren't above the law." Kingsley said calmly

**"Funny you should mention Draco's father," said Flint as the whole Slytherin team smiled still more broadly. "Let me show you the generous gift he's made to the Slytherin team."**

Realization hit Bill "He bribed the team! That's too funny!"

**All seven of them held out their broomsticks. Seven highly polished, brand-new handles and seven sets of fine gold lettering spelling the words Nimbus Two Thousand and One gleamed under the Gryffindors' noses in the early morning sun.**

Charlie shook his head "He must be so proud he had to pay his sons way onto the team."

**"Very latest model. Only came out last month," said Flint carelessly, flicking a speck of dust from the end of his own. "I believe it outstrips the old Two Thousand series by a considerable amount. As for the old Cleansweeps" — he smiled nastily at Fred and George, who were both clutching Cleansweep Fives —" sweeps the board with them."**

"Jackasses the lot of them, money isn't everything." Snarled an irate Sirius

**None of the Gryffindor team could think of anything to say for a moment. Malfoy was smirking so broadly his cold eyes were reduced to slits.**

Sirius glared "He needs his ass kicked. I think I should be the one to do it too."

**"Oh, look," said Flint. "A field invasion."**

**Ron and Hermione were crossing the grass to see what was going on. "What's happening?" Ron asked AJ. "Why aren't you playing? And what's he doing here?"**

"We knew something was going to happen and didn't want AJ their alone." Hermione said

Ron nodded "Snakes are sneaky and we didn't want AJ in the crossfire if something went down."

**He was looking at Malfoy, taking in his Slytherin Quidditch robes.**

**"I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley," said Malfoy, smugly. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team."**

"They weren't admiring your brooms jackass." Snarled Remus "They were wondering how low your family would actually stoop."

**Ron gaped, open-mouthed, at the seven superb broomsticks in front of him.**

**"Good, aren't they?" said Malfoy smoothly. "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too. You could raffle off those Cleansweep Fives; I expect a museum would bid for them."**

"Don't rise to the bait Ron, he's not worth it." Regulus advised

**The Slytherin team howled with laughter.**

**"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," said Hermione sharply. "They got in on pure talent."**

"GO HERMIONE!" yelled the room

Bill smiled proudly "That was an awesome comeback Mio!"

**The smug look on Malfoy's face flickered. **

**"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood," he spat.**

Everyone glared darkly at the book, even Snape had turned an unhealthy shade of green. He knew all too well about that word and would be having a word with his godson about it.

**AJ knew at once that Malfoy had said something really bad because there was an instant uproar at his words. Flint had to dive in front of Malfoy to stop Fred and George jumping on him,**

Kingsley looked surprised at that "Wow a Slytherin actually stood in the line of fire for another Slytherin."

**Alicia shrieked, "How dare you!" and Ron plunged his hand into his robes, pulled out his wand, yelling, "You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" and pointed it furiously under Flint's arm at Malfoy's face. A loud bang echoed around the stadium and a jet of green light shot out of the wrong end of Ron's wand, hitting him in the stomach and sending him reeling backward onto the grass.**

"RONALD WEASLEY! YOU DO NOT CURSE OR JINX OR HEX ANOTHER STUDENT!" Molly yelled

Tonks glared darkly at Molly "He was defending a friend Molly and I for one am very proud of that!"

**"Ron! Ron! Are you all right?" squealed Hermione.**

**Ron opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead he gave an almighty belch and several slugs dribbled out of his mouth onto his lap.**

"That's disgusting Ron." Ginny muttered

**The Slytherin team were paralyzed with laughter. Flint was doubled up, hanging onto his new broomstick for support. Malfoy was on all fours, banging the ground with his fist. The Gryffindors were gathered around Ron, who kept belching large, glistening slugs. Nobody seemed to want to touch him.**

"I don't blame you," Bill said grimly "No offence Ron."

Ron just shrugged "I wouldn't either."

**"We'd better get him to Hagrid's, it's nearest," said AJ to Hermione, who nodded bravely, and the pair of them pulled Ron up by the arms.**

"Good," Charlie nodded "Hagrid knows his stuff."

**"What happened, AJ? What happened? Is he ill? But you can cure him, can't you?" Colin had run down from his seat and was now dancing alongside them as they left the field. Ron gave a huge heave and more slugs dribbled down his front. "Oooh," said Colin, fascinated and raising his camera. "Can you hold him still, AJ?"**

"Yeah sure Colin, this is something we all want a reminder of." Hermione growled

Bill smiled at Hermione's protectiveness of her friends, it was very sweet.

**"Get out of the way, Colin!" said AJ angrily.**

"Thanks AJ; I really don't want pictures of that going around." Ron said gratefully

**She and Hermione supported Ron out of the stadium and across the grounds toward the edge of the forest.**

**"Nearly there, Ron," said Hermione as the gamekeeper's cabin came into view. "You'll be all right in a minute — almost there —"**

"Wasn't okay till the end of the night early morning." Ron grumbled

**They were within twenty feet of Hagrid's house when the front door opened, but it wasn't Hagrid who emerged. Gilderoy Lockhart, wearing robes of palest mauve today, came striding out.**

"Hide!" yelled Charlie "He's going to make it so much worse I guarantee."

**"Quick, behind here," AJ hissed, dragging Ron behind a nearby bush. Hermione followed, somewhat reluctantly.**

Hermione blushed at her stupidity.

**"It's a simple matter if you know what you're doing!" Lockhart was saying loudly to Hagrid. "If you need help, you know where I am! I'll let you have a copy of my book. I'm surprised you haven't already got one — I'll sign one tonight and send it over. Well, good-bye!" And he strode away toward the castle.**

"I hope Hagrid hurts him." Sirius bit out

**AJ waited until Lockhart was out of sight, then pulled Ron out of the bush and up to Hagrid's front door. They knocked urgently. Hagrid appeared at once, looking very grumpy, but his expression brightened when he saw who it was. "Bin wonderin' when you'd come ter see me — come in, come in — thought you mighta bin Professor Lockhart back again—"**

"If it was I wouldn't have minded if he hexed him with his pink umbrella." Remus chuckled grimly

**AJ and Hermione supported Ron over the threshold into the one-roomed cabin, which had an enormous bed in one corner, a fire crackling merrily in the other. Hagrid didn't seem perturbed by Ron's slug problem, which AJ hastily explained as she lowered Ron into a chair.**

"Hagrid has the coolest house," smiled Charlie "it's very homey."

AJ smiled "It's the best, and he's always there which is comforting."

**"Better out than in," he said cheerfully, plunking a large copper basin in front of him. "Get 'em all up, Ron." **

**"I don't think there's anything to do except wait for it to stop," said Hermione anxiously, watching Ron bend over the basin. "That's a difficult curse to work at the best of times, but with a broken wand —"**

"So you didn't think I could handle it?" Ron glared

Hermione glared right back "That's not what I said Ronald and you know it!"

**Hagrid was bustling around making them tea. His boarhound, Fang, was slobbering over AJ. "What did Lockhart want with you, Hagrid?" AJ asked, scratching Fang's ears.**

**"Givin' me advice on gettin' kelpies out of a well," growled Hagrid, moving a half-plucked rooster off his scrubbed table and setting down the teapot. "Like I don' know. An' bangin' on about some banshee he banished. If one word of it was true, I'll eat my kettle."**

"Even Hagrid knew he was fraud!" Sirius muttered

Remus nodded and rubbed his husbands shoulders "When the books are done, we'll prank him love." This seemed to put Sirius in a much better mood.

**It was most unlike Hagrid to criticize a Hogwarts' teacher, and AJ looked at him in surprise. Hermione, however, said in a voice somewhat higher than usual, "I think you're being a bit unfair. Professor Dumbledore obviously thought he was the best man for the job —"**

Dumbledore shook his head and said in a quiet voice "He was the only man for the job."

**"He was the on'y man for the job," said Hagrid, offering them a plate of treacle fudge, while Ron coughed squelchily into his basin. "An' I mean the on'y one. Gettin' very difficult ter find anyone fer the Dark Arts job. People aren't too keen ter take it on, see. They're startin' ter think it's jinxed.**

"That's because it is," Kingsley said happily "which means you only get stuck with this jerkoff till then end of the year."

**No one's lasted long fer a while now. So tell me," said Hagrid, jerking his head at Ron. "Who was he tryin' ter curse?"**

"A no good Slytherin that deserved it." Kingsley muttered uncaringly

**"Malfoy called Hermione something — it must've been really bad, because everyone went wild."**

"It is bad," Tonks said dangerously "he deserves to get cursed."

Snape wanted to agree but he couldn't do that in front of a bunch of Gryffindors.

**"It was bad," said Ron hoarsely, emerging over the tabletop looking pale and sweaty. "Malfoy called her 'Mudblood,' Hagrid —"**

**Ron dived out of sight again as a fresh wave of slugs made their appearance. Hagrid looked outraged. "He didn'!" he growled at Hermione.**

"Of course he did, he's a bastard and has no feelings." Bill snarled

"It's fine, it's over now." Hermione murmured trying to sooth Bill

**"He did," she said. "But I don't know what it means. I could tell it was really rude, of course —"**

Sirius sighed "I'm glad you don't know what it means pup, you should never have heard that fowl name."

**"It's about the most insulting thing he could think of," gasped Ron, coming back up. "Mudbloods a really foul name for someone who is Muggleborn — you know, non-magic parents. There are some wizards — like Malfoy's family — who think they're better than everyone else because they're what people call pureblood." **

"Don't pay any attention to him Mio; the Malfoy's are the worst pureblood family in the wizarding world." Regulus sighed out in anger

Hermione sent him a smile "I know, it still hurts to hear."

**He gave a small burp, and a single slug fell into his outstretched hand. He threw it into the basin and continued, "I mean, the rest of us know it doesn't make any difference at all. Look at Neville Longbottom — he's pure-blood and he can hardly stand a cauldron the right way up."**

Snape smirked at that, Longbottom was the worst in his class and that included first years.

**"An' they haven't invented a spell our Hermione can' do," said Hagrid proudly, making Hermione go a brilliant shade of magenta.**

**"It's a disgusting thing to call someone," said Ron, wiping his sweaty brow with a shaking hand. "Dirty blood, see. Common blood. It's ridiculous. Most wizards these days are half-blood anyway.**

"There really aren't that many pure-bloods left anymore." Tonks said

Charlie nodded "You can't just have the pure-bloods only marry pure-bloods unless you're into incest."

**If we hadn't married Muggles we'd've died out."**

**He retched and ducked out of sight again.**

"That really was gross to see." AJ smirked

Ron glared "Try tasting the slugs."

**"Well, I don' blame yeh fer tryin' ter curse him, Ron," said Hagrid loudly over the thuds of more slugs hitting the basin. "Bu' maybe it was a good thing yer wand backfired. 'Spect Lucius Malfoy would've come marchin' up ter school if yeh'd cursed his son. Least yer not in trouble."**

Molly glared at her son, he never thought his actions affected anyone but himself.

**AJ would have pointed out that trouble didn't come much worse than having slugs pouring out of your mouth, but she couldn't; Hagrid's treacle fudge had cemented her jaws together.**

Remus laughed loudly at that "You haven't learned yet cub?"

"I was starving papa, I hadn't eaten yet." AJ pouted

**"AJ," said Hagrid abruptly as though struck by a sudden thought. "Gotta bone ter pick with yeh. I've heard you've bin givin' out signed photos. How come I haven't got one?"**

**Furious, AJ wrenched her teeth apart.**

"He better be joking!" Regulus grumbled

Charlie shifted "I'm sure he was, he knows AJ doesn't like her fame."

**"I have not been giving out signed photos," she said hotly. "If Lockhart's still spreading that around —"**

**But then she saw that Hagrid was laughing.**

Charlie let out a sigh of relief at that, he didn't want to curse Hagrid but he would.

**"I'm on'y jokin'," he said, patting AJ genially on the back and sending her face first into the table. "I knew yeh hadn't really. I told Lockhart yeh didn' need teh. Yer more famous than him without tryin'."**

"I'm sure that's going to make her feel loads better Hagrid." Kingsley said sadly

**"Don' think he did," said Hagrid, his eyes twinkling. "An' then I told him I'd never read one o' his books an' he decided ter go. Treacle fudge, Ron?" he added as Ron reappeared.**

**"No thanks," said Ron weakly. "Better not risk it."**

"Thank God I had excuse." Ron laughed

**"Come an' see what I've bin growin'," said Hagrid as AJ and Hermione finished the last of their tea. In the small vegetable patch behind Hagrid's house were a dozen of the largest pumpkins AJ had ever seen. Each was the size of a large boulder. "Gettin' on well, aren't they?" said Hagrid happily. "Fer the Halloween feast… should be big enough by then."**

"I hate Halloween, even the feast is great the day completely sucks." AJ snuggled up to her papa needing his comfort more than anything.

**"What've you been feeding them?" said AJ.**

"A little dose of magic cub," Remus whispered trying to cheer his daughter up.

**Hagrid looked over his shoulder to check that they were alone. "Well, I've bin givin' them — you know — a bit o' help —"**

**AJ noticed Hagrid's flowery pink umbrella leaning against the back wall of the cabin. AJ had had reason to believe before now that this umbrella was not all it looked; in fact, she had the strong impression that Hagrid's old school wand was concealed inside it.**

Dumbledore smiled at that. He knew that Hagrid was innocent and it was only right that he be allowed his wand in some way.

**Hagrid wasn't supposed to use magic. He had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, but AJ had never found out why — any mention of the matter and Hagrid would clear his throat loudly and become mysteriously deaf until the subject was changed.**

Sirius chuckled at that and rubbed AJ's back soothingly when he noticed she didn't show any emotion towards Hagrid's horrible way of changing the subject.

**"An Engorgement Charm, I suppose?" said Hermione, halfway between disapproval and amusement. "Well, you've done a good job on them."**

Bill smirked at that, Hermione would do good as a curse breaker.

**"That's what yer little sister said," said Hagrid, nodding at Ron. "Met her jus' yesterday." Hagrid looked sideways at AJ, his beard twitching. "Said she was jus' lookin' round the grounds, but I reckon she was hopin' she might run inter someone else at my house." He winked at AJ. "If yeh ask me, she wouldn' say no ter a signed —"**

Ginny blushed bright red at that, she would have loved a signed photo but that wasn't the real reason she was by Hagrid's house.

**"Oh, shut up," said AJ. Ron snorted with laughter and the ground was sprayed with slugs.**

**"Watch it!" Hagrid roared, pulling Ron away from his precious pumpkins.**

Tonks laughed loudly at that "Yeah Ron don't get slugs near his beautiful pumpkins."

**It was nearly lunchtime and as AJ had only had one bit of treacle fudge since dawn, she was keen to go back to school to eat. They said good-bye to Hagrid and walked back up to the castle, Ron hiccoughing occasionally, but only bringing up two very small slugs. They had barely set foot in the cool entrance hall when a voice rang out, "There you are, Potter — Weasley." Professor McGonagall was walking toward them, looking stern. "You will both do your detentions this evening."**

AJ shuddered, that was the worse detention she ever had to serve. Remus and Sirius exchanged looks at that, they hoped she didn't have to deal with anything horrible for something that wasn't her fault.

**"What're we doing, Professor?" said Ron, nervously suppressing a burp. **

"That would have been rather funny if you burped all over her." Kingsley couldn't suppress a laugh at that image.

**"You will be polishing the silver in the trophy room with Mr. Filch," said Professor McGonagall. "And no magic, Weasley — elbow grease."**

**Ron gulped. Argus Filch, the caretaker, was loathed by every student in the school. "And you, Potter, will be helping Professor Lockhart answer his fan mail," said Professor McGonagall.**

"You were left alone with that pervert?" Charlie growled

"I swear if he even thought of touching you," Remus couldn't even finish his sentence he was so angry. AJ hugged him closer while Sirius and Regulus were plotting murder.

**"Oh n — Professor, can't I go and do the trophy room, too?" said AJ desperately. **

**"Certainly not," said Professor McGonagall, raising her eyebrows. "Professor Lockhart requested you particularly. Eight o'clock sharp, both of you."**

"That should have raised a pretty big red flag!" Sirius said furiously

Regulus glared murderously "You'd think that she would see that, what the fuck is wrong with teachers at that school?"

**AJ and Ron slouched into the Great Hall in states of deepest gloom, Hermione behind them, wearing a **_**well-you-did-break-school-rules**_** sort of expression.**

Hermione shifted uncomfortable "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you had such a shitty detention AJ." But AJ didn't even reply she was too bust focusing on inhaling her papa and dads scent for comfort.

**AJ didn't enjoy her shepherd's pie as much as she'd thought. Both she and Ron felt they'd got the worse deal.**

Ron winced "AJ certainly did." Which made everyone wonder what could have possibly happened.

**"Filch'll have me there all night," said Ron heavily. "No magic! There must be about a hundred cups in that room. I'm no good at Muggle cleaning."**

**"I'd swap anytime," said AJ hollowly. "I've had loads of practice with the Dursleys.**

Charlie started to think of ways he could get an angry dragon to the Dursleys without raising suspicion at the reserves…this would take some time to figure out.

**Answering Lockhart's fan mail… he'll be a nightmare…"**

**Saturday afternoon seemed to melt away, and in what seemed like no time, it was five minutes to eight, and AJ was dragging her feet along the second-floor corridor to Lockhart's office, her hair was just regular black because she didn't have the energy to change it something fun. She gritted her teeth and knocked.**

"I wouldn't blame you if you ditched, I know I would have." Bill smiled

Tonks nodded "I agree, just blow the loser off."

**The door flew open at once. Lockhart beamed down at her. **

**"Ah, here's the scalawag!" he said. "Come in, AJ, come in —"**

"She's not a pirate you perverted asshole." Kingsley scowled

**He ushered her in, standing closer to her than she would have liked. Shining brightly on the walls by the light of many candles were countless framed photographs of Lockhart.**

"So it's basically hell on earth." Charlie muttered

Regulus nodded with a smirk "I'd rather spend the entire night seducing Snape then spend it with that moron." Everyone laughed at his imagination except Snape and AJ for obvious reasons.

**He had even signed a few of them. Another large pile lay on his desk.**

**"You can address the envelopes!" Lockhart told AJ, as though this was a huge treat. "This first ones to Gladys Gudgeon, bless her — huge fan of mine —"**

**The minutes snailed by. AJ let Lockhart's voice wash over her, occasionally saying, "Mmm" and "Right" and "Yeah." Now and then she caught a phrase like, "Fame's a fickle friend, AJ," or "Celebrity is as celebrity does, remember that."**

"What does that even mean?" Hermione demanded "It makes no sense!"

Bill shrugged "Never try and make sense of an idiot, it'll just give you a headache."

**Only once did he truly catch her attention in his tirade that was when he suddenly stopped and looked at her with a gleaming smile. "Now AJ," he said. "I have thought long and hard about what you did and I think I know the real reason as to why you did all of this."**

Sirius glared "What is he playing at?"

AJ looked up with sad eyes "Here comes the reason why I hate him."

**"Excuse me?" AJ asked with pure hatred**

**He laughed loudly. "Oh, I know. It must be incredibly embarrassing, darling girl. You have a little crush on me!"**

**AJ felt anger course through her entire body "No professor that is not the emotion I seem to be feeling for you at this moment."**

"Good!" Charlie yelled proudly "Don't let him get away with this!"

**But Lockhart just laughed again, deaf to her protests. "Of course you thought that if you got yourself into trouble you'd catch my attention. You are very pretty AJ and if you were older we might be able to do something about this crush."**

**AJ jumped to her feet not caring that she was in detention, she would put up with a lot but not this.**

Remus was growling at this point "Good, get as far away from his sick self as possible."

"I swear to Merlin I will kill this son-of-a-bitch without thinking twice.

**Lockhart stood up and gave her a hug "Don't worry sweet girl, we don't have to tell anyone-" but before he could finish his sentence AJ kneed him hard in the groin and glared menacingly at him,**

Regulus, Remus and Charlie were beaming with pride. AJ could hold her own in a fight or horrible situation any day!

"**If you EVER touch me again I will make it so Voldemort's anger looks like an innocent kitten playing with a yarn ball!" she said through clenched teeth and walked out of the room while Lockhart was gasping for breath telling her it was fine to leave this moment between them.**

Everyone was happy that AJ stood up to the dirt bag like that but they were still thinking murderous thoughts towards the man.

Remus and Sirius held their daughter closer to them vowing that he would pay for what he did, while Regulus and Charlie were figuring out how to get a Dragon to eat him without Charlie getting blamed. It took a good fifteen minutes before the room calmed down enough to continue reading.

**As AJ was heading back to her common room she heard a voice that made her freeze **_**"Come… come to me… Let me rip you... Let me tear you... Let me kill you…" **_**She looked around rather quickly at a couple pictures but none of them seemed to have heard it. She shook her head, it had to have been being in detention with Lockhart that would make her hear those voices.**

Everyone stared at AJ in wonder, what could she have heard? That wasn't because of detention.

Charlie looked over at AJ "What was it punk?" he asked quietly

AJ shifted "It'll be explained by the end of the book."

**Feeling dazed, AJ continued walking. It was so late that the Gryffindor common room was almost empty. AJ went straight to her favourite couch and collapsed on top of it, how could she explain this to Ron and Hermione?**

Kingsley looked over at the upset girl "You did tell them though right kid?"

"You really should, they won't think you're crazy or anything." Tonks assured

**Half an hour later, Ron arrived, nursing his right arm and bringing a strong smell of polish into the darkened common room. **

**"My muscles have all seized up," he groaned, sinking on a chair. "Fourteen times he made me buff up that Quidditch cup before he was satisfied. And then I had another slug attack all over a Special Award for Services to the School.**

Hermione smirked a little "You should tell Voldemort that you got slugs all over his award."

Ron snickered a little at that "I should, it would be hilarious to see his face."

**Took ages to get the slime off… How was it with Lockhart?" **

**Keeping her voice low, AJ told Ron exactly what she had heard.**

Regulus still wasn't over what happened with Lockhart but he was glad that his niece was telling someone something finally.

"**None of the pictures seemed that they heard it?" said Ron. AJ could see him frowning in the firelight. "Maybe it was someone invisible? But you'd hear them around you wouldn't you?**

Remus nodded "Being invisible doesn't make you silent."

Sirius mock glared "We know moony no need to remind us."

**"I know," said AJ. "I don't get it either."**

**Without another word, the two silently stood and made their way up to their separate dormitories.**

Snape chucked the book onto the table "I never want to read about that moron again!"

Regulus nodded "I don't blame you Snape."

"We can press charges AJ." Tonks smiled "We'll find away don't worry.

"I plan to kill him slowly," Charlie said cheerfully "I don't care where he is, he deserves death."

Noticing AJ wasn't going to comment Ron took the book "I'll read next, **The Deathday Party…**


	29. The Deathday Party

**October arrived, spreading a damp chill over the grounds and into the castle. Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was kept busy by a sudden spate of colds among the staff and students.**

Tonks looked disgusted at that "I hate the cold months especially when the snow falls and ice starts to form."

"That's because you're a klutz Tonks." Laughed Kingsley

**Her Pepper-up potion worked instantly, though it left the drinker smoking at the ears for several hours afterwards. Ginny Weasley, who had been looking pale, was bullied into taking some by Percy. The steam pouring from under her vivid hair gave the impression that her whole head was on fire.**

Ginny scowled at that. Taking the potion did absolutely nothing for her but it made Percy feel better for some odd reason.

**Raindrops the size of bullets thundered on the castle windows for days on end;**

"Stupid rain, I really don't like the wet." Complained AJ

Sirius smiled "Neither do I pup, I prefer the dry heat."

**the lake rose, the flower beds turned into muddy streams, and Hagrid's pumpkins swelled to the size of garden sheds. Oliver Wood's enthusiasm for regular training sessions, however, was not dampened, which was why AJ was to be found, late one stormy Saturday afternoon a few days before Halloween, returning to Gryffindor Tower, drenched to the skin and splattered with mud.**

"Maybe he's more than a dedicated player." Charlie muttered

AJ smirked "He went a little crazy this year and the following year."

**Even aside from the rain and wind it hadn't been a happy practice session. Fred and George, who had been spying on the Slytherin team, had seen for themselves the speed of those new Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones. They reported that the Slytherin team was no more than seven greenish blurs, shooting through the air like missiles.**

"Just because they have fast brooms doesn't mean they have the talent to use them to their fullest potential." Regulus sighed

**As AJ squelched along the deserted corridor she came across somebody who looked just as preoccupied as she was. Nearly Headless Nick, the ghost of Gryffindor Tower, was staring morosely out of a window, muttering under his breath, "… don't fulfill their requirements… half an inch, if that…"**

All the Gryffindors laughed loudly at that while Regulus, Kingsley and Tonks looked a little lost.

"What's he complaining about?" Kingsley asked

"Probably the headless hunt," Remus said through laughter "he complains about it every year."

**"Hello, Nick," said AJ.**

**"Hello, hello," said Nearly Headless Nick, starting and looking round.**

**He wore a dashing, plumed hat on his long curly hair, and a tunic with a ruff, which concealed the fact that his neck was almost completely severed. He was pale as smoke, and AJ could see right through him to the dark sky and torrential rain outside.**

"Nick is one of the coolest ghosts at Hogwarts." Hermione smiled

"Trust me, after what he did for me you'll think he's even cooler than before." AJ grinned

**"You look troubled, young Potter," said Nick, folding a transparent letter as he spoke and tucking it inside his doublet.**

"You're ghost is a hell of a lot nice than mine was." Grumbled Regulus "He couldn't care less what was going on with us snakes."

**"So do you," said AJ. **

**"Ah," Nearly Headless Nick waved an elegant hand, "a matter of no importance… It's not as though I really wanted to join… Thought I'd apply, but apparently I 'don't fulfill requirements' —"**

**In spite of his airy tone, there was a look of great bitterness on his face.**

"You'd think after the first five-hundred times he'd give up wanting to go." Ron said tactlessly

**"But you would think, wouldn't you," he erupted suddenly, pulling the letter back out of his pocket, "that getting hit forty-five times in the neck with a blunt axe would qualify you to join the Headless Hunt?"**

Tonks whistled lowly at that "I sympathize, I really do. But he's not headless to what's the point in being upset over not being allowed to partake in a headless hunt?"

Bill shrugged "He's always put in a request and is always denied and it always hurts. Why? I don't know. But it's always upsetting to him."

**"Oh — yes," said AJ, who was obviously supposed to agree.**

**"I mean, nobody wishes more than I do that it had all been quick and clean, and my head had come off properly, I mean, it would have saved me a great deal of pain and ridicule. However—" Nearly Headless Nick shook his letter open and read furiously:**

"I bet it's the same as it was when he read it off to us." Chuckled Sirius

Remus laughed a little "I somehow doubt he would change the wording around to make Nick feel better."

**"**_**'We can only accept huntsmen whose heads have parted company with their bodies. You will appreciate that it would be impossible otherwise for members to participate in hunt activities such as Horseback Head-Juggling and Head Polo. It is with the greatest regret, therefore, that I must inform you that you do not fulfill our requirements.**_

_**With very best wishes, Sir Patrick Delaney-Podmore.'**_**"**

"That doesn't sound like he was insulting Nick." Remarked Kingsley

AJ shook her head "He's a real jerk of a ghost and is always trying to get digs in at Nicks expense."

**Fuming, Nearly Headless Nick stuffed the letter away.**

**"Half an inch of skin and sinew holding my neck on, AJ! Most people would think that's good and beheaded, but oh, no, it's not enough for Sir Properly Decapitated-Podmore."**

Everyone laughed loudly at that, the Gryffindors who knew Nick well knew his tirade by heart.

**Nearly Headless Nick took several deep breaths and then said, in a far calmer tone, "So — what's bothering you? Anything I can do?"**

Bill smiled at AJ "You're a lot like Nick; you both want to help people even if you can't do much."

**"No," said AJ. "Not unless you know where we can get seven free Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones for our match against Sly—"**

**The rest of AJ's sentence was drowned out by a high-pitched mewling from somewhere near her ankles. She looked down and found herself gazing into a pair of lamp-like yellow eyes.**

"Damn AJ, you don't need to get into more trouble." Ron sighed forgetting she got out of detention.

"Now would be a good time to run like hell punk." Charlie suggested

**It was Mrs. Norris, the skeletal gray cat who was used by the caretaker, Argus Filch, as a sort of deputy in his endless battle against students.**

"It's like a description to a bad movie that you're forced to watch." Hermione laughed

**"You'd better get out of here, AJ," said Nick quickly. "Filch isn't in a good mood — he's got the flu and some third years accidentally plastered frog brains all over the ceiling in dungeon five. He's been cleaning all morning, and if he sees you dripping mud all over the place —"**

"What is his problem? He's supposed to clean the castle." Regulus said harshly

**"Right," said AJ, backing away from the accusing stare of Mrs. Norris, but not quickly enough. Drawn to the spot by the mysterious power that seemed to connect him with his foul cat, Argus Filch burst suddenly through a tapestry to AJ's right, wheezing and looking wildly about for the rule-breaker. There was a thick tartan scarf bound around his head, and his nose was unusually purple.**

"He's drop dead gorgeous, I can't see why anyone wouldn't be attracted to that." Tonks said flirtatiously

**"Filth!" he shouted his jowls aquiver, his eyes popping alarmingly as he pointed at the muddy puddle that had dripped from AJ's Quidditch robes. "Mess and muck everywhere! I've had enough of it, I tell you! Follow me, Potter!"**

Bill dropped his head "You're going to get an unfair detention now because it rained on you."

"It'll probably be something horrible that shouldn't even be considered at detention." Charlie finished for his brother.

**So AJ waved a gloomy good-bye to Nearly Headless Nick and followed Filch back downstairs, doubling the number of muddy footprints on the floor. AJ had never been inside Filch's office before; it was a place most students avoided.**

Sirius looked a little torn at that "I'm happy you haven't gotten caught by Filch before but that also means you aren't pranking enough."

**The room was dingy and windowless, lit by a single oil lamp dangling from the low ceiling. A faint smell of fried fish lingered about the place. Wooden filing cabinets stood around the walls; from their labels, AJ could see that they contained details of every pupil Filch had ever punished. Fred and George Weasley had an entire drawer to themselves.**

Molly shook her head disapprovingly while Remus and Sirius looked rather proud.

**A highly polished collection of chains and manacles hung on the wall behind Filch's desk. It was common knowledge that he was always begging Dumbledore to let him suspend students by their ankles from the ceiling. Filch grabbed a quill from a pot on his desk and began shuffling around looking for parchment.**

**"Dung," he muttered furiously, "great sizzling dragon bogies… frog brains… rat intestines…**

"That is just disgusting!" Tonks said "What is wrong with this man?"

**I've had enough of it… make an example… where's the form… yes…"**

"I hear talking to you is considered a form of insanity." Remus commented

Regulus snorted "That makes a lot of sense in his case."

**He retrieved a large roll of parchment from his desk drawer and stretched it out in front of him, dipping his long black quill into the ink pot.**

**"Name… Alessandra Potter. Crime…"**

"Oh for the love of Merlin!" snarled Charlie "He makes it seem like you killed his cat or something!"

"**It was only a bit of mud!" said AJ.**

**"It's only a bit of mud to you, girl, but to me it's an extra hour scrubbing!" shouted Filch, a drip shivering unpleasantly at the end of his bulbous nose.**

"Once again it's your job!" Regulus said impatiently

**"Crime… befouling the castle… suggested sentence…"**

"I think he spends too much time reading mystery books." Hermione grumbled

**Dabbing at his streaming nose, Filch squinted unpleasantly at AJ who waited with bated breath for her sentence to fall. But as Filch lowered his quill, there was a great BANG! on the ceiling of the office, which made the oil lamp rattle.**

"Finally some good luck is coming your way." Tonks said excitedly

**"PEEVES!" Filch roared, flinging down his quill in a transport of rage. "I'll have you this time, I'll have you!"**

Sirius scoffed at that "Yeah right, you'll never catch Peeves in the act."

**And without a backward glance at AJ, Filch ran flat-footed from the office, Mrs. Norris streaking alongside him. Peeves was the school poltergeist, a grinning, airborne menace who lived to cause havoc and distress. AJ got on well enough with Peeves, but was more than fond of him now for his timing. Hopefully, whatever Peeves had done (and it sounded as though he'd wrecked something very big this time) would distract Filch from AJ. Thinking that she should probably wait for Filch to come back,**

"You're too noble for your own good punk." Charlie remarked

"Now is another good opportunity to run like hell kid." Kingsley suggested

**AJ sank into a moth-eaten chair next to the desk. There was only one thing on it apart from her half-completed form: a large, glossy, purple envelope with silver lettering on the front. With a quick glance at the door to check that Filch wasn't on his way back, AJ picked up the envelope and read:**

_**Kwikspell**_

_**A Correspondence Course in Beginners' Magic.**_

Bill looked mildly surprised "I suspected as much, kind of sucks though."

"Really? Just by reading that you know?" Hermione asked in a shocked voice. Bill just smiled back happy that he could surprise Hermione

**Intrigued, AJ flicked the envelope open and pulled out the sheaf of parchment inside. More curly silver writing on the front page said:**

Remus smiled happily "Our little marauder in training!"

_**Feel out of step in the world of modern magic? Find yourself making excuses not to perform simThere is an answer! Kwikspell is an all-new, fail-safe, quick-result, easy-learn course. Hundreds of witches and wizards have benefited from the Kwikspell method!**_

_**Madam Z. Nettles of Topsham writes:**_

_**"I had no memory for incantations and my potions were a family joke! Now, after a Kwikspell course, I am the center of attention at parties and friends beg for the recipe of my Scintillation Solution!"**_

_**Warlock D. J. Prod of Didsbury says:**_

_**"My wife used to sneer at my feeble charms, but one month into your fabulous Kwikspell course and I succeeded in turning her into a yak! Thank you, Kwikspell!" **_

**Fascinated, AJ thumbed through the rest of the envelope's contents. Why on earth did Filch want a Kwikspell course? Did this mean he wasn't a proper wizard?**

Bill shook his head "No, it means he's a squib."

"It makes sense really," Regulus said "he's so mean to the kids because he's bitter."

"That may be true but he doesn't always have to be such a complete and utter asshole." Charlie complained

**AJ was just reading Lesson One: Holding Your Wand (Some Useful Tips) when shuffling footsteps outside told her Filch was coming back. Stuffing the parchment back into the envelope, AJ threw it back onto the desk just as the door opened.**

Charlie snorted "You do fine with holding a wand AJ, you don't need to read the lesson."

Bill couldn't help himself "You'd know all about AJ's wand holding abilities wouldn't you?" Charlie glared while everyone else held back their laughter at the blushing young man.

**Filch was looking triumphant.**

**"That vanishing cabinet was extremely valuable!" he was saying gleefully to Mrs. Norris. "We'll have Peeves out this time, my sweet —" **

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed at that, they may have to get rid of the cabinet sooner rather than later.

**His eyes fell on AJ and then darted to the Kwikspell envelope, which, AJ realized too late, was lying two feet away from where it had started.**

"Damn, that's a rookie mistake cub." Remus grimaced

**Filch's pasty face went brick red. AJ braced herself for a tidal wave of fury. Filch hobbled across to his desk, snatched up the envelope, and threw it into a drawer.**

**"Have you — did you read —?" he sputtered.**

**"No," AJ said with an annoyed tone.**

"Once again your ability to lie is amazing." Ron commented

Molly glared "She shouldn't have such ability!"

"Well my lying has saved my ass a number of times, so yeah I'm happy I can." Snarked AJ

**Filch's knobbly hands were twisting together. "If I thought you'd read my private —not that it's mine — for a friend — be that as it may — however —"**

"I should give him some tips in the lying department." AJ scoffed.

**AJ was staring at him, alarmed; Filch had never looked madder. His eyes were popping, a tic was going in one of his pouchy cheeks, and the tartan scarf didn't help. **

**"Very well — go — and don't breathe a word — not that — however, if you didn't read — go now, I have to write up Peeves' report — go —"**

"You got out of a detention with Filch?" asked Sirius

"Like he didn't even try to hurt you?" Remus asked

"He didn't hunt you down and make you clean toilets with a toothbrush?" Regulus rushed out

AJ laughed "Of course I got out of trouble; I am AJ Black the girl who lived after all."

**Amazed at her luck, AJ sped out of the office, up the corridor, and back upstairs. To escape from Filch's office without punishment was probably some kind of school record.**

"I bet you're the only one who ever not got into trouble!" Kingsley huffed. He got into trouble too much with Filch around.

**"AJ! AJ! Did it work?"**

**Nearly Headless Nick came gliding out of a classroom. Behind him, AJ could see the wreckage of a large black-and-gold cabinet that appeared to have been dropped from a great height.**

Ron and Hermione smiled, they were happy AJ didn't have another unnecessary detention that could have been with Lockhart.

**"I persuaded Peeves to crash it right over Filch's office," said Nick eagerly. "Thought it might distract him —"**

Regulus huffed at that "I wish our ghost would have done that for us."

**"Was that you?" said AJ gratefully. "Yeah, it worked, I didn't even get detention. Thanks Nick!"**

**They set off up the corridor together. Nearly Headless Nick, AJ noticed, was still holding Sir Patrick's rejection letter…**

**"I wish there was something I could do for you about the Headless Hunt," AJ said.**

Remus smiled proudly "That's very sweet of you."

**Nearly Headless Nick stopped in his tracks and AJ walked right through him. She wished she hadn't; it was like stepping through an icy shower.**

Everyone shivered at that, it was an awful feeling and people usually tried to avoid it.

**"But there is something you could do for me," said Nick excitedly. "AJ — would I be asking too much — but no, you wouldn't want —"**

**"What is it?" said AJ.**

**"Well, this Halloween will be my five hundredth Deathday," said Nearly Headless Nick, drawing himself up and looking dignified.**

"Deathday? They celebrate the days they died?" Tonks asked in shock

Kingsley nodded "It's a really important day to them and they're proud of it almost."

**"Oh," said AJ, not sure whether she should look sorry or happy about this. "Right."**

"Be happy, he's accepted his death." Bill said kindly

**"I'm holding a party down in one of the roomier dungeons. Friends will be coming from all over the country. It would be such an honor if you would attend. Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger would be most welcome, too, of course— but I daresay you'd rather go to the school feast?" He watched AJ on tenterhooks.**

"That sounds really exciting!" Charlie beamed "Was it a lot of fun?"

Ron shook his head "No! It was cold and there was no food."

Charlie looked at him as though he grew a third eye "But it's a death day party. With a bunch of ghost that you've never met. How is that not fun?"

**"No," said AJ quickly, "I'll come —"**

Charlie nodded "Smart move punk! I wish I could have gone." AJ laughed at how cute and childish her boyfriend could be.

**"My dear girl! Alessandra Potter, at my death day party! And —" he hesitated, looking excited "— do you think you could possibly mention to Sir Patrick how very frightening and impressive you find me?"**

"Impressive yes, frightening not so much." Sirius laughed

Remus nodded "It was worth a shot I guess."

**"Of course," said AJ.**

**Nearly Headless Nick beamed at her. **

**"A Deathday party?" said Hermione keenly when AJ had changed at last and joined her and Ron in the common room. "I bet there aren't many living people who can say they've been to one of those — it'll be fascinating!"**

"I still think you're all nuts to want to go to one." Bill shook his head

Charlie glared "That's because you have no sense of adventure."

**"Why would anyone want to celebrate the day they died?" said Ron, who was halfway through his Potions homework and grumpy. "Sounds dead depressing to me…"**

Bill laughed at that "See? Ron agrees with me."

"It sounded weird and it was weird." Smiled Ron

**Rain was still lashing the windows, which were now inky black, but inside all looked bright and cheerful. The firelight glowed over the countless squashy armchairs where people sat reading, talking, doing homework or, in the case of Fred and George Weasley, trying to find out what would happen if you fed a Filibuster firework to a salamander.**

The happy look Charlie once had was no changed into an angry disgusted look. Fred and George were lucky they weren't there.

**Fred had "rescued" the brilliant orange, fire-dwelling lizard from a Care of Magical Creatures class and it was now smoldering gently on a table surrounded by a knot of curious people.**

Charlie was glaring silently at the wall at this point, his brothers were idiots sometimes.

**AJ was at the point of telling Ron and Hermione about Filch and the Kwikspell course when the salamander suddenly whizzed into the air, emitting loud sparks and bangs as it whirled wildly round the room. The sight of Percy bellowing himself hoarse at Fred and George, the spectacular display of tangerine stars showering from the salamander's mouth, and its escape into the fire, with accompanying explosions, drove both Filch and the Kwikspell envelope from AJ's mind.**

Ron mock glared "How could you forget such an exciting moment?"

"I know it was rather stupid and I'll never make that mistake again." AJ said dryly

**By the time Halloween arrived, AJ was trying to ignore the pounding headache she had. She didn't like Halloween. Never had.**

"Why don't you like Halloween?" Ginny asked

"Well my parents were murdered on Halloween and that kind of sucked." AJ deadpanned while Ginny glared because it was only a question.

**It just made her annoyed. And with what had happened last Halloween, AJ was more eager than ever to just go back to the common room and read a book or put her head through a wall.**

"Well I for one vote for the book sweets," Regulus smiled "putting your head through a wall would just make the headache worse."

"But what could have happened this Halloween? You just went to a death day party and I can't see Nick inviting you to a party that will cause problems for you." Kingsley remarked

**The rest of the school, however, was happily anticipating their Halloween feast; the Great Hall had been decorated with the usual live bats, Hagrid's vast pumpkins had been carved into lanterns large enough for three men to sit in, and there were rumors that Dumbledore had booked a troupe of dancing skeletons for the entertainment.**

**"A promise is a promise," Hermione reminded AJ bossily. "You said you'd go to the Deathday party."**

"I'm really sorry AJ, I didn't even think." Hermione said apologetically but AJ just waved her off, it didn't matter.

**So at seven o'clock, AJ, Ron, and Hermione walked straight past the doorway to the packed Great Hall, which was glittering invitingly with gold plates and candles, and directed their steps instead toward the dungeons.**

Ron sighed at that "Should have just went to the feast."

**The passageway leading to Nearly Headless Nick's party had been lined with candles, too, though the effect was far from cheerful: These were long, thin, jet-black tapers, all burning bright blue, casting a dim, ghostly light even over their own living faces. The temperature dropped with every step they took. As AJ shivered and drew her robes tightly around her, she heard what sounded like a thousand fingernails scraping an enormous blackboard.**

Tonks shivered at that "Sounds like a really fantastic party really."

**"Is that supposed to be music?" Ron whispered. **

**They turned a corner and saw Nearly Headless Nick standing at a doorway hung with black velvet drapes.**

**"My dear friends," he said mournfully. "Welcome, welcome… so pleased you could come…"**

Kingsley chuckled at that "He certainly likes to put on a show."

**He swept off his plumed hat and bowed them inside.**

**It was an incredible sight. The dungeon was full of hundreds of pearly-white, translucent people, mostly drifting around a crowded dance floor, waltzing to the dreadful, quavering sound of thirty musical saws, played by an orchestra on a raised, black-draped platform. A chandelier overhead blazed midnight-blue with a**

**thousand more black candles. Their breath rose in a mist before them; it was like stepping into a freezer.**

"It sounds…interesting I suppose." Sirius said skeptically

"Yeah I've always wanted to step into a room that reminds me of a freezer with a hundred dead people." Regulus huffed

**"Shall we have a look around?" AJ suggested, wanting to warm up her feet.**

**"Careful not to walk through anyone," said Ron nervously, and they set off around the edge of the dance floor. They passed a group of gloomy nuns, a ragged man wearing chains,**

"The bloody baron was there?" Bill asked "He doesn't seem like the party type."

**and the Fat Friar, a cheerful Hufflepuff ghost, who was talking to a knight with an arrow sticking out of his forehead.**

"I'm surprised you didn't ask how that happened Ron." Hermione remarked

Ron smirked "I wanted to really bad but I thought better of it."

**AJ wasn't surprised to see that the Bloody Baron, a gaunt, staring Slytherin ghost covered in silver bloodstains, was being given a wide berth by the other ghosts.**

"He's not that bad, he's just misunderstood." Snape defended his old ghost

Regulus snorted "Misunderstood? More like bat shit crazy."

**"Oh, no," said Hermione, stopping abruptly. "Turn back, turn back, I don't want to talk to Moaning Myrtle —"**

**"Damn it!" AJ moaned.**

"Now you're in for it, she never stops complaining or crying." Tonks grumbled

**"Who?" said Ron as they backtracked quickly.**

**"She haunts one of the toilets in the girls' bathroom on the first floor," said Hermione.**

"A ghost haunting a toilet? Not weird at all." Muttered Bill

**"She haunts a toilet?"**

**"Yes. It's been out-of-order all year because she keeps having tantrums and flooding the place. I never went in there anyway if I could avoid it; it's awful trying to have a pee with her wailing at you —"**

"Why would you even try?" Tonks asked shocked

Hermione shifted "I didn't know about her at first."

**"Look, food!" said Ron.**

**On the other side of the dungeon was a long table, also covered in black velvet. They approached it eagerly but next moment had stopped in their tracks, horrified. The smell was quite disgusting. Large, rotten fish were laid on handsome silver platters; cakes, burned charcoal-black, were heaped on salvers; there was a great maggoty haggis, a slab of cheese covered in furry green mold**

Remus looked disgusted "Maybe you should leave early and go to the feast, it would be a hell of a lot easier on the stomach."

**and, in pride of place, an enormous gray cake in the shape of a tombstone, with tar-like icing forming the words,**

**SIR NICHOLAS DE MIMSY-PORPINGTON**

**DIED 31ST OCTOBER, 1492**

Sirius looked surprised at that "I didn't know he died on Halloween."

"Everyone good dies on that day apparently." AJ muttered under her breath

**AJ watched, amazed, as a portly ghost approached the table, crouched low, and walked through it, his mouth held wide so that it passed through one of the stinking salmon.**

Charlie laughed "That sounds fun besides the cold! I want to go to one."

**"Can you taste it if you walk though it?" AJ asked him.**

**"Almost," said the ghost sadly, and he drifted away.**

Ron and Sirius shook their heads at that. "I will never become a ghost." Sirius remarked offhandedly, seeing AJ's wide eyes he continued "Not that I'm planning on dying anytime soon but being a ghost would upset me because I wouldn't be able to hug and comfort my loved ones." AJ still looked a little upset at the thought of her daddy dying, it was painful to hear.

**"I expect they've let it rot to give it a stronger flavor," said Hermione knowledgeably, pinching her nose and leaning closer to look at the putrid haggis.**

**"Can we move? I feel sick," said Ron. **

"Just hearing about it makes me want to hurl." Tonks said looking green

"I suppose no death day parties for you anytime soon?" Kingsley said with a laugh

Tonks shook her head wildly at that "Hell no!"

**They had barely turned around, however, when a little man swooped suddenly from under the table and came to a halt in midair before them.**

**"Hello, Peeves," said AJ cautiously. **

"Always have to be cautious when it comes to Peeves, he's always up to something and it's never good." Regulus sighed thinking of all the times Peeves managed to get him into trouble.

**Unlike the ghosts around them, Peeves the Poltergeist was the very reverse of pale and transparent. He was wearing a bright orange party hat, a revolving bow tie, and a broad grin on his wide, wicked face. **

**"Nibbles?" he said sweetly, offering them a bowl of peanuts covered in fungus.**

"At least he's being polite." Remus laughed

Hermione scowled "I would prefer him being rude if he's going to offer things with fungus on them when he's polite."

**"No thanks," said Hermione.**

**"Heard you talking about poor Myrtle," said Peeves, his eyes dancing. "Rude you was about poor Myrtle." He took a deep breath and bellowed, "OY! MYRTLE!"**

Kingsley rolled his eyes "This is going to end real well I'm sure."

**"Oh, no, Peeves, don't tell her what I said, she'll be really upset," Hermione whispered frantically. "I didn't mean it, I don't mind her — er, hello, Myrtle."**

AJ shook her head "You're a horrible liar."

**The squat ghost of a girl had glided over. She had the glummest face AJ had ever seen, half-hidden behind lank hair and thick, pearly spectacles.**

**"What?" she said sulkily.**

"Does anything make her happy?" Charlie wondered

AJ nodded "Ask her how she died and she'll be happier than you've ever thought possible."

**"How are you, Myrtle?" said Hermione in a falsely bright voice. "It's nice to see you out of the toilet."**

**Myrtle sniffed.**

"I'm sure she would have believed that if Peeve's wasn't still around to cause mayhem." Sirius shuddered thinking of how Myrtle could anyone someone.

**"Miss Granger was just talking about you —" said Peeves slyly in Myrtle's ear. "Just saying —"**

**"Just saying — saying — how nice you look tonight," said Hermione, glaring at Peeves. **

Bill turned to Hermione "Didn't work out to well for you did it?"

"No of course not, I can't lie to save my life and Peeves is a trouble maker." Hermione grumbled

**Myrtle eyed Hermione suspiciously. "You're making fun of me," she said, silver tears welling rapidly in her small, see-through eyes.**

**"No — honestly — didn't I just say how nice Myrtle's looking?" said Hermione, nudging AJ and Ron painfully in the ribs.**

**"Oh, yeah —"**

"She won't listen, just save your breath and move on to a friendlier ghost." Charlie suggested

**"She did —"**

"I don't think your plan will work out as well as you had hoped." Tonks muttered "She's just going to freak out and say you were lying."

**"Don't lie to me," Myrtle gasped, tears now flooding down her face, while Peeves chuckled happily over her shoulder. "D'you think I don't know what people call me behind my back? Fat Myrtle! Ugly Myrtle! Miserable, moaning, moping Myrtle!" **

Kingsley looked disbelieving "But she's a ghost? Even if someone says these hurtful things it's not like she can take them to heart."

"She was fourteen when she died though." AJ explained "Even though she's dead she still has the insecurities she had before she died."

**"You've forgotten pimply," Peeves hissed in her ear.**

AJ sighed "And Peeves being Peeves doesn't help matters."

**Moaning Myrtle burst into anguished sobs and fled from the dungeon. Peeves shot after her, pelting her with moldy peanuts, yelling, and "Pimply! Pimply!"**

**"Oh, dear," said Hermione sadly.**

"Don't feel bad Hermione, I'm sure she'll get over it and she'll be back to her usual annoying self." Charlie said cheerfully

**Nearly Headless Nick now drifted toward them through the crowd. "Enjoying yourselves?"**

**"Oh, yes," they lied.**

"You guys need to learn how to lie better." Remus said sadly

Molly glared "You will not teach my son to lie!"

"Fine, I'll just teach Hermione who can teach Ron. Problem solved." He said with an eye roll

**"Not a bad turnout," said Nearly Headless Nick proudly. "The Wailing Widow came all the way up from Kent… It's nearly time for my speech, I'd better go and warn the orchestra…" **

"His speech wouldn't have been so bad if that jerk hadn't interrupted him." Grumbled Ron

**The orchestra, however, stopped playing at that very moment. They, and everyone else in the dungeon, fell silent, looking around in excitement, as a hunting horn sounded.**

Charlie started to shift in excitement "This is so cool! What's going to happen? No don't tell me."

Bill rolled his eyes "Just chill dragon boy, I'm sure something exciting will happen momentarily."

**"Oh, here we go," said Nearly Headless Nick bitterly.**

**Through the dungeon wall burst a dozen ghost horses, each ridden by a headless horseman. The assembly clapped wildly; AJ wanted to clap, too, but didn't at the sight of Nick's face.**

Sirius smiled "Nick was lucky to have you three there, I'm sure he didn't have many supporters with this ghost coming along."

**The horses galloped into the middle of the dance floor and halted, rearing and plunging. At the front of the pack was a large ghost who held his bearded head under his arm, from which position he was blowing the horn. The ghost leapt down, lifted his head high in the air so he could see over the crowd (everyone laughed), and strode over to Nearly Headless Nick, squashing his head back onto his neck.**

Regulus pulled a face "I don't like this guy and I don't even know him."

**"Nick!" he roared. "How are you? Head still hanging in there?"**

"He's an ass." Kingsley deadpanned "That's going to hurt Nick's feelings and he doesn't care. Ass."

**He gave a hearty guffaw and clapped Nearly Headless Nick on the shoulder.**

**"Welcome, Patrick," said Nick stiffly. **

"I don't like Patrick." Charlie stated

Tonks raised an eyebrow "You don't even know him."

"Nick obviously hates him and that means Gryffindors should too. Solidarity sister." He grinned at Tonks

**"Live 'uns!" said Sir Patrick, spotting AJ, Ron, and Hermione and giving a huge, fake jump of astonishment, so that his head fell off again (the crowd howled with laughter).**

"That's hilarious, I can see why he's the life of the party." Snarked Remus

**"Very amusing," said Nearly Headless Nick darkly.**

**"Don't mind Nick!" shouted Sir Patrick's head from the floor. "Still upset we won't let him join the Hunt! But I mean to say — look at the fellow —"**

"All the more reason to hate this jerkoff." Charlie growled out

**"I think," said AJ hurriedly, at a meaningful look from Nick, "that Nick is the bravest and definitely the strongest of all of you."**

"Good for you AJ!" Bill chuckled "Tell him how it is!"

**"Ha!" yelled Sir Patrick's head. "Bet he asked you to say that!"**

"Somehow I doubt sweets will take that lightly Sir Jackass." Regulus said with a false cheerful voice.

**AJ's eyes narrowed and her hair went midnight blue. Nick, even though he was a ghost, was her friend. "Actually, he didn't have to." She said stiffly. "Unlike you Sir Patrick, Nick had taken forty-five blows to the neck. How many did you take? Must suck to know that it only took one blow to the neck to kill you but it took forty-five with a blunt ax to kill Nick. Which I'm sure was very painful, but he endured it."**

"You're telling off a ghost?" laughed Tonks "That's awesome!"

Kingsley grinned "Nick's real lucky to have you for a friend kid."

**The room was silent as Ron and Hermione stared at her with wide-eyes. Sir Patrick's mouth was hanging open and Nick was looking at her with awe and a straight back, obviously proud of himself.**

"We knew you wouldn't take that laying down but damn AJ that was beyond cool." Ron smiled

Hermione nodded "It was really nice of you."

"**Nick is the Gryffindor ghost for a reason," she continued trying to keep her anger in check "he's brave, loyal and everyone in our tower loves him. Every single year without fail he terrifies every first year on their first night. Why you ask? Because his head is still partially intact you egotistical jackass! You will never amount to half of what Nick is."**

"You are truly the most amazing friend anyone could ever have!" Kingsley commented

Tonks nodded "That was a very _Hufflepuff_ of you."

"I can't believe you called him an egotistical jackass," Sirius said through laughter "that was hilarious. I've never been more proud."

**The ghosts were quiet for a moment longer before a fair number of Nick's friends began to clap loudly and happily. Even some of the ghosts that were a part of the Headless Hunt came up to pat Nick on the back and give their congratulations on his Deathday. Nick was just beaming at AJ as Sir Patrick drifted off, obviously very put-out at being told off by a child. The Fat Friar chortled happily and drifted over to them;**

"Good," smiled Bill "you shut that jerk up."

**"I'm impressed Ms. Potter," he said with a booming laugh. "That was a very Hufflepuff thing of you to do, very loyal!"**

**AJ smiled. "I was just telling to truth, Friar. Nick is a brilliant ghost."**

"But not many people are going to stand up to a ghost like Patrick." Remus smiled

**Nick came up to them and smiled down at her. "Thank you, AJ, truly. I think that was a better speech than the one that I had ready."**

**AJ gave him her most brilliant smile. "You asked me to come, Nick, and I wasn't going to leave you on your own against Sir Properly Decapitated-Podmore."**

"I like egotistical jackass better." Smiled Regulus

**Nick laughed loudly, startling a few ghosts in the process. "Still, I thank you."**

**"Sir Nicholas?" A small and timid female ghost with long, curly hair and big eyes smiled shyly up at him. "Could you tell me how you came to be nearly headless? I've always been curious."**

"Awwww" squealed Hermione "he has a girlfriend!"

**Sir Patrick (who had made a come-back from his telling off) and the rest of the Headless Hunt had just started a game of Head Hockey and the crowd were turning to watch.**

"I guess he needed another reminder." AJ said annoyed

Charlie smiled "I'm sure he did, but I think one a night is good."

**AJ was very cold by now, not to mention hungry.**

**"I can't stand much more of this," Ron muttered, his teeth chattering, as the orchestra ground back into action and the ghosts swept back onto the dance floor.**

"It was cold and I was starving!" complained Ron "When can we have dinner mom?"

Molly smiled "After this chapter we can eat and head to bed. It's getting late."

**"Let's go," AJ agreed.**

**They backed toward the door, nodding and beaming at anyone who looked at them, and a minute later were hurrying back up the passageway full of black candles.**

**"Pudding might not be finished yet," said Ron hopefully, leading the way toward the steps to the entrance hall.**

"How long could you go without food Ron before it starts to affect your mood?" Kingsley asked

Ron shrugged "A day or so I guess. Why?"

"Well if you want to be an auror you'll be going on missions that can last weeks without getting a proper meal. You need to not let your stomach affect you." Tonks advised

**"That was a very good thing of you to do, AJ," Hermione said with a smile. "I think you made Nick's -er- Deathday."**

**AJ was about to respond when she heard it. **

"… _**rip… tear… kill…**_**"**

The room tensed at that, that wasn't a normal voice to hear.

**It was the same voice, the same cold, murderous voice she had heard leaving Lockhart's office. She stumbled to a halt, clutching at the stone wall, listening with all her might, looking around, squinting up and down the dimly lit passageway.**

**"AJ, what're you —?"**

**"It's that voice again — shut up a minute —"**

"You didn't hear it?" Charlie asked socked

**"… **_**soo hungry… for so long**_**…"**

**"Listen!" said AJ urgently, and Ron and Hermione froze, watching her.**

"You looked like you were going crazy to be honest." Ron remarked

Bill threw a pillow at his head "That's not something you should say to someone Ron!"

"You're not crazy cub, I promise." Remus said with conviction

**The voice was growing fainter. AJ was sure it was moving away — moving upward. A mixture of fear and excitement gripped her as she stared at the dark ceiling;**

Sirius shook his head "Get out of there AJ and tell a teacher! This isn't something you should be trying to find out about on your own!" AJ smiled apologetically even though she knew what happened already.

**how could it be moving upward? Was it a phantom, to whom stone ceilings didn't matter? **

**"This way," she shouted, and she began to run, up the stairs, into the entrance hall. It was no good hoping to hear anything here, the babble of talk from the Halloween feast was echoing out of the Great Hall. AJ sprinted up the marble staircase to the first floor, Ron and Hermione clattering behind her.**

"You could have stopped her and gone to a teacher." Tonks glared

Hermione glared right back "We didn't know what was going on! She said everything in a rush!"

**"AJ, what're we —"**

**"SHH!"**

**AJ strained her ears. Distantly, from the floor above, and growing fainter still, she heard the voice: "… **_**I smell blood… I SMELL BLOOD**_**!"**

"Did someone die or something?" Kingsley asked urgently

AJ shook her head "Not this time. But it did at one point."

**Her stomach lurched —**

**"It's going to kill someone!" she shouted, and ignoring Ron's and Hermione's bewildered faces, she ran up the next flight of steps three at a time, trying to listen over her own pounding footsteps — AJ hurtled around the whole of the second floor, Ron and Hermione panting behind her,**

"Try and not run so fast next time." Grumbled Ron

Regulus glared "There better not be another time when she needs to chase after a goddamn voice!"

Ron blushed "Sorry Regulus, I didn't think before I said that."

**not stopping until they turned a corner into the last, deserted passage.**

**"AJ, what was that all about?" said Ron, wiping sweat off his face. "I couldn't hear anything…" **

Bill looked alarmed at that "Only AJ could hear the voice?"

"Yes but it's not because she's crazy! It's explained in a couple chapters." Hermione said reassuringly

**But Hermione gave a sudden gasp, pointing down the corridor.**

**"Look!" **

**Something was shining on the wall ahead. They approached slowly, squinting through the darkness. Foot-high words had been daubed on the wall between two windows, shimmering in the light cast by the flaming torches.**

_**THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. **_

_**ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE**_

"That's supposed to just be a legend!" Sirius bit out worried for his daughter

"Who could even know where the camber is? Everyone thinks it's fake!" Remus exclaimed

AJ shifted uncomfortable "It'll be explained later."

**"What's that thing — hanging underneath?" said Ron, a slight quiver in his voice.**

**As they edged nearer, AJ almost slipped — there was a large puddle of water on the floor; Ron and Hermione grabbed her,**

"Thanks guys, that would have hurt like a bitch no doubt." AJ tried to joke.

**and they inched toward the message, eyes fixed on a dark shadow beneath it. All three of them realized what it was at once, and leapt backward with a splash. Mrs. Norris, the caretaker's cat, was hanging by her tail from the torch bracket. She was stiff as a board, her eyes wide and staring.**

Charlie closed his eyes, sure he hated that damn cat but she didn't deserve death or whatever happened to her.

**For a few seconds, they didn't move. Then Ron said, "Let's get out of here."**

**"Shouldn't we try and help —" AJ began awkwardly.**

Sirius shook his head "No you want to get out of there as soon as possible."

**"Trust me," said Ron. "We don't want to be found here."**

**But it was too late. A rumble, as though of distant thunder, told them that the feast had just ended. From either end of the corridor where they stood came the sound of hundreds of feet climbing the stairs, and the loud, happy talk of well-fed people; next moment, students were crashing into the passage from both ends.**

Remus cursed under his breath "Of course the entire school is going to get involved with this mess now."

**The chatter, the bustle, the noise died suddenly as the people in front spotted the hanging cat. AJ, Ron, and Hermione stood alone, in the middle of the corridor, as silence fell among the mass of students pressing forward to see the grisly sight.**

Kingsley sighed "They're going to blame the three of you now."

"This is going to be really hard on you guys I'm sure." Tonks said sympathetically

**Then someone shouted through the quiet.**

**"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!"**

Regulus snarled "That little bastard needs his ass kicked! I don't care who his daddy is!"

**It was Draco Malfoy. He had pushed to the front of the crowd, his cold eyes alive, his usually bloodless face flushed, as he grinned at the sight of the hanging, immobile cat.**

Molly jumped up "I'm going to get dinner on the table then we should all head to bed," seeing people were about to argue she added "we can continue bright and early but these past few chapters have taken a lot out of all of us." Everyone agreed finally.

The meal was a quiet affair, no one knew what to say. AJ was just pushing her food around not paying attention to the concerned stare her Uncle kept throwing at her. Once dinner was over Regulus stood up "AJ can we talk sweets?" he said with a smile "I just want to talk."

AJ smiled "Sure Uncle Reggie." She followed her uncle up the stairs into the library for more privacy.


	30. Talks

"What did you want to talk about Uncle Reggie?" AJ asked with a smile

Regulus took a seat next to his niece and silently wondered how he should begin this conversation that needed to happen. "Why don't you tell me what's bothering you? You're putting on a happy face but your smiles aren't reaching your eyes. Tell me sweets, I won't judge you or hold it against you. But you holding it in isn't good, it'll eat away at you until you finally let it out and usually when it does come out it's not at the best time. Trust me."

AJ looked at her Uncle a moment before replying "Why don't you tell me about your situation where you got angry and then I'll tell you what's bothering me."

Regulus sighed but nodded, he could never say no to his niece, she had too much of her dad in her. "Well it was about a year before your dad moved out and our father was in a terrible mood over Sirius announcing that he was going to marry a muggle girl and have at least four children that would all be raised in the muggle world. Of course Sirius had to do it over dinner which to the Blacks was not a time for chit-chat, it was a time to eat and that was that. Our father looked at Sirius with the most hated look I've ever seen, he started to bellow at the top of his lungs that Sirius was a disgrace to our family, he would never amount to anything and if he ever heard him say something like that again he would receive the worst wiping he ever felt."

Noticing the wide eyes on his niece he continued "Yeah my father was lovely man, don't get me wrong he loved Sirius and I very much but he like his father before him didn't know how to show love. Sometimes I think that if our grandfather had hugged our father even once it could have made a difference but changing the past is impossible and all we can do is move on from it. Anyways Sirius stormed off to his room and slammed the door all the while my mother was eating and ignoring what was going on. Like so many other times that Sirius made our father angry he turned it on me. My father turned his death glare on me and asked me if I was going to follow in my idiotic brothers footsteps or if I was going to make them proud. I was only eleven or twelve at the time and had no idea what to say or do so I got up and went into my room and fought the tears that were threatening to fall. I wouldn't cry and that was final. About two weeks later Uncle Cygnus and Aunt Druella announced the engagement of their eldest daughter Bellatrix to Rodolphus Lestrange, they like my parents were ecstatic, what could be better than two pure bloods getting married? The wedding was held about three months later of course Sirius made fun of the whole thing the entire three months and would ask my father if he could bring his muggle girlfriend to the hellish affair. My father would rise to the bait each and every time, much like any other time it ended with me fighting back my tears and holding in every emotion that wanted to pour out of me."

AJ hugged her uncle; she didn't realize how much fun being a Black could entail. Regulus gave her a kiss on the head and continued "The wedding was a typical wedding in pure blood standards, there were thousands of candles, no flowers because that's bad luck, her sisters Andromeda and Narcissa wore black gowns and Bella's dress was white as snow and her makeup was very light, her hair went down to the middle of her back in soft ringlets, I remember thinking she looked less like a Black than ever before and I couldn't imagine her ever looking that beautiful again."

Regulus chuckled at the look his niece was giving him "Bella looks a great deal like Andy, but Andy has blue eyes and straight hair and her features are much softer. When the wedding was over we all went to our grandfather Arcturus home for the reception which much like the wedding was over the top. When Bella and Rodolphus came in everyone stood and clapped. Bella and Rodolphus came to each person to say thank you and collect their wedding present. When she came to us my father and mother congratulated them and told them they have truly made the Black family proud." Regulus took a deep breath "Bella turned her cold eyes on us, Sirius gave her a kiss on the cheek and for once I thought he'd behave. But no, he turned to Rodolphus and said _"I wish you all the best, but then again you married an evil hag. You must have some idea of what you've gotten yourself into" _he gave them a smile and sat back down much to the shock of everyone. My parents had never been so embarrassed in their entire lives or so my mother liked to remind us, I was so angry and hurt that Sirius would do that and not even think about how it affected me. I turned to Sirius with tears in my eyes and yelled _"You are the worst big brother anyone could have! You only think of yourself! You don't care about me and you never will!"_ I stormed off after that determined to get as far away from Sirius as humanly possible but of course he caught up to me. He hugged me and apologized over and over again, he sounded so broken that I couldn't imagine what he'd been feeling. He promised to never provoke mother or father like that again and he would be the big brother I always wanted. The following year Sirius moved out and neither of us knew how to talk to one another without the fear of being hexed, but we've moved on and are trying to make this a family. A dysfunctional family but a family none the less." He saw AJ smile and took that as a go ahead "Why don't you tell me what's going on in that pretty little head of yours?"

AJ didn't want to, but her uncle just told her a really painful story and he deserved to hear what was bugging her. She took a deep breath before answering "I don't know really. It's just that all the talk about people turning into ghosts got me upset; the thought of losing dad is too much to handle. I know that eventually everyone dies and it's unavoidable but who really wants to talk about if they're going to become a ghost or not? I'm sick of people dying, first my parents than Cedric. I don't know how many more people have to die before this war is over and it sometimes feels like it's never going to end. I'm tired Uncle Reggie, really tired. I'm tired of closing my eyes and seeing Voldemort, I'm tired of my scar hurting, and I'm tired of always being the one that has to figure everything out. I feel like I got the short end of the stick and there's no way to change it. I don't want anything else to change; I'm happy for once and if something changes it doesn't mean it's going to be for the best."

Regulus smiled sadly before choosing his words carefully "You're right sweets not all change is good and sometimes it really sucks. But sometimes it's really good; these books are going to help us prevent more deaths. I can't guarantee that there won't be casualties in this war but we're going to do our damndest to not die before nature takes its course. We love you AJ a lot and don't ever think that we aren't there for you. Your dad and papa will listen to anything you've got to say I promise. You don't have to deal with the effects of this war on your own, we won't let you. I know it hurts to talk about the past but it's better than keeping it in."

AJ smiled "Thanks Uncle Reggie you're the best." Regulus hugged her tightly for a long while till AJ reluctantly pulled back "We should probably get to bed, it's late." Regulus nodded and followed her to her room.

"Goodnight sweets, I love you." With a kiss on the head Regulus went into his own room.

AJ changed into her pajamas quickly and lay in her bed looking up at the ceiling, Charlie must have fallen asleep in his own room or he would be in here using her as his own personal teddy bear she thought amusedly. Usually she didn't mind sleeping alone, but right now she needed to feel safe and that she wasn't alone tonight. She got out of bed silently and walked down the hallway, Grimmauled was always creepy but at night it only added to the creepiness. She slowly opened the door to her parents room and stood there a good five minutes wondering what in the hell she was doing when she heard movement,

Sirius looked up at the door and saw AJ standing there like a lost child "Pup? What's wrong?"

AJ just shook her head "Um…nothing…I was…just…I…" she had never stuttered so badly before and thankfully Sirius took pity on her.

"Come in here pup, we won't bite." Sirius grinned while making room in between himself and Remus. AJ smiled and crawled into the king size bed and rested her head on her dad's chest enjoying the soothing rhythm of his heart. "Want to tell me what's going on?"

AJ looked up for a moment and then rested her head again "I just didn't want to be alone tonight daddy, and sometimes a girl just needs her daddy. Is this okay?

"Of course it's okay pup, feel free to come in here whenever you need reassurance of any kind. We love you and would never turn you away." AJ smiled at that, it felt good to feel loved. She snuggled deeper in the bed and slowly allowed herself to fall into a deep sleep.

***Next Day***

AJ woke up to the smell of blueberry pancakes and bacon, she lifted her head to find her papa and dad reading the daily profit in bed while drinking coffee.

Remus smiled at his daughter "Morning cub, Molly is almost done making breakfast if you want to get ready and head down for some food before we read." AJ smiled and nodded and left to get ready.

AJ showered and changed quickly before heading back into the bedroom where Hermione, Bill and Charlie were arguing over what would happen if Nearly Headless Nick went to private drive for the day.

"Hey punk," Charlie grinned "I fell asleep early last night but I'll make up for it tonight promise."

AJ couldn't help but grin back "It's okay Char I slept in my parents room last night." Noticing their panicked looks AJ quickly reassured them "It was nothing, I just needed them."

Hermione smiled "We better get down there before Ron eats all the pancakes."

"You're right! Let's go Mio." Bill exclaimed

Charlie and AJ followed silently wondering when Bill and Hermione would admit their feelings for one another. As they took their seats everyone broke off into different conversations until the plates were cleared and everyone excitedly went into the living room curious as to see what this chapter would bring.

Molly took the book once everyone was settled "I'll read…**The Writing on the Wall**"


	31. The Writing on the Wall

**"What's going on here? What's going on?"**

"I get the feeling that whoever that is, isn't someone you want to see." Tonks had a feeling of dread fill her

**Attracted no doubt by Malfoy's shout, Argus Filch came shouldering his way through the crowd. Then he saw Mrs. Norris and fell back, clutching his face in horror.**

**"My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs. Norris?" he shrieked.**

Charlie winced "I feel bad for him…the cat is all he has."

"If anything happened to Hedwig I'd be devastated." AJ remarked

**And his popping eyes fell on AJ.**

**"You!" he screeched. "You! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll —"**

"I somehow don't feel so sorry for him." Snarled Sirius

**"Argus!"**

**Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by a number of other teachers. In seconds, he had swept past AJ, Ron, and Hermione and detached Mrs. Norris from the torch bracket.**

"That is a really bad way of phrasing that." Grinned AJ

**"Come with me, Argus," he said to Filch. "You, too, Miss Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger."**

Remus let out a breath at that "Dumbledore will believe you; he knows you aren't going to kill the cat."

**Lockhart stepped forward eagerly. "My office is nearest, Headmaster — just upstairs — please feel free —"**

"Kick him in the balls kid, he obviously forgot how to leave you be." An irate Kingsley muttered

**"Thank you, Gilderoy," said Dumbledore.**

**The silent crowd parted to let them pass. Lockhart, looking excited and important, hurried after Dumbledore; so did Professors McGonagall and Snape. As they entered Lockhart's darkened office there was a flurry of movement across the walls; AJ saw several of the Lockhart's in the pictures dodging out of sight, their hair in rollers.**

"Even in pictures he's shallow and a moron." Hermione laughed

**The real Lockhart lit the candles on his desk and stood back. Dumbledore lay Mrs. Norris on the polished surface and began to examine her. AJ, Ron, and Hermione exchanged tense looks and sank into chairs outside the pool of candlelight, watching.**

Bill chuckled at that "Hiding isn't going to help you guys much now."

Ron glared "It was either that or have Lockhart ogle AJ."

**The tip of Dumbledore's long, crooked nose was barely an inch from Mrs. Norris' fur. He was looking at her closely through his half-moon spectacles, his long fingers gently prodding and poking.**

Dumbledore chuckled at that "I was making sure she wasn't dead."

**Professor McGonagall was bent almost as close, her eyes narrowed. Snape loomed behind them, half in shadow, wearing a most peculiar expression: it was as though he was trying hard not to smile. And Lockhart was hovering around all of them, making suggestions.**

Snape snorted "Every suggested was more ridiculous than the last."

"You couldn't have shut him up? A simple silencing charm would have been nice." AJ muttered.

**"It was definitely a curse that killed her — probably the Transmogrifian Torture — I've seen it used many times, so unlucky I wasn't there, I know the very counter-curse that would have saved her…" Lockhart's comments were punctuated by Filch's dry, racking sobs.**

"That's not even a spell!" Regulus shouted "He's a perverted moron with absolutely no talent and you have him teaching children?"

"He was the only option at the time." Dumbledore said quietly

Regulus glared "Well I for one would rather have a drunken homeless person teach them!"

**He was slumped in a chair by the desk, unable to look at Mrs. Norris, his face in his hands. Much as she detested Filch, AJ couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for him, though not nearly as sorry as she felt for herself if Dumbledore believed Filch, she would be expelled for sure.**

AJ winced at that "I sound really stuck up there."

"No you sounded human. You're allowed to feel sorry for yourself, it's a normal reaction." AJ felt a little better after her dad said that.

**Dumbledore was now muttering strange words under his breath and tapping Mrs. Norris with his wand but nothing happened. She continued to look as though she had been recently stuffed.**

Kingsley couldn't help but laugh at that. "I wish Filch was here to listen to these descriptions of his precious cat."

**"… I remember something very similar happening in Ouagadogou," said Lockhart, "a series of attacks, the full story's in my autobiography, I was able to provide the townsfolk with various amulets, which cleared the matter up at once…" The photographs of Lockhart on the walls were all nodding in agreement as he talked. One of them had forgotten to remove his hair net.**

"Yeah I'm still on the basis that he only likes the sound of his voice." Tonks snarked

"No one else would." Kingsley deadpanned

**At last Dumbledore straightened up.**

**"She's not dead, Argus," he said softly.**

**Lockhart stopped abruptly in the middle of counting the number of murders he had prevented.**

"Thanks for that sir. He was getting annoying." Ron said

**"Not dead?" choked Filch, looking through his fingers at Mrs. Norris. "But why's she all — all stiff and frozen?"**

**"She has been Petrified," said Dumbledore ("Ah! I thought so!" said Lockhart).**

Charlie scowled "Seriously? Did no one see through this moron besides AJ?"

Hermione shifted uncomfortable at that, she couldn't believe that she had a crush on that fake.

**"But how, I cannot say…"**

**"Ask her!" shrieked Filch, turning his blotched and tear-stained face to AJ.**

"Yeah sure blame the thirteen year old," grumbled Remus "don't think logically now, that might do some good."

**"No second year could have done this," said Dumbledore firmly. "it would take Dark Magic of the most advanced —"**

**"She did it, she did it!" Filch spat, his pouchy face purpling. "You saw what she wrote on the wall! She found — in my office — she knows I'm a — I'm a —" Filch's face worked horribly. "She knows I'm a Squib!" he finished.**

"You didn't even know what a squib was though!" Tonks yelled

Kingsley placed a hand on his partners shoulder "He doesn't know that, he just knows his cat was attacked and he want's justice."

**"I never touched Mrs. Norris!" AJ said loudly, uncomfortably aware of everyone looking at her, including all the Lockharts on the walls. "And I don't even know what a Squib is."**

"He was beyond reason at that point," sighed Hermione "it didn't matter what anyone said."

**"Rubbish!" snarled Filch. "She saw my Kwikspell letter!"**

**"If I might speak, Headmaster," said Snape from the shadows,**

"Oh good Snape to the rescue." Sirius huffed "I somehow doubt you're going to be the understanding teacher and try and prove her innocence."

**and AJ's sense of foreboding increased; she was sure nothing Snape had to say was going to do him any good. "Potter and her friends may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said, a slight sneer curling his mouth as though he doubted it. "But we do have a set of suspicious circumstances here. Why was she in the upstairs corridor at all? Why wasn't she at the Halloween feast?"**

"What is wrong with you?" snapped Bill "Is it your life's goal to make her life a living hell?

"You know damn well she couldn't have petrified the cat but you can't help but try and get her into trouble." Charlie bit out

Snape glared "I was merely asking a question."

**AJ, Ron and Hermione all launched into an explanation about the Deathday party. "…there were hundreds of ghosts, they'll tell you we were there —"**

Tonks let out a laugh "Witnesses!"

**"But why not join the feast afterwards?" said Snape, his black eyes glittering in the candlelight. "Why go up to that corridor?"**

Kingsley snapped "Because they didn't feel like it. What is wrong with you?"

**Ron and Hermione looked at AJ.**

Ron blushed "She always had all the answers."

"**Because we were tired and wanted to go to bed," she said in a hard voice**

**"Without any supper?" said Snape, a triumphant smile flickering across his gaunt face. "I didn't think ghosts provided food fit for living people at their parties."**

"You should have just let it go," Remus snarled "they weren't doing anything wrong and you know it."

**"We weren't hungry," said Ron loudly as his stomach gave a huge rumble.**

Ron winced at that, he was always hungry.

**AJ nodded quickly. "I wasn't hungry is what Ron meant. I've had a headache all day and the party wasn't helping at all. So Ron and Hermione were going to walk me to the tower and go back to the feast."**

Regulus had a smug smile on face "Huh, a thirteen year old just put you in your place. Again. Justice is sweet."

**Snape looked very much like he wanted to roll his eyes but merely sneered. "I suggest, Headmaster, that Potter is not being entirely truthful," he said. "It might be a good idea if she were deprived of certain privileges until she is ready to tell us the whole story. I personally feel she should be taken off the Gryffindor Quidditch team until she is ready to be honest."**

"Oh please you just want her off the team so your house could win a match for once." Snarked Sirius

**"Really, Severus," said Professor McGonagall sharply, "I see no reason to stop the girl playing Quidditch. This cat wasn't hit over the head with a broomstick. There is no evidence at all that Potter has done anything wrong."**

"Good," Charlie nodded "you have two important professors that believe you."

**Dumbledore was giving AJ a searching look. His twinkling light-blue gaze made AJ feel as though she were being X-rayed. "Innocent until proven guilty, Severus," he said firmly.**

**Snape looked furious.**

"Course it did, he's a jackass." Tonks muttered to a laughing Kingsley

**So did Filch.**

**"My cat has been Petrified!" he shrieked, his eyes popping. "I want to see some punishment!"**

"How about waiting till the person who's doing the petrifying is caught?" Charlie glared "It would make a lot more sense."

**"We will be able to cure her, Argus," said Dumbledore patiently. "Professor Sprout recently managed to procure some Mandrakes. As soon as they have reached their full size, I will have a potion made that will revive Mrs. Norris."**

"Professor Sprout only does that unit every other year, you're lucky she did it that year." Ginny paled at what Tonks said, she didn't know that.

**"I'll make it," Lockhart butted in. "I must have done it a hundred times. I could whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep —"**

**"Excuse me," said Snape icily. "But I believe I am the Potions master at this school."**

"I hate you Snape but in that moment I wanted nothing more than to hug you for shutting that man up." AJ grinned while Snape looked like he was torn between committing murder and throwing up.

**There was a very awkward pause.**

**"You may go," Dumbledore said to AJ, Ron, and Hermione.**

**They went, as quickly as they could without actually running. When they were a floor up from Lockhart's office, they turned into an empty classroom and closed the door quietly behind them. AJ squinted at her friends' darkened faces.**

**"D'you think I should have told them about that voice I heard?" **

Remus shifted "Well hearing voices is never normal but telling Dumbledore in private may have been a good idea."

**"No," said Ron, without hesitation. "Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world." **

**Something in Ron's voice made AJ ask, "You do believe me, don't you?"**

Charlie glared "You better believe her."

Ron nodded "Of course we did."

**"'Course I do," said Ron quickly. "But — you must admit it's weird…"**

"It does sound really weird." Tonks grumbled "I want to know what's causing this."

**"I know it's weird," said AJ. "The whole thing's weird. What was that writing on the wall about? The Chamber Has Been Opened… What's that supposed to mean?"**

**"You know, it rings a sort of bell," said Ron slowly. "I think someone told me a story about a secret chamber at Hogwarts once… might've been Bill…"**

Bill smiled "Yeah it was me, I'm happy you remember some of the stories I told you guys as kids."

Ron chuckled "Charlie wanted to hear the story for the monster that's all."

**"And what on earth's a Squib?" said AJ.**

**To her surprise, Ron stifled a snigger. "Well — it's not funny really — but as it's Filch," he said.**

"It's really not funny Ron," Regulus said "that's why he's so bitter."

"I know that," Ron said blushing "I was twelve at the time and had little tact."

Hermione snorted "What's your excuse now?"

**"A Squib is someone who was born into a wizarding family but hasn't got any magic powers. Kind of the opposite of Muggleborn wizards, but Squibs are quite unusual. If Filch's trying to learn magic from a Kwikspell course, I reckon he must be a Squib. It would explain a lot. Like why he hates students so much." Ron gave a satisfied smile. "He's bitter." **

Bill nodded "He's definitely bitter and you can't really blame the guy."

**A clock chimed somewhere.**

**"Midnight," said AJ. "We'd better get to bed before Snape comes along and tries to frame us for something else."**

Snape rolled his eyes "Contrary to popular belief I don't spend all my time trying to find ways to get Gryffindors into trouble."

**For a few days, the school could talk of little else but the attack on Mrs. Norris. Filch kept it fresh in everyone's minds by pacing the spot where she had been attacked, as though he thought the attacker might come back.**

"I know this situation isn't funny but come one who does that? He's seriously lost it." Sirius laughed

**AJ had seen him scrubbing the message on the wall with Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover, but to no effect; the words still gleamed as brightly as ever on the stone. When Filch wasn't guarding the scene of the crime, he was skulking red-eyed through the corridors, lunging out at unsuspecting students and trying to put them in detention for things like "breathing loudly' and "looking happy."**

"Now he's gone too far," remarked Tonks "I feel bad for the guy but that's a little much."

"It's not like it's any different than how he usually is, he's always trying to get students into trouble." Remus argued

**Ginny Weasley seemed very disturbed by Mrs. Norris' fate. According to Ron, she was a great cat lover.**

Ginny winced at that knowing the real reason.

**"But you haven't really got to know Mrs. Norris," Ron told her bracingly. "Honestly, we're much better off without her." Ginny's lip trembled. "Stuff like this doesn't often happen at Hogwarts," Ron assured her. "They'll catch the maniac who did it and have him out of here in no time. I just hope he's got time to Petrify Filch before he's expelled. I'm only joking —" Ron added hastily as Ginny blanched.**

Hermione rolled her eyes "That's a brilliant pep talk Ron; I can see why Ginny goes to you so often with her problems."

"I didn't know the entire situation back then!" Ron yelled

"You still could have used something normal people like to call COMMON SENSE!" Hermione yelled back

"SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU! I CAN'T FUCKING TAKE THE BICKERING RIGHT NOW!" AJ bellowed much to the surprise of the occupants, her scar started to hurt and the last thing she needed was to listen to those two. AJ rested her head on Charlie's shoulder absorbing the comfort he had to offer.

**The attack had also had an effect on Hermione. It was quite usual for Hermione to spend a lot of time reading, but she was now doing almost nothing else. Nor could AJ and Ron get much response from her when they asked what she was up to,**

"Really wasn't that big of a surprise." Ron muttered under his breath

**and not until the following Wednesday did they find out. AJ had been held back in Potions, where Snape had made her stay behind to scrape tubeworms off the desks.**

"What did AJ do to deserve that detention Snape?" Sirius asked coldly

Snape shifted but didn't answer; she didn't do anything he was just angry she got out of trouble the previous week.

**After a hurried lunch, she went upstairs to meet Ron in the library, and saw Justin Finch-Fletchley, the Hufflepuff boy from Herbology, coming toward her. AJ had just opened her mouth to say hello when Justin caught sight of her, turned abruptly, and sped off in the opposite direction.**

"What was that about?" Tonks asked angrily

"He was one of the many that thought AJ was the heir of Slytherin." Hermione said quietly

Kingsley raised an eyebrow "But she's not, Potters are decedents of Godric Gryffindor not Salazar Slytherin."

Hermione shrugged "It didn't matter; no one knew that or cared to find out the truth."

**AJ found Ron at the back of the library, measuring his History of Magic homework. Professor Binns had asked for a three-foot long composition on "The Medieval Assembly of European Wizards."**

**"I don't believe it, I'm still eight inches short," said Ron furiously, letting go of his parchment, which sprang back into a roll. "And Hermione's done four feet seven inches and her writing's tiny."**

Bill beamed "This year we'll have a lot of fun in History, it's a fascinating subject."

"I really can't wait, I'm sure you'll make an excellent professor." Bill blushed at Hermiones compliment but had a pleased smile on his face.

**"Where is she?" asked AJ, making sure she made all the points she wanted to in her essay.**

**"Somewhere over there," said Ron, pointing along the shelves. "Looking for another book. I think she's trying to read the whole library before Christmas."**

Remus couldn't but chuckle "That's very ambitious of you Hermione."

**AJ told Ron about Justin Finch-Fletchley running away from her.**

**"Dunno why you care. I thought he was a bit of an idiot," said Ron, scribbling away, making his writing as large as possible. "All that junk about Lockhart being so great —"**

"It's not a nice feeling when people have preconceived notions about you." Sirius sighed sadly. Remus kissed him and made sure he knew that he had a family now no matter what happened in the past.

**Hermione emerged from between the bookshelves. She looked irritable and at last seemed ready to talk to them. "All the copies of Hogwarts, A History have been taken out," she said, sitting down next to AJ and Ron. "And there's a two-week waiting list. I wish I hadn't left my copy at home, but I couldn't fit it in my trunk with all the Lockhart books."**

"Should have just a couple Lockhart books at home rather than Hogwarts A History." Regulus commented

Hermione nodded "It would have been a better idea in the long run."

**"Why do you want it?" said AJ.**

**"The same reason everyone else wants it," said Hermione, "to read up on the legend of the Chamber of Secrets."**

"Was it in there?" Charlie asked

AJ ran through the book in her mind for a moment "No…no it's not."

**"What's that?" said AJ quickly.**

**"That's just it. I can't remember," said Hermione, biting her lip. "And I can't find the story anywhere else —"**

"Is it in any books in the library sir?" Hermione asked

Dumbledore shook his head "No Ms. Granger it's not, it's always been considered a legend therefore it has never been written in a book."

**"Hermione, let me read your composition," said Ron desperately, checking his watch.**

**"No, I won't," said Hermione, suddenly severe. "You've had ten days to finish it —"**

Molly glared at her son and AJ "You both waited until the last minute to do this essay and you expect Hermione to do it for you?"

"For one I believe both of my fathers, my uncle and the headmaster told you not to parent me. Maybe you should take their advice. For two I did do my essay by myself, I was just going over it to make sure I made my points I wanted and needed to make. Parent Ron and leave me out of it." AJ said calmly but filled with finality.

Ron shifted "I waited till the last minute like always."

**"I only need another two inches, come on —"**

"Sorry Hermione, I shouldn't have waited to finish it." Ron smiled

**The bell rang. Ron and Hermione led the way to History of Magic, bickering. History of Magic was the dullest subject on their schedule. Professor Binns, who taught it, was their only ghost teacher, and the most exciting thing that ever happened in his classes was his entering the room through the blackboard. Ancient and shriveled, many people said he hadn't noticed he was dead. He had simply got up to teach one day and left his body behind him in an armchair in front of the staff room fire; his routine had not varied in the slightest since.**

"Why do you think he became a ghost?" AJ asked "I mean Myrtle became a ghost because she was set on revenge, what could Binns excuse be?"

Sirius and Remus held back their laughter; Regulus turned to them "Care to share guys?"

"Sirius decided to ask one day before history and my amazing husband being who he is didn't ask in the best way." Remus laughed out

"I simply said _"Did you become a ghost because you died in your sleep?"_ it seemed like a polite way to ask. He gave a month of detentions and told me if I ever asked him again he would make my life a living hell." Everyone laughed at how clueless Sirius could be.

**Today was as boring as ever. Professor Binns opened his notes and began to read in a flat drone like an old vacuum cleaner until nearly everyone in the class was in a deep stupor, occasionally coming to long enough to copy down a name or date, then falling asleep again. He had been speaking for half an hour when something happened that had never happened before. Hermione put up her hand.**

"You never asked a question in history before?" Charlie asked shocked

Hermione shook her head "No. It always seemed kind of pointless for me to ask a question."

**Professor Binns, glancing up in the middle of a deadly dull lecture on the International Warlock Convention of 1289, looked amazed. **

"Sure he would be, no one asks questions in his class." Laughed Kingsley

**"Miss — er —?"**

"He doesn't know your name?" Regulus asked "This chapter keeps getting better and better."

**"Granger, Professor. I was wondering if you could tell us anything about the Chamber of Secrets," said Hermione in a clear voice.**

"Right to the point, I like it but I doubt he'll tell you much." Sirius grinned

**Dean Thomas, who had been sitting with his mouth hanging open, gazing out of the window, jerked out of his trance; Lavender Brown's head came up off her arms and Neville Longbottom's elbow slipped off his desk.**

AJ winced "I think he really hurt his jaw by hitting it on the table."

**Professor Binns blinked.**

**"My subject is History of Magic," he said in his dry, wheezy voice. "I deal with facts, Miss Granger, not myths and legends." He cleared his throat with a small noise like chalk slipping and continued, "In September of that year, a subcommittee of Sardinian sorcerers —"**

"Nice subject change, Hagrid could take a few notes." Remus smiled

**He stuttered to a halt. Hermione's hand was waving in the air again.**

**"Miss Grant?"**

Bill rolled his eyes "Nice, a history teacher with the memory of a goldfish."

**"Please, sir, don't legends always have a basis in fact?" **

**Professor Binns was looking at her in such amazement, AJ was sure no student had ever interrupted him before, alive or dead.**

Charlie laughed loudly at that "No one could stay awake long enough to ask a question on the subject."

**"Well," said Professor Binns slowly, "yes, one could argue that, I suppose." He peered at Hermione as though he had never seen a student properly before. "However, the legend of which you speak is such a very sensational, even ludicrous tale —"**

"It would have made our lives so much easier if it was just a tale." Grumbled AJ

Ron nodded "That's for sure mate."

**But the whole class was now hanging on Professor Binns's every word. He looked dimly at them all, every face turned to his. AJ could tell he was completely thrown by such an unusual show of interest.**

"I'm going to make history class very interesting this year; it'll be your favorite subject by the end of the year." Bill smiled with confidence

**"Oh, very well," he said slowly. "Let me see… the Chamber of Secrets… You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago — the precise date is uncertain — by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age. The four school Houses are named after them: Godric Gryffindor,**

All the Gryffindors cheered,

**Helga Hufflepuff,**

Tonks cheered extra loud,

**Rowena Ravenclaw,**

Kingsley smiled and clapped,

**and Salazar Slytherin.**

Snape sighed "Jump and delight."

**They built this castle together, far from prying Muggle eyes, for it was an age when magic was feared by common people, and witches and wizards suffered much persecution." **

**He paused, gazed blearily around the room, and continued.**

**"For a few years, the founders worked in harmony together, seeking out youngsters who showed signs of magic and bringing them to the castle to be educated. But then disagreements sprang up between them. A rift began to grow between Slytherin and the others. Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy.**

"I can now see why everyone in Slytherins are such jackasses," Tonks snorted "their founder was a jackass."

Sirius glared "Not all Slytherins are jackasses Tonks."

**After a while, there was a serious argument on the subject between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Slytherin left the school." **

**Professor Binns paused again, pursing his lips, looking like a wrinkled old tortoise.**

Remus snorted at that "Be glad we aren't reading these stories to the school."

**"Reliable historical sources tell us this much," he said. "But these honest facts have been obscured by the fanciful legend of the Chamber of Secrets. The story goes that Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle, of which the other founders knew nothing. Slytherin, according to the legend, sealed the Chamber of Secrets so that none would be able to open it until his own true heir arrived at the school. The heir alone would be able to unseal the Chamber of Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic."**

"Who are they to decide who is worthy to study magic?" Kingsley asked annoyed

"I think because they were the founders they felt they knew best." Remus shrugged

**There was silence as he finished telling the story, but it wasn't the usual, sleepy silence that filled Professor Binns's classes. There was unease in the air as everyone continued to watch him, hoping for more. Professor Binns looked faintly annoyed.**

"You'd think he'd be happy that people are actually interested in what he's got to say." Regulus snarked

**"The whole thing is arrant nonsense, of course," he said. "Naturally, the school has been searched for evidence of such a chamber, many times, by the most learned witches and wizards. It does not exist. A tale told to frighten the gullible."**

"He certainly stuck his foot in his mouth with that one." Hermione laughed

**Hermione's hand was back in the air. "Sir — what exactly do you mean by the 'horror within' the Chamber?"**

**"That is believed to be some sort of monster, which the Heir of Slytherin alone can control," said Professor Binns in his dry, reedy voice.**

"Best to stop asking questions before he flips out and gives detentions for daring to speak about something unrelated to Goblins" Charlie advised with a grin

**The class exchanged nervous looks.**

**"I tell you, the thing does not exist," said Professor Binns, shuffling his notes. "There is no Chamber and no monster."**

The golden trio shared smirks, there is a chamber and was a monster.

**"But, sir," said Seamus Finnigan finally taking his eyes off AJ, "if the Chamber can only be opened by Slytherins true heir, no one else would be able to find it, would they?" **

AJ looked uncomfortable with that thought, she wasn't the true heir.

**"Nonsense, O'Flaherty," said Professor Binns in an aggravated tone. "If a long succession of Hogwarts headmasters and headmistresses haven't found the thing —"**

"Just ask AJ Potter so search for it." Ron muttered with a smile

**"But, Professor," piped up Parvati Patil, "you'd probably have to use Dark Magic to open it —"**

Once again AJ shifted at that, she didn't use dark magic ever.

**"Just because a wizard doesn't use Dark Magic doesn't mean he can't, Miss Pennyfeather," snapped Professor Binns.**

"Your classes are much more interesting than ours ever were." Chuckled Tonks

**I repeat, if the likes of Dumbledore —"**

"Even I cannot do everything." Dumbledore smiled at the faith people had in him

**"But maybe you've got to be related to Slytherin, so Dumbledore couldn't —" began Dean Thomas, but Professor Binns had had enough.**

"Now you pissed off a ghost, not something many people strive to do." Grinned Bill

**"That will do," he said sharply. "It is a myth! It does not exist! There is not a shred of evidence that Slytherin ever built so much as a secret broom cupboard! I regret telling you such a foolish story! We will return, if you please, to history, to solid, believable, verifiable fact!"**

Charlie smirked "He's a real good teacher; I can see why you never fired him."

**And within five minutes, the class had sunk back into its usual torpor.**

"Life went back to normal rather quickly." Kingsley laughed

**"I always knew Salazar Slytherin was a twisted old loony," Ron told AJ and Hermione as they fought their way through the teeming corridors at the end of the lesson to drop off their bags before dinner. "But I never knew he started all this pure-blood stuff. I wouldn't be in his house if you paid me. Honestly, if the Sorting Hat had tried to put me in Slytherin, I'd've got the train straight back home…"**

Ron looked at AJ with wide eyes "I'm so sorry AJ; I didn't mean anything by it. Really, I'm sorry."

AJ just waved his apology off, "It's fine Ron. You weren't make a dig at me."

**Hermione nodded fervently, but AJ didn't say anything. Her stomach had just dropped unpleasantly.**

"You have done fine in Slytherin sweets. We would love you just as much." Regulus assured

**AJ had never told Ron and Hermione that the Sorting Hat had seriously considered putting her in Slytherin. She could remember, as though it were yesterday, the small voice that had spoken in her ear when she'd placed the hat on her head a year before: You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin would help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that…**

Charlie sighed "It would be interesting to see how things would have worked out had you not been in Gryffindor."

"Maybe nothing would have changed." Remarked Tonks

**But AJ, who had already heard of Slytherin House's reputation for turning out Dark wizards, had thought desperately, Not Slytherin! and the hat had said, Oh, well, if you're sure… better be Gryffindor…**

"See?" Kingsley said "You talked the hat out of going into a certain house that means something."

**As they were shunted along in the throng, Colin Creevey went past.**

"Stalker…" sing songed Sirius

**"Hiya, AJ!"**

**"Hullo, Colin," said AJ automatically.**

"Do you even hear what he says?" snapped Ginny

AJ shook her head "Not usually considering he usually says the same thing over and over again."

**"AJ — AJ — a boy in my class has been saying you're —"**

Charlie dropped his head into his hands "Oh good the rumors are starting already."

**But Colin was so small he couldn't fight against the tide of people bearing him toward the Great Hall; they heard him squeak, "See you, AJ!" and he was gone.**

**"What's a boy in his class saying about you?" Hermione wondered.**

**"That I'm Slytherins heir, I expect," said AJ,**

"That's such bullshit." Muttered Sirius

Remus nodded "People are very gullible when it comes to rumors though love."

Sirius reluctantly nodded "Doesn't mean I have to like it."

**her stomach dropping another inch or so as she suddenly remembered the way Justin Finch-Fletchley had run away from her at lunchtime. **

**"People here'll believe anything," said Ron in disgust. **

Bill nodded "It's sad but true, people are hard to convince otherwise when it comes to believing in things."

**The crowd thinned and they were able to climb the next staircase without difficulty.**

**"D'you really think there's a Chamber of Secrets?" Ron asked Hermione.**

The golden trio all nodded.

**"I don't know," she said, frowning. "Dumbledore couldn't cure Mrs. Norris, and that makes me think that whatever attacked her might not be — well — human."**

Regulus looked oddly at that "Not human and it petrifies?"

"I don't know what that could be, that doesn't make sense." Kingsley grumbled

But Charlie looked thoughtful; he loved animals and usually knew what they all did. Than it came to him, he looked at AJ with wide disbelieving eyes. AJ gave a little nod of the head stating that he figured it out. He let his head fall back and silently wondered how in the Hell a basilisk could be in the school without anyone noticing.

**As she spoke, they turned a corner and found themselves at the end of the very corridor where the attack had happened. They stopped and looked. The scene was just as it had been that night, except that there was no stiff cat hanging from the torch bracket, and an empty chair stood against the wall bearing the message "The Chamber of Secrets has been Opened."**

"I'm really surprised no one tampered with the scene just to piss Filch off." Ron laughed

Hermione agreed, it was a little odd no one tried to hurt Filch more.

**"That's where Filch has been keeping guard," Ron muttered.**

**They looked at each other. The corridor was deserted.**

**"Can't hurt to have a poke around," said AJ,**

"Or," Remus suggested "you could leave it alone."

Sirius laughed "That's a nice thought love, but we know it won't happen."

**dropping her bag and getting to her hands and knees so that she could crawl along, searching for clues. **

**"Scorch marks!" she said. "Here — and here —"**

Tonks looked impressed at that "Good eye, not many people would think to get down that low to look."

**"Come and look at this!" said Hermione. "This is funny…"**

**AJ got up and crossed to the window next to the message on the wall. Hermione was pointing at the topmost pane, where around twenty spiders were scuttling, apparently fighting to get through a small crack.**

Ron shivered thinking about where those spiders were going. Merlin that chapter would be a living hell to read.

**A long, silvery thread was dangling like a rope, as though they had all climbed it in their hurry to get outside. **

**"Have you ever seen spiders act like that?" said Hermione wonderingly.**

Charlie shook his head "That's not normal spider behavior at all."

**"No," said AJ, "have you, Ron? Ron?"**

**She looked over her shoulder. Ron was standing well back and seemed to be fighting the impulse to run.**

"Afraid of spiders Ron?" grinned Kingsley

Ron blushed and shuddered again "Yes I am. I don't like them and never will."

**What's up?" said AJ.**

**"I — don't — like — spiders," said Ron tensely.**

"You looked like you wanted to hurl." Hermione said stifling laughter

**"I never knew that," said Hermione, looking at Ron in surprise. "You've used spiders in Potions loads of times…"**

Bill grinned "I think when their dead he doesn't have an issue."

**"I don't mind them dead," said Ron, who was carefully looking anywhere but at the window. "I just don't like the way they move…"**

Charlie raised an eyebrow "The way they move? Of all the reasons to hate them, you hate them because of the way they move."

**Hermione giggled.**

**"It's not funny," said Ron, fiercely. "If you must know, when I was three, Fred turned my — my teddy bear into a great big filthy spider because I broke his toy broomstick… You wouldn't like them either if you'd been holding your bear and suddenly it had too many legs and…"**

"Have you ever considered therapy?" Tonks asked seriously

Ron shook his head "I'm not crazy! I just don't like spiders

"Therapy isn't for just crazy people Ron," AJ said patiently "it was obviously a very traumatic experience for you and talking to an outsider might be helpful."

**He broke off, shuddering. Hermione was obviously still trying not to laugh. Feeling they had better get off the subject, AJ said, "Remember all that water on the floor? Where did that come from? Someone's mopped it up."**

"You're the peace keeper of the group." Tonks smiled

AJ nodded "Someone's gotta be with those two."

**"It was about here," said Ron, recovering himself to walk a few paces past Filch's chair and pointing. "Level with this door."**

**He reached for the brass doorknob but suddenly withdrew his hand as though he'd been burned.**

Remus looked up alarmed "What's wrong?"

**"What's the matter?" said AJ.**

**"Can't go in there," said Ron gruffly. "That's a girls' toilet."**

Remus relaxed at that "Don't scare me like that!"

**"Oh, Ron, there won't be anyone in there," said Hermione standing up and coming over. "That's Moaning Myrtle's place. Come on, let's have a look." And ignoring the large OUT OF ORDER sign, she opened the door.**

"No one goes in there if they're smart." Tonks laughed "But it's a good place to hide out."

**It was, as usual, the gloomiest, most depressing bathroom AJ had ever set foot in. Under a large, cracked, and spotted mirror were a row of chipped sinks. The floor was damp and reflected the dull light given off by the stubs of a few candles, burning low in their holders; the wooden doors to the stalls were flaking and scratched and one of them was dangling off its hinges.**

"Why doesn't someone try and fix that up?" Bill asked "It seems like a perfectly good bathroom if it was cleaned up."

"Myrtle would still be there to annoy all the girls that go in there so there wouldn't really be a point in cleaning up." Hermione argued

**Hermione put her fingers to her lips and set off toward the end stall. When she reached it she said, "Hello, Myrtle, how are you?"**

**AJ and Ron went to look. Moaning Myrtle was floating above the tank of the toilet, picking a spot on her chin. "This is a girls' bathroom," she said, eyeing Ron suspiciously. "He's not a girl."**

"Was she top of her year? She's really smart." Charlie laughed

AJ rolled her eyes "You're such a dork."

**"No," Hermione agreed. "We just wanted to show him how er — nice it is in here."**

"From now on have AJ come up with all the excuses." Kingsley advised

**She waved vaguely at the dirty old mirror and the damp floor. **

**"Ask her if she saw anything," AJ mouthed at Hermione.**

"Why didn't you ask yourself pup?" Sirius asked curiously

"Myrtle and I," AJ said choosing her words carefully "don't get a long all that well."

**"What are you whispering?" said Myrtle, staring at her.**

**"Nothing," said AJ "We wanted to ask —"**

"You can never get an answer out of her." Hermione huffed

**"I wish people would stop talking behind my back!" said Myrtle, in a voice choked with tears. "I do have feelings, you know, even if I am dead —"**

**"Myrtle, no one wants to upset you," said Hermione. "AJ only —"**

**"No one wants to upset me! That's a good one!" howled Myrtle. "My life was nothing but misery at this place and now people come along ruining my death!"**

"Seriously?" Kingsley asked shocked "She got all that out of Hermione saying she didn't want her upset?"

"She's a very sensitive ghost." Defended Ginny

"Yeah I think we got that Gin." Ron muttered

**"We wanted to ask you if you've seen anything funny lately," said Hermione quickly. "Because a cat was attacked right outside your front door on Halloween."**

**"Did you see anyone near here that night?" said AJ.**

"Somehow I don't that." Charlie grumbled "She would have to pay attention to more than just herself to notice that."

**"I wasn't paying attention," said Myrtle dramatically. "Peeves upset me so much I came in here and tried to kill myself. Then, of course, I remembered that I'm — that I'm —"**

"She forgot she was dead?" Remus asked

Regulus snorted "It can be a hard thing to remember with all she's got going on."

**"Already dead," said Ron helpfully.**

"Yeah oddly enough that wasn't too helpful but thanks for the effort." AJ grinned

**Myrtle gave a tragic sob, rose up in the air, turned over, and dived headfirst into the toilet, splashing water all over them and vanishing from sight, although from the direction of her muffled sobs, she had come to rest somewhere in the U-bend.**

"If you can hear her through the pipes you know she's being a little too loud." Sirius commented. But Charlie was looking at AJ intently searching for the answer in her eyes, when she looked up and back to him he knew had got it right. The basilisk was using the pipes.

**Ron stood with his mouth open, but AJ shrugged wearily and said, "Honestly, that was almost cheerful for Myrtle… Come on, let's go."**

"A depressed Myrtle might be nicer I suppose." Chuckled Bill

**AJ had barely closed the door on Myrtle's gurgling sobs when a loud voice made all three of them jump.**

**"RON!"**

Ron rolled his eyes, of course Percy was the one to catch them.

**"That's a girls' bathroom!" he gasped. "What were you —?" **

Bill couldn't hold back a laugh "Are you kidding me? He makes it seem like you were caught dealing marijuana to a bunch of eight year olds."

Molly glared at her eldest son "He was doing his job as a prefect and I for one am very proud."

**"Just having a look around," Ron shrugged. "Clues, you know —"**

**Percy swelled in a manner that reminded AJ forcefully of Mrs. Weasley.**

Bill smiled at his mom "More reason to be proud. He's gained your temper."

**Percy Weasley had stopped dead at the head of the stairs, prefect badge agleam, an expression of complete shock on his face.**

**"Get — away — from — there —" Perry said, striding toward them and starting to bustle them along, flapping his arms. "Don't you care what this looks like?**

"He cares way too much about what people think." Hermione said

**Coming back here while everyone's at dinner —"**

**"Why shouldn't we be here?" said Ron hotly, stopping short and glaring at Percy. "Listen, we never laid a finger on that cat!"**

"You shouldn't have argued with him," AJ sighed "should have just walked away."

Ron glared "It's easier said than done AJ."

**"That's what I told Ginny," said Percy fiercely, "but she still seems to think you're going to be expelled, I've never seen her so upset, crying her eyes out, you might think of her, all the first years are thoroughly overexcited by this business —"**

"A cat was petrified you moron!" Regulus yelled "Of course they're going to get overexcited! It's not something to be taken lightly!"

**"You don't care about Ginny," said Ron, whose ears were now reddening. "You're just worried I'm going to mess up your chances of being Head Boy —"**

Charlie winced "Might not be the best thing to say Ron, he deserved to hear it but it would have been better said in private."

**"Five points from Gryffindor!" Percy said tersely, fingering his prefect badge. "And I hope it teaches you a lesson! No more detective work, or I'll write to Mum!"**

"It didn't but once again thanks for the effort." AJ laughed

**And he strode off, the back of his neck as red as Ron's ears.**

**AJ, Ron, and Hermione chose seats as far as possible from Percy in the common room that night. Ron was still in a very bad temper and kept blotting his Charms homework. When he reached absently for his wand to remove the smudges, it ignited the parchment. Fuming almost as much as his homework, Ron slammed The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 shut.**

"You can't have such a quick temper Ron, it's not good when you get older and you look for a job." Kingsley advised

Tonks nodded "You have to learn to let things go."

**To AJ's surprise, Hermione followed suit.**

Hermione blushed at the stares she was getting, "I just wanted to talk over what we knew."

**"Who can it be, though?" she said in a quiet voice, as though continuing a conversation they had just been having. "Who'd want to frighten all the Squibs and Muggleborns out of Hogwarts?"**

"A stuck up pureblood no doubt." Sirius snarked

**"Let's think," said Ron in mock puzzlement. "Who do we know who thinks Muggleborns are scum?"**

Remus raised an eyebrow "Malfoy? Do you think he would sink that low?"

Regulus let out a humorless laugh "He's the son of a death eater and no doubt will become one. So yeah Moony all the clue point to him."

**He looked at Hermione. Hermione looked back, unconvinced.**

**"If you're talking about Malfoy —"**

Remus nodded "I can't see it being someone that young, if it was a Malfoy it would probably be senior."

**"Of course I am!" said Ron. "You heard him — 'You'll be next, Mudbloods!'— come on, you've only got to look at his foul rat face to know it's him —"**

"Wouldn't the heir of Slytherin be a snake and not a rat?" Sirius joked

"I love your logic Siri, it never ceases to amaze me." Remus smiled

**"They could've had the key to the Chamber of Secrets for centuries!" said Ron. "Handing it down, father to son…"**

Ginny glared "It could have been passed down to a daughter."

Regulus shook his head "Not usually, purebloods feel that only a man can be the head of a family or be next in line to something of that importance."

**"Well," said Hermione cautiously, "I suppose it's possible…" **

**"But how do we prove it?" said AJ darkly.**

"I can't see Malfoy opening up to a bunch of Gryffindors." Bill remarked

Hermione smiled "He wouldn't. But he would to Slytherins."

**"There might be a way," said Hermione slowly, dropping her voice still further with a quick glance across the room at Percy. "Of course, it would be difficult. And dangerous, very dangerous. We'd be breaking about fifty school rules, I expect —"**

Snape rolled his eyes "And how is that different than any other time?"

"Because usually we aren't aware of the exact number of rules we'll be breaking sir." AJ smiled cheekily

**"If, in a month or so, you feel like explaining, you will let us know, won't you?" said Ron irritably.**

**"All right," said Hermione coldly. "What we'd need to do is to get inside the Slytherin common room and ask Malfoy a few questions without him realizing it's us."**

The golden trio smiled sweetly at their glaring potions master.

**"But that's impossible," said Ron, laughing.**

**"No, it's not," said Hermione. "All we'd need would be some Polyjuice Potion."**

"Wow…that's very advanced." Tonks said in awe

Kingsley shook his head "Do you have any idea all the ways this could wrong?"

"I think you should do it." Sirius said with a smile "What? AJ and Hermione are the brightest witches of their time, they'll do it no problem."

**"What's that?" said Ron.**

**"Snape mentioned it in class a few weeks ago —" AJ said suddenly.**

"I love your memory." Smiled Hermione "Without it we would be lost.

**"D'you think I've got nothing better to do in Potions than listen to Snape?" muttered Ron.**

Charlie rolled his eyes "Do you seriously wonder why your grades suck?"

Ron shifted "AJ doesn't pay much attention either."

"I have an eidetic memory Ron!" AJ said outraged "I read the shit over with before class and I'll have it in my memory clear as day till the day I die. Don't drag me into this!"

**"It transforms you into somebody else. Think about it! We could change into three of the Slytherins. No one would know it was us. Malfoy would probably tell us anything. He's probably boasting about it in the Slytherin common room right now, if only we could hear him."**

Sirius was smiling brightly now "You have to do it!"

Remus shook his head with a smile "Yes do it so your father can live a happy life."

**"This Polyjuice stuff sounds a bit dodgy to me," said Ron, frowning. "What if we were stuck looking like three of the Slytherins forever?"**

**"It wears off after a while," said Hermione, waving her hand impatiently. "But getting hold of the recipe will be very difficult. Snape said it was in a book called Moste Potente Potions and it's bound to be in the Restricted Section of the library."**

Snape sneered "There's a reason it's in the restricted section."

**There was only one way to get out a book from the Restricted Section: You needed a signed note of permission from a teacher.**

**"Hard to see why we'd want the book, really," said Ron, "if we weren't going to try and make one of the potions."**

Bill snorted "Just have Lockhart sign the permission slip and he won't read it."

**"I think," said Hermione, "that if we made it sound as though we were just interested in the theory, we might stand a chance… **

**"Oh, come on, no teacher's going to fall for that," said Ron. "They'd have to be really thick…"**

"So you go to Lockhart?" laughed Regulus

AJ smiled "Of course we do. He's good for something."

Molly glared at the room "That's the end of that chapter."

Remus picked up the book **"The Rogue Bludger…"**


	32. The Rogue Bludger

**Since the disastrous episode of the pixies, Professor Lockhart had not brought live creatures to class.**

"All this time we've been calling him stupid, obviously that was a lie." Remus smirked

**Instead, he read passages from his books to them, and sometimes reenacted some of the more dramatic bits. He usually picked AJ to help him with these reconstructions; so far, AJ had been forced to play a simple Transylvanian villager whom Lockhart had cured of a Babbling Curse, a yeti with a head cold, and a vampire who had been unable to eat anything except lettuce since Lockhart had dealt with him.**

Bill looked confused "Vampires need blood though."

"We've established he's a complete fraud and moron why would you be surprised he thought he could get a vampire to eat lettuce?" Charlie bit out

"Shut it dragon boy." Bill grumbled

**AJ was hauled to the front of the class during their very next Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, this time acting a werewolf. If she hadn't had a very good reason for keeping Lockhart in a good mood, she would have refused to do it.**

"I always did admire your courage." Tonks gushed

AJ rolled her eyes "I do what I have to for the sake of a mystery."

**"Nice loud howl, AJ— exactly — and then, if you'll believe it, I pounced — like this — slammed him to the floor —**

"WHAT IN THE HELL IS WRONG WITH HIM?" Remus bellowed

Sirius placed a calming hand on his shoulder "We know love; on a full moon we can introduce him to Moony. Promise."

**thus with one hand, I managed to hold him down — with my other, I put my wand to his throat — I then screwed up my remaining strength and performed the immensely complex Homorphus Charm**

Kingsley looked alarmed "He didn't actually touch you did he?"

"Hell no." AJ said immediately "every time he came near me I would dodge him."

**- he let out a piteous moan — go on, AJ— higher than that — good — the fur vanished — the fangs shrank — and he turned back into a man. Simple, yet effective — and another village will remember me forever as the hero who delivered them from the monthly terror of werewolf attacks."**

Remus sighed sadly wishing it were that easy. AJ and Sirius slid nearer to the upset man in hopes of making him feel better.

**The bell rang and Lockhart got to his feet.**

**"Homework — compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf! Signed copies of Magical Me to the author of the best one!" The class began to leave. AJ returned to the back of the room, where Ron and Hermione were waiting.**

"Did anyone actually write the poem?" Regulus asked

"No," laughed Hermione "everyone besides the girls excluding AJ handed in blank paper."

Regulus nodded approvingly "Good for them."

**"Ready?" AJ muttered.**

**"Wait till everyone's gone," said Hermione nervously. "All right…"**

**She approached Lockhart's desk, a piece of paper clutched tightly in her hand, AJ and Ron right behind her.**

"Sorry Hermione but I wanted to keep a healthy space between him and me." AJ smiled

**"Er — Professor Lockhart?" Hermione stammered. "I wanted to — to get this book out of the library. Just for background reading." She held out the piece of paper, her hand shaking slightly. "But the thing is, it's in the Restricted Section of the library, so I need a teacher to sign for it —I'm sure it would help me understand what you say in Gadding with Ghouls about slow-acting venoms."**

"That's a good idea," Bill complimented "flattery will get you everywhere with a stuck up jerk like him."

**"Ah, Gadding with Ghouls!" said Lockhart, taking the note from Hermione and smiling widely at her. "Possibly my very favourite book. You enjoyed it?"**

"I can't get over the fact that you can be so intelligent and yet so blind at the same time." Tonks muttered

Hermione blushed "I was young and foolish."

**"Oh, yes," said Hermione eagerly. "So clever, the way you trapped that last one with the tea-strainer —"**

"Very foolish!" Hermione shouted over the laughter heard around the room

**"Well, I'm sure no one will mind me giving the best student of the year a little extra help," said Lockhart warmly, and he pulled out an enormous peacock quill.**

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me in the least." Snape snarled

**"Yes, nice, isn't it?" he said, misreading the revolted look on Ron's face. "I usually save it for book-signings." He scrawled an enormous loopy signature on the note and handed it back to Hermione.**

"He didn't even look at it!" shouted Charlie "Come on, this is getting ridiculous!"

**"So, AJ," said Lockhart, while Hermione folded the note with fumbling fingers and slipped it into her bag. "Tomorrow's the first Quidditch match of the season, I believe? Gryffindor against Slytherin, is it not? I hear you're a useful player.**

"She's a hell of a lot more than useful you dumb ass." Sirius defended

**I was a Seeker, too. I was asked to try for the National Squad, but preferred to dedicate my life to the eradication of the Dark Forces. Still, if ever you feel the need for a little private training, don't hesitate to ask. Always happy to pass on my expertise to less able players…"**

"She doesn't need any advice." Remus snarled "And even she did she wouldn't get it from you."

**He winked cheekily in a way that made AJ's eyes narrow and hair turn dark purple. She fought the urge to punch him in the face, through clenched teeth she bit out "Thanks for the offer but I can handle my own on the field."**

"You're really impressive when it comes to uncomfortable situations." Kingsley complimented

Tonks nodded "I wouldn't be able to keep my cool if that happened to me."

**AJ turned and walked off with Ron and Hermione.**

**"I don't believe it," she said as the three of them examined the signature on the note. "He didn't even look at the book we wanted."**

Snape glared "Moron. Complete and utter moron. Could have killed themselves because of this jackass."

**"That's because he's a brainless git," said Ron. "But who cares, we've got what we needed—"**

**"He is not a brainless git," said Hermione shrilly as they half ran toward the library. **

"I did not say it shrilly!" Hermione glared at her smirking friends

**"Just because he said you were the best student of the year —"**

**They dropped their voices as they entered the muffled stillness of the library. Madam Pince, the librarian, was a thin, irritable woman who looked like an underfed vulture.**

"She's got the temper of one too." Sirius shuddered at the memories of making her angry.

**"Moste Potente Potions?" she repeated suspiciously, trying to take the note from Hermione; but Hermione wouldn't let go.**

"Why not?" Ginny snarked

Ron rolled his eyes "Why do you think?"

**"I was wondering if I could keep it," she said breathlessly.**

Bill shook his head sadly but threw a grin at Hermione to make sure she knew he was only joking.

**"Oh, come on," said Ron, wrenching it from her grasp and thrusting it at Madam Pince. "We'll get you another autograph. Lockhart'll sign anything if it stands still long enough."**

**Madam Pince held the note up to the light, as though determined to detect a forgery, but it passed the test. She stalked away between the lofty shelves and returned several minutes later carrying a large and moldy-looking book. Hermione put it carefully into her bag and they left, trying not to walk too quickly or look too guilty.**

"You didn't do anything wrong." Remus stated "Lockhart signed the note for you."

**Five minutes later, they were barricaded in Moaning Myrtle's out-of-order bathroom once again. Hermione had overridden Ron's objections by pointing out that it was the last place anyone in their right minds would go, so they were guaranteed some privacy. Moaning Myrtle was crying noisily in her stall, but they were ignoring her, and she them.**

"It's the perfect place to plan things." Smirked AJ

"What if Myrtle were to tell someone?" Bill asked

AJ shook her head "She'll never admit it, but she likes the company. If she tells peoples secrets she loses the company."

**Hermione opened Moste Potente Potions carefully, and the three of them bent over the damp-spotted pages. It was clear from a glance why it belonged in the Restricted Section. Some of the potions had effects almost too gruesome to think about, and there were some very unpleasant illustrations, which included a man who seemed to have been turned inside out and a witch sprouting several extra pairs of arms out of her head.**

"All the more reason not to do such a complex potion." Snape growled out

Ron rolled his eyes "Little late for the pep talk sir."

**"Here it is," said Hermione excitedly as she found the page headed The Polyjuice Potion. **

**It was decorated with drawings of people halfway through transforming into other people. AJ sincerely hoped the artist had imagined the looks of intense pain on their faces.**

AJ shuddered "He didn't. If anything he was being vague on how the pain was."

Sirius smiled broadly "You do it! This is going to be exciting."

**"This is the most complicated potion I've ever seen," said Hermione as they scanned the recipe. "Lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed, and knotgrass," she murmured, running her finger down the list of ingredients. "Well, they're easy enough, they're in the student store-cupboard, we can help ourselves… Oooh, look, powdered horn of a bicorn — don't know where we're going to get that — shredded skin of a boomslang — that'll be tricky, too and of course a bit of whoever we want to change into."**

"That really is a gross thought." Regulus muttered

**"Excuse me?" said Ron sharply. "What d'you mean, a bit of whoever we're changing into? I'm drinking nothing with Crabbe's toenails in it —"**

"That is so disgusting!" Tonks exclaimed

Bill chuckled "No you don't need a toenail, a piece of hair or a drop of blood will work fine."

**Hermione continued as though she hadn't heard him. "We don't have to worry about that yet, though, because we add those bits last…"**

**Ron turned, speechless, to AJ, who had another worry.**

"What else is there to worry about punk?" Charlie asked

AJ snorted "Plenty Char, it involves me so it has to get complicated somehow."

**"Hermione are you insane? We're going to have to steal some of the supplies. Shredded skin of a boomslang, that's definitely not in the students' cupboard. What're we going to do, break into Snape's private stores? That's like signing your own death certificate."**

Snape looked mildly surprised that Potter actually thought something through.

"Why not order from a store in Diagon Alley? All their stores have an option for Owl delivery." Kingsley stated

Regulus shook his head "It doesn't matter you have to show proof of being seventeen when ordering things from the Potions Shop."

**Hermione shut the book with a snap.**

**"Well, if you two are going to chicken out, fine," she said. There were bright pink patches on her cheeks and her eyes were brighter than usual. "I don't want to break rules, you know. I think threatening Muggleborns is far worse than brewing up a difficult potion. But if you don't want to find out if it's Malfoy, I'll go straight to Madam Pince now and hand the book back in."**

"Lilly was muggle born." Snape snarled "Obviously her daughter would be upset if Muggleborns were being attacked."

Hermione shifted "I know…I apologized."

**"I didn't say that," AJ growled. "You're my best friend whose Muggleborn and oh yeah my mom was too! I just don't like the idea of stealing."**

**Hermione winced. "I'm sorry, AJ, but we need to do this if we're to figure it out. If I need to steal to save lives I will, wouldn't you?"**

"I think we all know the answer to that." Remus said with a small smile

**"I never thought I'd see the day when you'd be persuading us to break rules," said Ron loudly, intent on moving the conversation away from such a touchy topic. "All right, we'll do it. But not toenails, okay?"**

"I'll do my best but make no promises." Hermione deadpanned

**"How long will it take to make, anyway?" said AJ with a sigh, giving in to Hermione. Hermione, looking happier, opened the book again.**

**"Well, since the fluxweed has got to be picked at the full moon and the lacewings have got to be stewed for twenty-one days… I'd say it'd be ready in about a month, if we can get all the ingredients."**

"Damn I forgot it takes a month." Regulus muttered

Snape nodded "It's a long and complex potion."

**"A month?" said Ron. "Malfoy could have attacked half the Muggleborns in the school by then!" But Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously again, and he added swiftly, "But it's the best plan we've got, so full steam ahead, I say."**

"At least you're learning to argue so much." Bill snickered

"I knew it was our only option at the time." Ron remarked

**However, while Hermione was checking that the coast was clear for them to leave the bathroom, Ron muttered to AJ, "It'll be a lot less hassle if you can just knock Malfoy off his broom tomorrow."**

"Too bad the game was a nightmare." AJ sighed

Remus looked alarmed "Why what happened?" but AJ just smiled sweetly back.

**AJ woke early on Saturday morning and lay for a while thinking about the coming Quidditch match. She was nervous, mainly at the thought of what Wood would say if Gryffindor lost, but also at the idea of facing a team mounted on the fastest racing brooms gold could buy. She had never wanted to beat Slytherin so badly.**

"How is that different than any other match against Slytherin?" Tonks asked with amusement

"It was the first game Malfoy would be playing in and I wanted to show him talent out rules the most expensive of brooms." AJ said happily

**After half an hour of lying there with her insides churning, she got up, dressed, and went down to breakfast early, where she found the rest of the Gryffindor team huddled at the long, empty table, all looking uptight and not speaking much.**

"Oliver would get himself so worked up over games he would get sick if he talked too much." AJ supplied to the confused looks

**As eleven o'clock approached, the whole school started to make its way down to the Quidditch stadium. It was a muggy sort of day with a hint of thunder in the air. Ron and Hermione came hurrying over to wish AJ good luck as she entered the locker rooms. The team pulled on their scarlet Gryffindor robes, then sat down to listen to Wood's usual pre-match pep talk.**

AJ rolled her eyes at what was to come.

**"Slytherin has better brooms than us," he began. "No point denying it. But we've got better people on our brooms. We've trained harder than they have, we've been flying in all weathers —" ("Too true," muttered George Weasley. "I haven't been properly dry since August")**

"Training in the rain is always the hardest." Charlie remarked

**"— and we're going to make them rue the day they let that little bit of slime, Malfoy, buy his way onto their team."**

"I still don't know how his father could ever be proud of him." Hermione snarked

"You're a good person Mio and you don't think like them." Bill supplied with a smile

**Chest heaving with emotion, Wood turned to AJ.**

**"It'll be down to you, AJ, to show them that a Seeker has to have something more than a rich father.**

Regulus tilted his head "That doesn't make any sense though. Everyone who grew up in the wizarding world knows the Potters are richer than the Malfoy's any day."

"He probably meant because Malfoy's father is still alive and AJ's dad is dead." Ron shrugged ignoring the glares sent his way.

"Very tactful you jerk!" Charlie sighed

Regulus rolled his eyes "Remind me to never ask you to talk me out of suicide."

**Get to that Snitch before Malfoy or die trying, AJ, because we've got to win today, we've got to."**

**"So no pressure, AJ," said Fred, winking at her.**

"I somehow doubt he meant that literally cub." Remus grimaced

**As they walked out onto the pitch, a roar of noise greeted them; mainly cheers, because Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were anxious to see Slytherin beaten, but the Slytherins in the crowd made their boos and hisses heard, too. Madam Hooch, the Quidditch teacher, asked Flint and Wood to shake hands, which they did, giving each other threatening stares and gripping rather harder than was necessary.**

"It's always rather comical to see Wood trying to be threatening." Hermione said

AJ nodded "He's not the most intimidating person around."

**"On my whistle," said Madam Hooch. "Three… two… one…"**

**With a roar from the crowd to speed them upward, the fourteen players rose toward the leaden sky. AJ flew higher than any of them, squinting around for the Snitch.**

**"All right there, Scarhead?" yelled Malfoy, shooting underneath her as though to show off the speed of his broom.**

"He's so funny, I can't believe he isn't doing standup comedy at the local pub." Sirius deadpanned

**AJ had no time to reply. At that very moment, a heavy black Bludger came pelting toward her; she avoided it so narrowly that she felt it knock into her red and gold hair.**

"That's not odd at all.." Remus swallowed hard

**"Close one, AJ!" said George, streaking past her with his club in his hand, ready to knock the Bludger back toward a Slytherin. AJ saw George give the Bludger a powerful whack in the direction of Adrian Pucey, but the Bludger changed direction in midair and shot straight for AJ again.**

Tonks gripped Kingsley's hand tightly "That Bludger has been tampered with!"

**AJ dropped quickly to avoid it, and George managed to hit it hard toward Malfoy. Once again, the Bludger swerved like a boomerang and shot at AJ's head. AJ put on a burst of speed and zoomed toward the other end of the pitch. She could hear the Bludger whistling along behind her. What was going on?**

"That's the million dollar question sweets." Regulus shifted wondering what in the Hell was going on.

**Bludgers never concentrated on one player like this; it was their job to try to unseat as many people as possible…**

**Fred Weasley was waiting for the Bludger at the other end. AJ ducked as Fred swung at the Bludger with all his might; the Bludger was knocked off course.**

"Could someone be controlling it from the stands?" Bill looked confused

Charlie shook his head "They're too fast to control, it had to have been tampered with before the game."

**"Gotcha!" Fred yelled happily, but he was wrong; as though it was magnetically attracted to AJ, the Bludger pelted after her once more and AJ was forced to fly off at full speed. **

"How did no one notice this?" Sirius shouted

Ron shrugged "I don't know…it all sort of happened so fast."

**It had started to rain; AJ felt heavy drops fall onto her face, clouding her vision. She didn't have a clue what was going on in the rest of the game until she heard Lee Jordan, who was commentating, say, "Slytherin lead, sixty points to zero."**

"That's just fantastic!" Regulus barked "Keep commentating the game and not bother to see if the seeker might need help!"

**The Slytherins' superior brooms were clearly doing their jobs, and meanwhile the mad Bludger was doing all it could to knock AJ out of the air. Fred and George were now flying so close to her on either side that AJ could see nothing at all except their flailing arms and had no chance to look for the Snitch, let alone catch it.**

"Well that's not good," Charlie sighed "you'll never get the snitch now."

"SHUT UP DRAGON BOY!" Remus snarled

**"Someone's — tampered — with — this — Bludger —" Fred grunted, swinging his bat with all his might at it as it launched a new attack on AJ.**

Bill shook his head "Good job guys you cracked the case! No figure out a solution!"

**"We need time out," said George, trying to signal to Wood and stop the Bludger breaking AJ's nose at the same time.**

**Wood had obviously got the message.**

Kingsley pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand trying not to think of all the ways Gryffindors risked their lives over games.

**Madam Hooch's whistle rang out and AJ , Fred, and George dived for the ground, still trying to avoid the mad Bludger.**

**"What's going on?" said Wood as the Gryffindor team huddled together, while Slytherins in the crowd jeered. "We're being flattened. Fred, George, where were you when that Bludger stopped Angelina scoring?"**

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Tonks yelled

Remus sighed "He shouldn't be the team captain!"

**"We were twenty feet above her, stopping the other Bludger from murdering AJ, Oliver," said George angrily. "Someone's fixed it — it won't leave AJ alone. It hasn't gone for anyone else all game. The Slytherins must have done something to it."**

"Not far off really." Ron said under his breath

**"But the Bludgers have been locked in Madam Hooch's office since our last practice, and there was nothing wrong with them then…" said Wood, anxiously. Madam Hooch was walking toward them. Over her shoulder, AJ could see the Slytherin team jeering and pointing in her direction.**

"They're just being jerks for no reason." Bill snarled "Ignore them."

AJ snorted "I'll keep that in mind for next time."

**"Listen," said AJ as she came nearer and nearer, "with you two flying around me all the time the only way I'm going to catch the Snitch is if it flies up my sleeve. Go back to the rest of the team and let me deal with the rogue one."**

Charlie rubbed his head "You're insane punk. Absolutely insane."

**"Don't be thick," said Fred. "It'll take your head off."**

**Wood was looking from AJ to the Weasleys.**

"Of course dumbass is going to listen to a crazy person." Tonks snapped

Kingsley muttered under his breath "Gryffindors…all are bat shit crazy."

**"Oliver, this is insane," said Alicia Spinnet angrily. "You can't let AJ deal with that thing on her own. Let's ask for an enquiry…"**

**"If we stop now, we'll have to forfeit the match!" said AJ. "And we're not losing to Slytherin just because of a crazy Bludger! Come on, Oliver, tell them to leave me alone!"**

"It's just a game pup!" Sirius said worriedly "It's not worth getting killed over!"

**"This is all your fault," George said angrily to Wood. "'Get the Snitch or die trying,' what a stupid thing to tell her —"**

"True," agreed Remus "but cub you shouldn't have listened."

**Madam Hooch had joined them.**

**"Ready to resume play?" she asked Wood.**

"No." groaned Bill "They want to be smart and forfeit."

Hermione smiled "Wishful thinking is always nice."

**Wood looked at the determined look on AJ's face.**

**"All right," he said. "Fred, George, you heard AJ — leave her alone and let her deal with the Bludger on her own."**

"Obviously no one has ever had the "it's only a game" speech with Oliver before." Regulus grumbled

**The rain was falling more heavily now. On Madam Hooch's whistle, AJ kicked hard into the air and heard the telltale whoosh of the Bludger behind her. Higher and higher AJ climbed; she looped and swooped, spiraled, zigzagged, and rolled.**

"You looked really graceful out there." Hermione smiled

Ron nodded "Like a professional."

**Slightly dizzy, she nevertheless kept her eyes wide open, rain was pelting her face and ran up her nostrils as she hung upside down, avoiding another fierce dive from the Bludger. She could hear laughter from the crowd; she knew she must look very stupid,**

Hermione huffed "I stand by my previous statement."

**but the rogue Bludger was heavy and couldn't change direction as quickly as AJ could; she began a kind of roller-coaster ride around the edges of the stadium, squinting through the silver sheets of rain to the Gryffindor goal posts, where Adrian Pucey was trying to get past Wood.**

Sirius snorted "That kids too intense to get passed him. But good luck."

**A whistling in AJ's ear told her the Bludger had just missed her again; she turned right over and sped in the opposite direction.**

**"Training for the ballet, Potter?" yelled Malfoy as AJ was forced to do a stupid kind of twirl in midair to dodge the Bludger, and she fled, the Bludger trailing a few feet behind her; and then, glaring back at Malfoy in hatred, she saw it — the Golden Snitch. It was hovering inches above Malfoy's left ear — and Malfoy, busy laughing at AJ, hadn't seen it.**

Regulus put a smug smile on his face "He doesn't belong as a seeker or have any part on a quidditch team. He only wants to do it because he thinks he can do better than AJ which is beyond stupid."

**For an agonizing moment, AJ hung in midair, not daring to speed toward Malfoy in case he looked up and saw the Snitch.**

**WHAM.**

Everyone tensed hoping and praying AJ was too hurt.

**She had stayed still a second too long. The Bludger had hit her at last, smashed into her elbow, and AJ felt her arm break.**

Tonks winced in sympathy "I've done that a hundred times. Madam Pomfrey can mend it in a heartbeat though."

**Dimly, dazed by the searing pain in her arm, she slid sideways on her rain-drenched broom, one knee still crooked over it, her right arm dangling useless at her side — the Bludger came pelting back for a second attack, this time zooming at her face — AJ swerved out of the way, one idea firmly lodged in her numb brain: get to Malfoy.**

Charlie weekly chuckled "Nice punk, talk about a one tracked mind."

"You just want all the attention on you." AJ joked back

**Through a haze of rain and pain she dived for the shimmering, sneering face below her and saw its eyes widen with fear: Malfoy thought AJ was attacking him.**

**"What the —" he gasped, careening out of AJ's way. **

Regulus started to clap "Amazing. Excellent. Malfoy is just the perfect seeker."

**AJ took her remaining hand off her broom and made a wild snatch; she felt her fingers close on the cold Snitch but was now only gripping the broom with her legs, and there was a yell from the crowd below as she headed straight for the ground, trying hard not to pass out..**

"How could you not?" Kingsley asked "That's really painful and most people wouldn't be able to hold the pain in."

AJ shrugged "Needed to win the game I guess."

**With a splattering thud she hit the mud and rolled off her broom. Her arm was hanging at a very strange angle; riddled with pain, she heard, as though from a distance, a good deal of whistling and shouting. She focused on the Snitch clutched in her good hand.**

Ron shuddered "That was disgusting to see."

**"Aha," she said vaguely. "We've won."**

**And she fainted.**

Sirius exhaled loudly "Now go to the hospital wing."

"Somehow I doubt that's what happens though." Remus groaned

**She came around, rain falling on her face, still lying on the field, with someone leaning over him. She saw a glitter of teeth.**

**"Oh, no, not you," she moaned.**

"He's like a stray cat," Regulus bit out "you fed the damn thing once and now it keeps coming back."

**"Doesn't know what she's saying," said Lockhart loudly to the anxious crowd of Gryffindors pressing around them.**

"Really?" Hermione snarked "I'm pretty sure she did."

**"Not to worry, AJ. I'm about to fix your arm."**

"Now would be a good time for the rest of the team to rescue her!" Bill recommended

**"No!" said AJ. "I'll keep it like this, thanks…" She tried to sit up, but the pain was terrible. She heard a familiar clicking noise nearby.**

Tonks groaned "Of course lover boy is right there to make things much worse."

"He was just taking a picture Tonks." Ginny grumbled

"Of her broken arm!" Tonks growled

**"I don't want a photo of this, Colin," she said loudly.**

**"Lie back, AJ," said Lockhart soothingly. "It's a simple charm I've used countless times —"**

"Doesn't mean it actually does anything useful." Charlie muttered

**"Why can't I just go to the hospital wing?" said AJ through clenched teeth.**

**"She should really, Professor," said a muddy Wood, who couldn't help grinning even though his Seeker was injured. "Great capture, AJ, really spectacular, your best yet, I'd say —" **

"He has the worst timing." Hermione said aggravated. Bill grabbed her hand and held it firmly while she calmed down.

**Through the thicket of legs around her, AJ spotted Fred and George Weasley, wrestling the rogue Bludger into a box. It was still putting up a terrific fight.**

"Who could have used that much on the Bludger while it was locked in the office?" Remus wanted to know

"It's explained at the end of this chapter." Ron supplied

**"Stand back," said Lockhart, who was rolling up his jade-green sleeves.**

**"No! Don't!" said AJ angrily, but Lockhart was twirling his wand and a second later had directed it straight at AJ's arm.**

**A strange and unpleasant sensation started at AJ's shoulder and spread all the way down to her fingertips. It felt as though her arm was being deflated.**

"I can't believe he did that!" Kingsley shouted

Regulus growled lowly "He should have been fired by now!"

**She didn't dare look at what was happening. She had shut her eyes, her face turned away from her arm, but her worst fears were realized as the people above her gasped and Colin Creevey began clicking away madly. Her arm didn't hurt anymore — nor did it feel remotely like an arm.**

"He actually removed all your bones in one arm…he really did it." Tonks shook her head "I never thought someone could be that big of an idiot."

**"Ah," said Lockhart. "Yes. Well, that can sometimes happen.**

"Only when you fuck it up!" Charlie snapped

**But the point is, the bones are no longer broken. That's the thing to bear in mind. So, AJ, just toddle up to the hospital wing — ah, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, would you escort her? — and Madam Pomfrey will be able to — er — tidy you up a bit."**

"I'm going to kill him. That's all there is to it." Bill said

"He's worse off than dead really." Hermione stated

Bill shook his head "Yeah, no. I don't see it that way hun but thanks for trying to talk me out of murder."

**As AJ got to her feet, she felt strangely lopsided. Taking a deep breath she looked down at her right side. What she saw nearly made her pass out again. Poking out of the end of her robes was what looked like a thick, flesh-colored rubber glove.**

"That is the most disgusting sight ever." AJ remarked

Ron agreed "It was pretty gross and I don't even want to imagine what it felt like."

**She tried to move her fingers. Nothing happened.**

**Lockhart hadn't mended AJ's bones. He had removed them.**

"Shocker." Deadpanned Kingsley "He doesn't do anything without a bang."

**Madam Pomfrey wasn't at all pleased.**

"No surprise there." Commented Regulus "Regrowing bones is a bitch."

**"You should have come straight to me!" she raged, holding up the sad, limp remainder of what, half an hour before, had been a working arm. "I can mend bones in a second — but growing them back —"**

**"You will be able to, won't you?" said AJ desperately.**

Tonks laughed a little "Of course silly, not much she can't mend."

**"I'll be able to, certainly, but it will be painful," said Madam Pomfrey grimly, throwing AJ a pair of pajamas. "You'll have to stay the night…"**

"That's always the worst part." Remus sighed "You're all alone and not sure what's going on."

"She only lets Hermione and Ron see me for a few minutes at a time." AJ replied

**Ron waited outside the curtain drawn around AJ's bed while Hermione helped her into her pajamas. It took a while to stuff the rubbery, boneless arm into a sleeve.**

**"How can you stick up for Lockhart now, Hermione, eh?" Ron called through the curtain. "If AJ had wanted deboning she would have asked."**

Charlie snorted "That's something everyone asks for at least once in their life."

**"Anyone can make a mistake," said Hermione, stuffing AJ's arm through the cuff. "And it doesn't hurt anymore, does it, AJ?"**

"I can't believe you're still defending this moron." Tonks exclaimed

**"No," said AJ, getting into bed. "But it doesn't do anything else either."**

**As she swung herself onto the bed, her arm flapped pointlessly.**

Ginny looked a little green at that.

**Ron and Madam Pomfrey came around the curtain. Madam Pomfrey was holding a large bottle of something labeled Skele-Gro.**

**"You're in for a rough night," she said, pouring out a steaming beakerful and handing it to her. "Regrowing bones is a nasty business."**

AJ shuddered at the reminder "It was so disgusting."

Sirius rubbed her back soothingly "Never had to drink it myself and neither should you."

**So was taking the Skele-Gro. It burned AJ's mouth and throat as it went down, making her cough and splutter. Still tut-tutting about dangerous sports and inept teachers, Madam Pomfrey retreated, leaving Ron and Hermione to help AJ gulp down some water. "We won, though," said Ron, a grin breaking across his face. "That was some catch you made. Malfoy's face… he looked ready to kill…"**

Regulus grinned "I'm still really proud you managed to win with one arm!"

**And AJ was left alone, with nothing to distract her from the stabbing pains in her limp arm. Hours and hours later, AJ woke quite suddenly in the pitch blackness and gave a small yelp of pain: her arm now felt full of large splinters.**

"Sounds more painful than when you actually broke it." Tonks said with a grimace

**For a second, she thought that was what had woken her. Then, with a thrill of horror, she realized that someone was sponging her forehead in the dark.**

**"Get off!" she said loudly, and then, "Dobby!"**

Kingsley looked surprised at that "How is he getting away from his master?"

"It's like he sees AJ as his master." Remus said

**The house-elf's goggling tennis ball eyes were peering at AJ through the darkness. A single tear was running down his long, pointed nose. **

Hermione sighed sadly, Dobby didn't deserve to be treated that way.

**"Alessandra Potter came back to school," he whispered miserably. "Dobby warned and warned Alessandra Potter. Ah lady, why didn't you heed Dobby? Why didn't Alessandra Potter go back home when she missed the train?"**

"Because those people are bastards and would kill her." Snarled Charlie

"I'm never going back Char." AJ said with a smile

Charlie sighed "I know punk, it's just that you had to deal with too much."

**AJ heaved herself up on her pillows and pushed Dobby's sponge away.**

**"What're you doing here?" she said. "And how did you know I missed the train?"**

"Because it was him!" Sirius snarled

Remus glared "That damn elf caused more problems!"

**Dobby's lip trembled and AJ was seized by a sudden suspicion. **

**"It was you!" she said slowly. "You stopped the barrier from letting us through!"**

**"Indeed yes, lady," said Dobby, nodding his head vigorously, ears flapping.**

"This elf is really dangerous." Tonks said

Hermione glared "He was trying to protect her."

**"Dobby hid and watched for Alessandra Potter and sealed the gateway and Dobby had to iron his hands afterwards" — he showed AJ ten long, bandaged fingers — "but Dobby didn't care, lady, for he thought Alessandra Potter was safe, and never did Dobby dream that Alessandra Potter would get to school another way!" **

"He underestimates how stubborn AJ can be." Ron snickered

**He was rocking backward and forward, shaking his ugly head.**

**"Dobby was so shocked when he heard Alessandra Potter was back at Hogwarts, he let his master's dinner burn! Such a flogging Dobby never had, lady…"**

"But that doesn't explain how he's getting away!" Exploded Bill

**AJ slumped back onto her pillows.**

**"You nearly got Ron and I expelled," she said fiercely. "You'd better get lost before my bones come back, Dobby, or I might strangle you."**

"AJ!" Hermione shrieked "That was really mean after knowing all his masters put him through!"

AJ glared "It was his fault the barrier closed and it was his fault I was in the hospital wing all night!"

**Dobby smiled weakly.**

**"Dobby is used to death threats, lady. Dobby gets them five times a day at home." He blew his nose on a corner of the filthy pillowcase he wore, looking so pathetic that AJ felt her anger ebb away in spite of herself.**

"You can't hold a grudge because you're a good person." Bill smiled

**"Why d'you wear that thing, Dobby?" she asked curiously.**

"It's his uniform." Regulus said disgusted

**"This, lady?" said Dobby, plucking at the pillowcase. "'Tis a mark of the house-elf's enslavement, lady. Dobby can only be freed if his masters present him with clothes, lady. The family is careful not to pass Dobby even a sock, lady, for then he would be free to leave their house forever."**

AJ smirked at Dobby's choice of words.

**Dobby mopped his bulging eyes and said suddenly, "Alessandra Potter must go home! Dobby thought his Bludger would be enough to make —"**

"His Bludger?" Remus snarled

"This elf is more harm than good!" Charlie grumbled

**"Your Bludger?" said AJ, anger rising once more. "What d'you mean, your Bludger? You made that Bludger try and kill me?"**

**"Not kill you, lady, never kill you!" said Dobby, shocked. "Dobby wants to save Alessandra Potter's life! Better sent home, grievously injured, than remain here lady! Dobby only wanted Alessandra Potter hurt enough to be sent home!"**

Kingsley shook his head "His heart is in the right place but this getting ridiculous."

**"Oh, is that all?" said AJ angrily. "I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you wanted me sent home in pieces?"**

Tonks shook her head "Can't. It'll go against his master and that's obviously against their laws."

**"Ah, if Alessandra Potter only knew!" Dobby groaned, more tears dripping onto his ragged pillowcase. "If she knew what she means to us, to the lowly, the enslaved, we dregs of the magical world! Dobby remembers how it was when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was at the height of his powers, lady! We house-elves were treated like vermin, lady! Of course, Dobby is still treated like that, lady," he admitted, drying his face on the pillowcase.**

"It was all my mother that night not me. I'm not the damn hero." AJ sighed into her papa's chest

Remus sighed sadly and held his daughter closer wishing the past hadn't happened the way it did.

**"But mostly, lady, life has improved for my kind since you triumphed over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Alessandra Potter survived, and the Dark Lord's power was broken, and it was a new dawn, lady, and Alessandra Potter shone like a beacon of hope for those of us who thought the Dark days would never end, lady… And now, at Hogwarts, terrible things are to happen, are perhaps happening already, and Dobby cannot let Alessandra Potter stay here now that history is to repeat itself, now that the Chamber of Secrets is open once more." **

"Was he around when the Chamber was opened before?" Bill asked

"I think he may have been working for the same family when it was opened before." Hermione said quietly

**Dobby froze, horror-struck, then grabbed AJ's water jug from her bedside table and cracked it over his own head, toppling out of sight. A second later, he crawled back onto the bed, cross-eyed, muttering, "Bad Dobby, very bad Dobby…"**

Sirius growled, his master was a bastard and didn't deserve an elf.

**"So there is a Chamber of Secrets?" AJ whispered. "And did you say it's been opened before? Tell me, Dobby!" She seized the elf's bony wrist as Dobby's hand inched toward the water jug. "But I'm not Muggleborn — how can I be in danger from the Chamber?"**

AJ shook her head, she should have realized that Dobby wouldn't be able to answer any of her questions.

**"Ah, lady, ask no more, ask no more of poor Dobby," stammered the elf, his eyes huge in the dark. "Dark deeds are planned in this place, but Alessandra Potter must not be here when they happen — go home, Alessandra Potter, go home. Alessandra Potter must not meddle in this, lady, 'tis too dangerous —"**

Regulus cracked a smile "I somehow doubt that will discourage AJ in the least."

**"Who is it, Dobby?" AJ said, keeping a firm hold on Dobby's wrist to stop him from hitting himself with the water jug again. "Who's opened it? Who opened it last time?"**

Ron glared "A sick bastard."

**"Dobby can't, lady, Dobby can't, Dobby mustn't tell!" squealed the elf. "Go home, Alessandra Potter, go home!"**

**"I'm not going anywhere!" said AJ fiercely. "One of my best friends is Muggleborn; she'll be first in line if the Chamber really has been opened —"**

Hermione smiled "Thanks AJ that means a lot."

"Of course I wasn't going to leave you Mio." AJ returned the smile

**"Alessandra Potter risks her own life for her friends!" moaned Dobby in a kind of miserable ecstasy. "So noble! So valiant! But she must save herself, she must, Alessandra Potter must not —" Dobby suddenly froze, his bat ears quivering. AJ heard it, too. There were footsteps coming down the passageway outside.**

AJ sighed sadly thinking about how Colin was the first to get attached, he didn't deserve it.

**"Dobby must go!" breathed the elf, terrified. There was a loud crack, and AJ fist was suddenly clenched on thin air. She slumped back into bed, her eyes on the dark doorway to the hospital wing as the footsteps drew nearer. Next moment, Dumbledore was backing into the dormitory, wearing a long woolly dressing gown and a nightcap.**

Sirius looked alarmed "If Dumbledore is there it can't be anything good."

**He was carrying one end of what looked like a statue. Professor McGonagall appeared a second later, carrying its feet. Together, they heaved it onto a bed.**

Remus sucked in a breath "Someone was petrified."

**"Get Madam Pomfrey," whispered Dumbledore, and Professor McGonagall hurried past the end of AJ's bed out of sight. AJ lay quite still, pretending to be asleep. She heard urgent voices, and then Professor McGonagall swept back into view, closely followed by Madam Pomfrey, who was pulling a cardigan on over her nightdress. She heard a sharp intake of breath.**

**"What happened?" Madam Pomfrey whispered to Dumbledore, bending over the statue on the bed.**

**"Another attack," said Dumbledore. "Minerva found him on the stairs."**

"No one died though?" Regulus said in a tight voice

"No not this time around." Ron said

**"There was a bunch of grapes next to him," said Professor McGonagall. "We think he was trying to sneak up here to visit AJ."**

**AJ's stomach gave a horrible lurch.**

"It's not your fault cub," Remus promised "you didn't ask him to follow you and he knew the risks of being out after curfew."

**Slowly and carefully, she raised herself a few inches so she could look at the statue on the bed. A ray of moonlight lay across its staring face. It was Colin Creevey. His eyes were wide and his hands were stuck up in front of him, holding his camera.**

**"Petrified?" whispered Madam Pomfrey.**

Hermione shuddered at the thought of what it was like to be petrified.

**"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "But I shudder to think… If Albus hadn't been on the way downstairs for hot chocolate — who knows what might have —"**

**"If a child had stumbled across that..." Minerva shook her head.**

Bill sighed "That wouldn't have ended well. Everyone would have been even more scared than before."

**The three of them stared down at Colin. Then Dumbledore leaned forward and wrenched the camera out of Colin's rigid grip.**

**"You don't think he managed to get a picture of his attacker?" said Professor McGonagall eagerly. **

"The film will have been destroyed." Charlie mumbled

AJ smiled "Yeah it was, they were really disappointed because of that."

**Dumbledore didn't answer. He opened the back of the camera.**

**"Good gracious!" said Madam Pomfrey.**

**A jet of steam had hissed out of the camera. AJ, three beds away, caught the acrid smell of burnt plastic.**

Tonks cursed under her breath "Another dead end, nothing is ever easy with you guys."

**"Melted," said Madam Pomfrey wonderingly. "All melted…"**

**"What does this mean, Albus?" Professor McGonagall asked urgently.**

"Hogwarts isn't as safe as it once was." Muttered Regulus

Remus nodded "Closing the school is always the worst case scenario but it's always a possibility."

**"It means," said Dumbledore, "that the Chamber of Secrets is indeed open again."**

"How long has it been open since the last time?" Bill wondered

"Fifty years." Hermione mumbled

"Wow…a secret in the castle that lasted fifty years." Bill tried to joke but fell short when everyone sent him a glare.

**Madam Pomfrey clapped a hand to her mouth. Professor McGonagall stared at Dumbledore. "But, Albus… surely… who?"**

**"The question is not who," said Dumbledore, his eyes on Colin. "The question is, how…" **

Ginny sighed sadly, she didn't want anyone to get hurt because of her.

**And from what AJ could see of Professor McGonagall's shadowy face, she didn't understand this any better than she did.**

Remus handed the book off to AJ who needed to read or she would crawl into herself to avoid the emotional pain of the next few chapters.

Leaning against her fathers while she dropped her feet into Charlie's awaiting lap she read **"The Dueling Club…"**


	33. More Guests

Just as AJ was about to start reading the floo went off and Tonks jumped up recognizing who was awaiting entrance.

"It's my momma and daddy Sirius." Tonks said happily "Let them in!"

Sirius grinned at his cousins childlike tendencies and went to floo letting his favorite cousin and her husband in. "Hiya Andy, how are you Ted?" Sirius asked with a big smile.

Andy smiled broadly "Hi Sirius!" she exclaimed hugging her favorite cousin "I'm good! Ted and I got a letter saying to come here."

"Everything alright?" Ted smiled hugging his only daughter

"Yeah everything's great; we're reading seven books about AJ's life. We went through her first year already." Sirius said smiling that finally his whole family was together.

Andy looked confused "AJ who?"

AJ got off the couch "Hi Andy, hi Ted…well I guess I should say Aunt Andy and Uncle Ted. I'm AJ Potter."

Ted turned to a grinning Sirius and Remus "Hi AJ it's great to finally meet you. Andy and I used to babysit you for James and Lily. Just a quick question, why do you look like Sirius and Remus with turquois hair?"

"Sirius and Remus blood adopted me and I gained the ability to change my appearance." AJ said with a chuckle

Just as Ted was about to say something Andy cut him off by engulfing AJ in a tight hug "It's great to see you again AJ! It's been fifteen years too long if you ask me. What house are you in? Are you dating? You don't get into too much trouble do you?"

"Before you answer Andy's one-hundred and one questions can I meet my niece again?" Ted said laughing at his wife's excitement. AJ let go of her Aunt and gave her Uncle a hug while Andy hugged the life out of Regulus and Remus.

Andy looked at Sirius "Well are you going to explain what these books are about?" Sirius nodded and explained all about the books and AJ's horrific first year and life at the Dursleys. Andy and Ted were staring wide eyed at AJ who was examining her finger nails rather closely.

"So wait," Ted started "you're telling me that AJ Potter who was supposed to be raised by Sirius and Remus but if they couldn't was supposed to go to Andy and myself lived in a household where the muggles hated magic and abused her? Oh and that's not all you actually kept the stone at the school while Voldemort was sticking out of the back of a teachers head? Tell me if I'm forgetting anything." Ted finished glaring darkly at the aged headmaster.

Tonks cleared her throat "Well dad you did forget about how dragon boy gave Voldemort a dragon egg."

Ted glared at the gaping man "That's right. What in the hell is wrong with you?"

"I...it looks…you see…"Charlie couldn't form a complete sentence till he saw Ted laughing

"I'm just messing with you; I know you didn't give Voldemort a dragon egg. But I'm telling you now; if you hurt my niece I will kill you. It's nothing personal I just don't like people hurting my niece for some crazy reason. But I still want to know why AJ wasn't taken to us that night Albus and I want an answer now." Ted said coldly

"She needed to stay where she was safe and that home had the blood wards that were needed to protect her Ted. I thought she was safe." Dumbledore said sadly

Andy glared at the headmaster in such a way that AJ finally realized why the Blacks were such a feared family "They abused her Albus! Physically and verbally abused her! You're telling me she was safe there? No she wasn't and I swear to Merlin that there better be some charges being pressed against them or I will handle it myself."

"Mrs. Tonks," Hermione said "AJ is going to be living with Sirius and Remus now. As far as charges Kingsley and your daughter are getting a list prepared to bring to Amelia Bones"

"Good! I'll be damned if they get off free with the shit they pulled." Andy fumed "Oh and Hermione please call me Andromeda or Andy."

Ted was still fuming but the sight of his niece uncomfortable with them talking about her he changed the subject,

"So what book are we reading now again?"

"Chamber of Secrets Uncle Ted." AJ smiled "It's about halfway through now."

Andy grinned "You stay out of trouble this year right? Yeah I didn't think so."

"She's always getting into trouble Andy but it's always in order to save someone or being at the wrong place at the wrong time." Regulus supplied

Andy nodded a little "I'll try not to get mad over things you've done in previous years but I make no promises."

"And I'll try and get to know dragon boy." Ted said with a grin "We'll be best friends by the end of these books." Charlie smiled weakly in return.

"I'll get back to the readings," AJ said smiling at her boyfriend's face "**The Dueling Club…**"


	34. The Dueling Club

**AJ woke up on Sunday morning to find the dormitory blazing with winter sunlight and her arm re-boned but very stiff. She sat up quickly and looked over at Colin's bed, but it had been blocked from view by the high curtains AJ had changed behind yesterday. Seeing that she was awake, Madam Pomfrey came bustling over with a breakfast tray and then began bending and stretching her arm and fingers.**

"Did it hurt or was it just an uncomfortable feeling?" Andy asked concerned

"It didn't hurt, it was more like the feeling you get when you sleep on it wrong." AJ grinned at her aunts concern

**"All in order," she said as AJ fed herself porridge. "When you've finished eating, you may leave."**

Remus pouted "I never got to leave early, she would keep me until lunch and I had to eat a least to portions of everything."

"Damn Sirius you couldn't help your man out a little bit?" Ted joked "He probably just needed a quick kiss to get him through the morning after."

**AJ dressed as quickly as she could and hurried off to Gryffindor Tower, desperate to tell Ron and Hermione about Colin and Dobby, but they weren't there. AJ left to look for them, wondering where they could have got to. As AJ passed the library, Percy Weasley strolled out of it, looking in far better spirits than last time they'd met.**

"Is Percy another brother?" Andy asked "Or is he your cousin?"

Molly glared a little "He's my third oldest son." Andy nodded a little silently wondering what Molly's problem was.

**"Oh, hello, Alessandra," he said, out of all the Weasleys, Percy was the only one to never call her AJ. "Excellent flying yesterday, really excellent. Gryffindor has just taken the lead for the House Cup — you earned fifty points!"**

"She also broke her arm you giant idiot!" Charlie snarled

**"You haven't seen Ron or Hermione, have you?" said AJ.**

**"No, I haven't," said Percy, his smile fading. "I hope Ron's not in another girls' toilet…"**

"He sounds like a really fun guy." Ted remarked "I can imagine him being the life of the party."

Molly huffed "He had no reason to be in the girl's bathroom and his brother knew that."

"How do you know that Hermione wasn't sick and she needed Ron to hold her hair back while she puked?" seeing the disbelieving look she held Ted continued "Andy and I had Dora our last year at Hogwarts and Andy had horrible morning sickness, I would hold her hair back for hours if I had to. So don't look at me like it's insane for me to think Ron would do the same."

**AJ forced a laugh, watched Percy walk out of sight, and then headed straight for Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. She couldn't see why Ron and Hermione would be in there again, she opened the door and heard their voices coming from a locked stall.**

"You should have put up a silencing charm." Sirius advised

Hermione nodded "I thought of that but I didn't know who was controlling the monster or what is was so taking the risk wasn't that good of an idea."

**"It's me," she said, closing the door behind her. There was a clunk, a splash, and a gasp from within the stall and she saw Hermione's eye peering through the keyhole.**

"Constant vigilance!" Tonks and Kingsley yelled

**"AJ!" she said. "You gave us such a fright — come in. How's your arm?"**

**"Fine," said AJ, squeezing into the stall. An old cauldron was perched on the toilet, and a crackling from under the rim told AJ they had lit a fire beneath it. Conjuring up portable, waterproof fires was a specialty of AJ's that Hermione learned quickly how to do from her.**

"I was horrible at elemental charms; I would always form fire when I wanted to form water." Regulus muttered

**"We'd've come to meet you, but we decided to get started on the Polyjuice Potion," Ron explained as AJ, with difficulty, locked the stall again. "We've decided this is the safest place to hide it."**

"No one noticed it at all?" Charlie asked shocked

AJ gave a smug smile "Notice me not charms are rather useful."

**AJ started to tell them about Colin, but Hermione interrupted.**

**"We already know — we heard Professor McGonagall telling Professor Flitwick this morning.**

Snape rolled his eyes "Of course you were eavesdropping."

"To be fair they were talking right outside the bathroom, it's kind of hard to ignore it when it's right in front of you." Hermione snarked

**That's why we decided we'd better get going —"**

**"The sooner we get a confession out of Malfoy, the better," snarled Ron. "D'you know what I think? He was in such a foul temper after the Quidditch match; he took it out on Colin."**

"I can understand where you're coming from with blaming Draco," Remus agreed "but I honestly don't think it's him."

**"There's something else," said AJ, watching Hermione tearing bundles of knotgrass and throwing them into the potion. "Dobby came to visit me in the middle of the night."**

"Of course he did." Sirius grumbled "He had to cause more harm than good at that damn match."

**Ron and Hermione looked up, amazed. AJ told them everything Dobby had told her — or hadn't told her. Hermione and Ron listened with their mouths open.**

Ron mock glared "When you start to tell us something you don't forget any details and it's like we were with you."

"That's how James was," Sirius smiled sadly "when he was very passionate about something there was very little he would forget to talk about."

**"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?" Hermione said.**

**"This settles it," said Ron in a triumphant voice. "Lucius Malfoy must've opened the Chamber when he was at school here and now he's told dear old Draco how to do it. It's obvious. Wish Dobby'd told you what kind of monster's in there, though. I want to know how come nobody's noticed it sneaking around the school."**

"I know my brother-in-law isn't the nicest man but I don't think he would ever intentionally harm a child." Andy tried to defend

Molly glared "He is a death eater and a rather proud one at that! How can you defend him?"

"I can defend him because I know more about him than you do. Is Lucius arrogant? Yes. Is Lucius a death eater? Yes. Is there more to the story than everything you've heard? Absolutely!" Andy said furiously.

**"Maybe it can make itself invisible," said Hermione, prodding leeches to the bottom of the cauldron. "Or maybe it can disguise itself — pretend to be a suit of armor or something — I've read about Chameleon Ghouls —"**

**"You read too much, Hermione," said Ron, pouring dead lacewings on top of the leeches. He crumpled up the empty lacewing bag and looked at AJ.**

Bill rolled his eyes "You can never read too much Ron. Books are amazing and can open up new worlds for you." Hermione was positively beaming at Bill towards the end of his mini rant.

**"So Dobby stopped us from getting on the train and broke your arm." He shook his head. "You know what, AJ? If he doesn't stop trying to save your life he's going to kill you."**

Charlie nodded "Dobby means well but he's really got to take it down a notch before you or anyone else dies."

**The news that Colin Creevey had been attacked and was now lying as though dead in the hospital wing had spread through the entire school by Monday morning. The air was suddenly thick with rumor and suspicion. The first years were now moving around the castle in tight-knit groups, as though scared they would be attacked if they ventured forth alone.**

"That's actually not a bad idea." Kingsley remarked

"Not many people will attack an entire group if there is only one doing the attacks." Tonks finished

**Ginny Weasley, who sat next to Colin Creevey in Charms, was distraught, but AJ felt that Fred and George were going the wrong way about cheering her up. They were taking turns covering themselves with fur or boils and jumping out at her from behind statues. They only stopped when Percy, apoplectic with rage, told them he was going to write to Mrs. Weasley and tell her Ginny was having nightmares.**

"They were no help whatsoever." Ginny muttered "They honestly thought that was the way to cheer me up, idiots."

"They're pranksters and your older brothers," Sirius explained "they thought if they made you laugh it would ease your nerves."

Ginny rolled her eyes "They're still idiots."

**Meanwhile, hidden from the teachers, a roaring trade in talismans, amulets, and other protective devices was sweeping the school.**

Regulus chocked on his water "Are you kidding me? They didn't actually do that did they?"

Hermione sighed "People do crazy things when scared; they thought it would protect them."

**Neville Longbottom bought a large, evil-smelling green onion, a pointed purple crystal, and a rotting newt tail before the other Gryffindor second years pointed out that he was in no danger; he was a pure-blood, and therefore unlikely to be attacked.**

"Too bad the monster didn't discriminate." AJ muttered

**"They went for Filch first," Neville said his round face fearful. "And everyone knows I'm almost a Squib."**

"He's not almost a squib!" Remus said annoyed "He just lacks confidence!"

Snape sneered "He's hopeless in my class and you can't tell me otherwise."

"This coming from the man that swoops around like an overgrown bat acting like he's going to kill the next student daring to ask a question." Ted narrowed his eyes "Don't forget Severus you were my daughters' teacher and you were three years younger than Andy and myself so we remember your school days." Snape didn't respond but if you looked closely you could see remorse in his black eyes.

**In the second week of December Professor McGonagall came around as usual, collecting names of those who would be staying at school for Christmas. AJ, Ron, and Hermione signed her list; they had heard that Malfoy was staying, which struck them as very suspicious. The holidays would be the perfect time to use the Polyjuice Potion and try to worm a confession out of him.**

"I'm impressed you guys thought this through so thoroughly before jumping in head first." Bill complemented

**Unfortunately, the potion was only half finished. They still needed the bicorn horn and the boomslang skin, and the only place they were going to get them was from Snape's private stores. AJ privately felt she'd rather face Slytherins legendary monster than let Snape catch her robbing his office.**

"Want to change that belief punk?" Charlie asked innocently

AJ grinned "No way, I would take the monster over Snape any day."

**"What we need," said Hermione briskly as Thursday afternoon's double Potions lesson loomed nearer, "is a diversion. Then one of us can sneak into Snape's office and take what we need."**

Sirius shifted nervously "I'd call it off; I want to see you sneak into the Slytherins common room badly but causing trouble in Snapes class is bad. Very bad."

**AJ and Ron looked at her nervously.**

"I never thought I'd see the day where you two were more scared than I was." Hermione giggled

**"I think I'd better do the actual stealing," Hermione continued in a matter-of-fact tone. "You two will be expelled if you get into any more trouble, and I've got a clean record. So all you need to do is cause enough mayhem to keep Snape busy for five minutes or so."**

Remus smiled "I love that you make it sound so simple, it's very refreshing that you still remain positive after last year."

**AJ smiled feebly. Deliberately causing mayhem in Snape's Potions class was about as safe as poking a sleeping dragon in the eye.**

"Ever poke a sleeping dragon in the eye dragon boy?" Ted asked innocently

Charlie glared "Of course not! I don't have a death wish nor do I condone cruelty to animals."

**Potions lessons took place in one of the large dungeons. Thursday afternoon's lesson proceeded in the usual way. Twenty cauldrons stood steaming between the wooden desks, on which stood brass scales and jars of ingredients. Snape prowled through the fumes, making waspish remarks about the Gryffindors' work while the Slytherins sniggered appreciatively. Draco Malfoy, who was Snape's favourite student, kept flicking puffer-fish eyes at Ron and AJ, who knew that if they retaliated they would get detention faster than you could say "Unfair."**

Andy glared "Why would you allow that? He could have caused serious harm to AJ and Ron if they weren't paying close attention to their potion."

"I reprimanded him in private if you must know." Snape sneered

**AJ's Swelling Solution was almost perfect but she didn't even care because she had far too much on her mind. She was waiting for Hermione's signal, and she hardly listened as Snape paused to sneer at her "poorly done" potion. When Snape turned and walked off to bully Neville,**

"I think we all know why Neville is lacking in the self-confidence department." Ron glared

**Hermione caught AJ's eye and nodded. AJ ducked swiftly down behind her cauldron, pulled one of Fred's Filibuster fireworks out of her pocket, and gave it a quick prod with her wand.**

Andy looked to her niece "Are you insane? That could have done serious damage! AJ don't ever do that again!"

"I know Aunt Andy to never do that again. I looked up what the potion was before the start of class to make sure that it wouldn't cause serious harm." AJ tried to placate the irate women

"Okay just…don't do it again." Andy grinned despite herself

**The firework began to fizz and sputter. Knowing she had only seconds, AJ straightened up, took aim, and lobbed it into the air; it landed right on target in Goyle's cauldron.**

Ted snorted "I know it's not funny babe," he said seeing Andy's annoyed look "but come on think of all the times you pranked someone in class because they deserved it."

**Goyle's potion exploded, showering the whole class. People shrieked as splashes of the Swelling Solution hit them. Malfoy got a face full and his nose began to swell like a balloon; Goyle blundered around, his hands over his eyes, which had expanded to the size of a dinner plate — Snape was trying to restore calm and find out what had happened. Through the confusion, AJ saw Hermione slip quietly into Snape's office. **

Snape was glaring furiously at the blushing teen who was trying to sink into Bill's embrace.

**"Silence! SILENCE!" Snape roared. "Anyone who has been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draft — when I find out who did this —"**

"You just earned yourself a detention Black." Snape said with delight

AJ shrugged her shoulders "Can't punish me for past actions sir, we already discussed this before the readings began."

**AJ tried not to laugh as she watched Malfoy hurry forward, his head drooping with the weight of a nose like a small melon.**

Tonks groaned "I wish stalker boy was around so he could have taken a picture of that!"

**As half the class lumbered up to Snape's desk, some weighted down with arms like clubs, others unable to talk through gigantic puffed-up lips, AJ saw Hermione slide back into the dungeon, the front of her robes bulging. When everyone had taken a swig of antidote and the various swellings had subsided, Snape swept over to Goyle's cauldron and scooped out the twisted black remains of the firework. There was a sudden hush.**

Kingsley shifted "I don't envy you right now kid, not one bit."

**"If I ever find out who threw this," Snape whispered, "I shall make sure that person is expelled."**

Regulus took in Snapes smile and snarled out "Do you honestly think you're going to get my niece expelled? Not going to happen but you get an A for effort."

Snape glared right back "After everything she does she deserves expulsion."

"She's not going to get expelled for saving people's lives Snape!" Charlie defended "You're even crazier than I thought if you think that."

**AJ put a puzzled expression on her face. Snape was looking right at her, and the bell that rang ten minutes later could not have been more welcome.**

**"He knew it was me," AJ told Ron and Hermione as they hurried back to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. "I could tell."**

"No I didn't Black." Snape sighed "You're too good at keeping your facial expressions neutral."

**Hermione threw the new ingredients into the cauldron and began to stir feverishly.**

**"It'll be ready in two weeks," she said happily.**

"You actually pull it off?" Bill said disbelieving

Hermione smiled "Of course we did, never doubt the golden trio."

**"Snape can't prove it was you," said Ron reassuringly to AJ. "What can he do?" **

**"Knowing Snape, something foul," said AJ as the potion frothed and bubbled.**

"So nothing out of the unordinary?" laughed Charlie

**A week later, AJ, Ron, and Hermione were walking across the entrance hall when they saw a small knot of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas beckoned them over, looking excited.**

**"They're starting a Dueling Club!" said Seamus.**

The golden trio groaned at the remembrance of such a horrible idea.

**"First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind dueling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days…"**

Ted chuckled "Yeah dueling comes in handy every once in a while when it comes to the wizarding world."

**"What, you reckon Slytherins monster can duel?" said Ron, but he, too, read the sign with interest. "Could be useful," he said to AJ and Hermione as they went into dinner. "Shall we go?"**

"No," sighed AJ "it's a bad idea and it's going to end badly."

**AJ and Hermione were all for it, so at eight o'clock that evening they hurried back to the Great Hall. The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited.**

"We didn't learn how to duel until third year," Tonks said "learning earlier than that is really exciting and a smart idea."

Remus shook his head "It all depends on who is teaching the club."

**"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" said Hermione as they edged into the chattering crowd. "Someone told me Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was young — maybe it'll be him."**

Hermione groaned "If only it was him life wouldn't have been so cruel that year."

**"As long as it's not —" AJ began, but she ended on a groan: Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black.**

Regulus smirked "Kick his ass Snape! I know you can duel so don't go easy on his sorry ass."

**Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent! Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions— for full details, see my published works. Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape,"**

Bill laughed loudly "You were his assistant? That's so sweet you liked him enough to be his second in command."

"Maybe you can show us the secret hand shake you guys formed with this new found friendship." Charlie grinned at the look of hatred Snape had

**said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry — you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"**

"Even than we knew Snape could hold his own in a duel let alone a duel again that idiot." Ron laughed

**"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ron muttered in AJ's ear. **

**Snape's upper lip was curling. AJ wondered why Lockhart was still smiling; if Snape had been looking at her like that she'd have been running as fast as she could in the opposite direction.**

"You wouldn't run pup," Sirius smiled "it's not in your nature to back down."

"I usually don't have the option of fight or flight." AJ countered

Sirius pressed a kiss to her head "I know you pup and I know you wouldn't let your fear of losing or even dying rule your instincts."

**Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them. **

**"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course." **

"Why not?" Regulus grumbled "He deserved it and you've killed for a lot less."

**"I wouldn't bet on that," AJ murmured, watching Snape baring his teeth.**

Snape smirked at that, he was seriously contemplating murder at that point.

**"One — two — three —"**

**Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried: "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: he flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor. Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins cheered. Hermione was dancing on tiptoes. "Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers.**

Hermione blushed while everyone in the room cheered because Lockhart got hurt.

**"Who cares?" said AJ and Ron together.**

AJ and Ron shared a grin at their past selves.

**Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end. **

**"Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm — as you see, I've lost my wand — ah, thank you, Miss Brown — yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy— however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see…"**

"That's such bullshit." Remus growled "No matter what you always put up a shield or duck."

**Snape was looking murderous.**

**Possibly Lockhart had noticed, because he said, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me —" **

"Once again the moron shows he does in fact have common sense." Sirius muttered

**They moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Lockhart teamed Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley, but Snape reached AJ and Ron first.**

**"Time to split up the dream team,**

"Oh this isn't going to be pretty." Kingsley sighed

**I think," he sneered. "Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Potter —" **

**AJ moved automatically toward Hermione.**

Charlie snorted without humor "Don't even try punk, he won't let that happen."

**"I don't think so," said Snape, smiling coldly. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter.**

"You seem to be more obsessed with her fame than she is." Andy said annoyed "Your preconceived notions about her are getting old fast."

**And you, Miss Granger — you can partner Miss Bulstrode."**

**Malfoy strutted over, smirking. Behind him walked a Slytherin girl who reminded AJ of a picture she'd seen in Holidays with Hags. She was large and square and her heavy jaw jutted aggressively. Hermione gave her a weak smile that she did not return.**

"Don't even try and smile to a snake like that Mio, they have no manners anymore." Bill said furiously

**"Face your partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform. "And bow!"**

**AJ and Malfoy barely inclined their heads, not taking their eyes off each other.**

Ted nodded approvingly "Good! Never take your eyes off each other, it's not safe and could end the duel in the worse way."

**"Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents — only to disarm them — we don't want any accidents — one… two… three —"**

**AJ swung her wand high, but Malfoy had already started on "two":**

"Of course he did," Regulus muttered "he's not going to wait till the count of three because that would mean he followed the rules."

Snape glared "There is no waiting in a proper duel."

"It's not a proper duel right now!" Regulus exploded "They're a bunch of twelve and thirteen year olds for Merlin sakes!"

**His spell hit AJ so hard she felt as though she'd been hit over the head with a saucepan.**

Remus shuddered "You shouldn't even know what that feels like to be able to compare it."

**She stumbled, but everything still seemed to be working, and wasting no more time, AJ pointed her wand straight at Malfoy and shouted, "Rictusempra!"**

Sirius grinned "Good! Don't give him the upper hand."

**A jet of silver light hit Malfoy in the stomach and he doubled up, wheezing.**

**"I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted in alarm**

"He actually believed they would listen to his stupid ass?" Tonks muttered

Kingsley snorted "Of course he did, he's a celebrity and everyone listens to a celebrity."

**over the heads of the battling crowd, as Malfoy sank to his knees; AJ had hit him with a Tickling Charm, and he could barely move for laughing. AJ hung back; with a vague feeling it would be unsporting to bewitch Malfoy while he was on the floor,**

Ted sighed "Yes it would be unsporting but it doesn't matter in a duel."

"I know Uncle Ted but Malfoy wasn't a threat to me, if joins the death eaters and we duel again than obviously I'll hex him into oblivion without a second thought." AJ grinned

**but this was a mistake; gasping for breath, Malfoy pointed his wand at AJ's knees, choked; "Tarantallegra!" and the next second AJ's legs began to jerk around out of her control in a kind of quickstep.**

"It's kind of funny to think that the son of a death eater has his opponent dance instead of hitting them with a harder hex." Ron laughed

Hermione rolled her eyes "Nice sense of irony you've got Ron."

**"Stop! Stop!" screamed Lockhart, but Snape took charge. "Finite Incantatem!" he shouted; AJ's feet stopped dancing, Malfoy stopped laughing, and they were able to look up.**

"At least it was Snape doing the counter curse instead of Lockhart." Tonks smiled at the upside

**A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, panting; Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, apologizing for whatever his broken wand had done; but Hermione and Millicent Bulstrode were still moving; Millicent had Hermione in a headlock and Hermione was whimpering in pain; both their wands lay forgotten on the floor. AJ leapt forward and pulled Millicent off. It was difficult: She was a lot bigger than AJ was.**

"What in the hell kind of club is this?" Sirius hollered

"You've got students muggle fighting and hitting each other with unknown hexes and what are you doing during this?" Remus snarled

**"Dear, dear," said Lockhart, skittering through the crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. "Up you go, Macmillan… Careful there, Miss Fawcett… Pinch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second, I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells," said Lockhart, standing flustered in the midst of the hall.**

"No shit you fucking moron!" Kingsley bit out

Charlie shook his head "This would have been a great idea had it not been Lockhart doing the teaching."

**He glanced at Snape, whose black eyes glinted, and looked quickly away. "Let's have a volunteer pair — Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you —"**

**"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Snape, gliding over like a large and malevolent bat. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox."**

Bill groaned "Again with the insults!"

**Neville's round, pink face went pinker. "How about Malfoy and Potter?" said Snape with a twisted smile.**

AJ shuddered at what was to happen next.

**"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing AJ and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room.**

**"Now, AJ," said Lockhart. "When Draco points his wand at you, you do this."**

"Ignore it," Tonks advised "ignore each and everything that comes out of his mouth."

**He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action, and dropped it. Snape smirked as Lockhart quickly picked it up, saying, "Whoops— my wand is a little overexcited—"**

Charlie snarled "His wand better not be getting excited around my girlfriend!"

"You're sexy when you're all possessive." AJ whispered into his ear.

**Snape moved closer to Malfoy, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. Malfoy smirked, too. AJ looked up nervously. She had a distinct feeling that she had gotten the worst end of this deal.**

"You did." Hermione and Ron muttered together

**"Scared?" muttered Malfoy, so that Lockhart couldn't hear him. **

**"You wish," said AJ out of the corner of her mouth.**

Regulus grinned proudly "Good, don't be afraid of a moron like that."

**Lockhart cuffed AJ merrily on the shoulder. "Just do what I did, AJ!"**

**"What drop my wand?"**

"There's the sarcasm we all know and love." Sirius sighed happily

**But Lockhart wasn't listening. "Three — two — one — go!" he shouted.**

**Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "Serpensortia!"**

Recognizing the spell Ted glared "What are you playing at Severus?"

"We're in Slytherin it seemed appropriate." Snape remarked coldly

"AJ's in Gryffindor so her conjuring up a mountain lion would be appropriate?" Ted snarked back

**The end of his wand exploded. AJ watched, surprised, as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between them, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor.**

Andy was looking at her niece wondering why AJ would be dreading this…unless…

**"Don't move, Potter," said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of AJ standing motionless, eye to eye with the angry snake.**

Remus glared darkly thinking of all the ways he planned on making Severus' life a living hell after these books.

**"I'll get rid of it…"**

**"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack.**

"Oh good," Bill remarked "now you've pissed off the poisonous snake."

**Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike. AJ wasn't sure what made her do it. She wasn't even aware of deciding to do it. All she knew was that her legs were carrying her forward as though she was on casters and that she had shouted stupidly at the snake, "Leave him alone!"**

Andy and Ted looked shocked for a moment while AJ shifted uncomfortable, Andy spoke up first

"Can you speak it sometime so I can hear it?" she asked excitedly

Ted nodded with a big grin "I've never heard someone speak Parseltongue before."

"Uh sure. I can do it after the next reading." AJ replied happily

**And miraculously — inexplicably — the snake slumped to the floor, docile as a thick, black garden hose, its eyes now on AJ. AJ felt the fear drain out of her. She knew the snake wouldn't attack anyone now, though how she knew it, she couldn't have explained. She looked up at Justin, grinning, expecting to see Justin looking relieved, or puzzled, or even grateful — but certainly not angry and scared.**

"Oh," Andy murmured "he didn't understand what you said and to most it's a dark quality."

**"What do you think you're playing at?" he shouted, and before AJ could say anything, Justin had turned and stormed out of the hall.**

"I can see where he would get panicked," Kingsley paused "but it's AJ, her doing something evil is like Voldemort baking cookies."

Remus laughed "That's one way to look at it!"

**Snape stepped forward, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. Snape, too, was looking at AJ in an unexpected way: It was a cold and calculating look, and AJ didn't like it. She was also dimly aware of an ominous muttering all around the walls. Then she felt a tugging on the back of her robes.**

"Good, you should get out of there before all the rumors start flying." Charlie advised

**"Come on," said Ron's voice in her ear. "Move — come on —"**

**Ron steered her out of the hall, Hermione hurrying alongside them. As they went through the doors, the people on either side drew away as though they were frightened of catching something. AJ didn't have a clue what was going on, and neither Ron nor Hermione explained anything until they had dragged her all the way up to the empty Gryffindor common room.**

Andy sighed "You don't have to make it seem like she had a disease and needed to go into isolation."

"I was twelve and didn't know how to handle something like that." Ron said with a shrug

**Then Ron pushed AJ into an armchair and said, "You're a Parselmouth. Why didn't you tell us?" **

"Maybe because she doesn't know what one is." Snape said as if talking to a three year old.

**"I'm a what?" said AJ.**

**"A Parselmouth!" said Ron. "You can talk to snakes!"**

"Which is so cool!" Ted grinned "I mean come on, how cool is it to be the only Parselmouth in like a hundred years?"

AJ snorted "Not that great Uncle Ted but I've learned to except it."

**"I know," said AJ. "I mean, that's only the second time I've ever done it. I accidentally set a boa constrictor on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once. Well not really, I set it free because it told me it had never been to Brazil."**

"That was awesome punk," Charlie said with a kiss "never been prouder."

**"A boa constrictor told you it had never seen Brazil?" Ron repeated faintly.**

Ron blushed "Sorry but it was one of the weirdest things she had ever said to me."

**"So?" said AJ. "I bet loads of people here can do it."**

**"Oh, no they can't," said Ron. "It's not a very common gift. AJ, this is bad."**

"It's not a bad thing!" snapped Andy "It's not a gift that has ever been used for good."

**"What's bad?" said AJ, starting to feel quite angry. "What's wrong with everyone? Listen, if I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin —"**

**"Oh, that's what you said to it?"**

Remus looked surprised "You didn't hear hissing?"

"No it sounds like English to me." AJ said

**"What d'you mean? You were there — you heard me —"**

**"I heard you speaking Parseltongue," said Ron. "Snake language. You could have been saying anything — no wonder Justin panicked, you sounded like you were egging the snake on or something — it was creepy, you know —"**

Bill rubbed his temples "Not something she needs to hear right then and there Ron."

**AJ gaped at him.**

**"I spoke a different language? But — I didn't realize — how can I speak a language without knowing I can speak it?"**

"Can someone learn Parseltongue Albus?" Ted asked excitedly

Albus chuckled "I'm not certain but it's possible."

**Ron shook his head. Both he and Hermione were looking as though someone had died. AJ couldn't see what was so terrible.**

Sirius growled "It's nothing terrible for the love of Merlin!"

Remus sighed "We know that love but they were young and scared."

**"D'you want to tell me what's wrong with stopping a massive snake biting off Justin's head?" she said. "What does it matter how I did it as long as Justin doesn't have to join the Headless Hunt?"**

Regulus chuckled "You're funny when you get angry sweets."

**"It matters," said Hermione, speaking at last in a hushed voice, "because being able to talk to snakes was what Salazar Slytherin was famous for. That's why the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent."**

Tonks rolled her eyes "Good job on making her feel better."

**AJ's mouth fell open.**

**"Exactly," said Ron. "And now the whole school's going to think you're his great-great-great-great-granddaughter or something —"**

Charlie shifted "All the purebloods are related in some way so it's possible but highly unlikely."

"I doubt someone from the Slytherin line would even try to be with a person from the Gryffindor line." Kingsley laughed "It would go against their nature or something."

**"But I'm not," said AJ, with a panic she couldn't quite explain.**

**"You'll find that hard to prove," said Hermione. "He lived about a thousand years ago; for all we know, you could be."**

Hermione winced "Sorry AJ, that wasn't the most comforting thing I could've said."

**AJ lay awake for hours that night. Through a gap in the hangings round her four-poster she watched the snow starting to drift past the tower window, and wondered. Could she be a descendant of Salazar Slytherin? She didn't know anything about her father's family, after all.**

"We'll get the Potter family tree out after the readings cub." Remus promised

**The Dursleys had always forbidden questions about her wizarding relatives. Quietly, AJ tried to say something in Parseltongue. The words wouldn't come. It seemed she had to be face to face with a snake to do it.**

"I can do it now fairly easily." Commented AJ

**"But I'm in Gryffindor," AJ thought. "The Sorting Hat wouldn't have put me here if I had Slytherin blood ..."**

_**"Ah," said a nasty little voice in her brain, "But the Sorting Hat wanted to put you in Slytherin, don't you remember?"**_

"Now's not the best time to listen to that annoying little voice in your head." Regulus tried to joke

**AJ turned over. She'd see Justin next day in Herbology and she'd explain that she'd been calling the snake off, not egging it on, which any fool should have realized.**

"Doesn't go as planned?" Bill asked

Hermione closed her eyes "Of course not."

**By next morning, however, the snow that had begun in the night had turned into a blizzard so thick that the last Herbology lesson of term was cancelled: Professor Sprout wanted to fit socks and scarves onto the Mandrakes, a tricky operation she would entrust to no one else, now that it was so important for the Mandrakes to grow quickly and revive Mrs. Norris and Colin Creevey.**

"She's protective of them like a mother with a child." Andy said smiling at her blushing daughter

**AJ fretted about this next to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, while Ron and Hermione used their lesson off to play a game of wizard chess.**

**"For heaven's sake, AJ," said Hermione, exasperated, as one of Ron's bishops wrestled her knight off his horse and dragged him off the board. "Go and find Justin if it's so important to you."**

"One of us should have gone with you." Ron said annoyed

Hermione nodded "It may have saved a lot of drama and unnecessary attention."

**So AJ got up and left through the portrait hole, wondering where Justin might be.**

**The castle was darker than it usually was in daytime, because of the thick, swirling grey snow at every window. Shivering, AJ walked past classrooms where lessons were taking place, catching snatches of what was happening within. Professor McGonagall was shouting at someone who, by the sound of it, had turned their friend into a badger.**

The golden trio burst into fits of laughter thinking about a bouncing ferret.

**Resisting the urge to take a look, AJ walked on, thinking that Justin might be using his free lesson to catch up on some work, and deciding to check the library first.**

Kingsley shook his head "I doubt that's where a Hufflepuff would be, Ravenclaw sure but not a Hufflepuff. "

Tonks couldn't help but agree "He's probably talking it over with close friends."

**A group of Hufflepuffs who should have been in Herbology were indeed sitting at the back of the library, but they didn't seem to be working. Between the long lines of bookshelves, AJ could see that their heads were close together and they were having what looked like an absorbing conversation.**

"Most likely about AJ." Regulus bit out

"That's probably true but you really can't blame them for thinking the worse Reggie." Ted said calmly

**She couldn't see whether Justin was among them. She was walking towards them when something of what they were saying met her ears, and she paused to listen, hidden in the Invisibility section.**

Snape sneered at the ignorant Gryffindor; of course she would listen in.

**"So anyway," a stout boy was saying, "I told Justin to hide up in our dormitory. I mean to say, if Potter's marked him down as her next victim, it's best if he keeps a low profile for a while. Of course, Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen ever since he let slip to Potter he was Muggle-born. Justin actually told him he'd been down for Eton. That's not the kind of thing you bandy about with Slytherins heir on the loose, is it?"**

Tonks shook her head in annoyance; her old house was going against everything they stood for.

**"You definitely think it is Potter, then, Ernie?" said a girl with blonde pigtails anxiously.**

**"Hannah," said the boy solemnly, "she's a Parselmouth. Everyone knows that's the mark of a dark wizard. Have you ever heard of a decent one who could talk to snakes?**

"Don't put AJ in that group," Charlie growled "she isn't a dark witch and never will be."

**They called Slytherin himself Serpent-tongue." There was some heavy murmuring at this, and Ernie went on, "Remember what was written on the wall? Enemies of the Heir Beware. Potter had some sort of run-in with Filch. Next thing we know, Filch's cat's attacked. That first-year, Creevey, was annoying Potter at the Quidditch match, taking pictures of him while she was lying in the mud. Next thing we know, Creevey's been attacked."**

Bill sighed sadly "I really hate to say this but it makes sense for them to blame AJ."

"I know," Remus reluctantly agreed "but they should remember the kind of person AJ is and how she would never hurt someone."

**"She always seemed so nice, though," said Hannah uncertainly, "and, well, she's the one who made You-Know-Who disappear. She can't be all bad, can he?"**

"That's because she isn't bad!" Ron snarked "They're making it seem like they've never met AJ before."

**Ernie lowered his voice mysteriously, the Hufflepuffs bend closer, and AJ edged nearer so that she could catch Ernie's words. "No one knows how she survived that attack by You-Know-Who. I mean to say, she was only a baby when it happened. She should have been blasted into smithereens. Only a really powerful Dark Witch could have survived a curse like that."**

"Now they're taking this too damn far!" Charlie yelled furiously

Andy nodded "She's not a dark witch and never will be! To accuse her of getting rid of Voldemort because she was so evil is complete and utter bullshit!"

"They're ruining an innocent person's reputation." Ted said sadly

**He dropped his voice until it was barely more than a whisper, and said, "That's probably why You-Know-Who wanted to kill her in the first place. Didn't want another Dark Lord competing with him.**

Sirius glared "That makes so much sense!"

**I wonder what other powers Potter's been hiding?"**

**AJ couldn't take any more. Clearing her throat loudly, she stepped out from behind the bookshelves.**

"You always have to make a show?" laughed Bill

**If she hadn't been feeling so angry, she would have found the sight that greeted her funny: every one of the Hufflepuffs looked as though they had been petrified by the sight of her, and the color was draining out of Ernie's face.**

Regulus chuckled "That does sound really funny but I don't think this will help matters any."

"Probably not but she's gotta try." Tonks said annoyed with her old house

**"Hello," said AJ. "I'm looking for Justin Finch-Fletchley."**

**The Hufflepuffs' worst fears had clearly been confirmed. They all looked fearfully at Ernie.**

"What a bunch of idiots." Ron muttered

Hermione glared "They were scared Ron! You can't blame them for that!"

**"What do you want with him?" said Ernie, in a quavering voice.**

**"I wanted to tell him what really happened with that snake at the Dueling Club," said AJ.**

"That's not going to make them want to tell you where he is." Bill commented

**Ernie bit his white lips and then, taking a deep breath, said, "We were all there. We saw what happened."**

"They may have seen what happened but they didn't hear." Ted said smugly

Andy smiled at her husband "You're right Teddy but I somehow doubt that will mean much of anything to them."

**"Then you noticed that, after I spoke to it, the snake backed off?" said AJ.**

**"All I saw," said Ernie stubbornly, though he was trembling as he spoke, "was you speaking Parseltongue and chasing the snake towards Justin."**

"Seeing and hearing are obviously two different things!" Hermione snapped

**"I didn't chase it at him!" AJ said, her voice shaking with anger and hair turning midnight blue. "It didn't even touch him!"**

Ron winced "AJ's temper is coming through…better back off now."

"They won't," Bill laughed weakly "they don't know her infamous temper."

**"It was a very near miss," said Ernie. "And in case you're getting ideas," he added hastily, "I might tell you that you can trace my family back through nine generations of witches and warlocks and my blood's as pure as anyone's, so -"**

"Well good for you," Regulus glared "you know your family tree. Now fuck off."

"Reggie!" Andy snapped "He's a child and scared. Leave him alone for now."

"Fine." Regulus bit out "But if he keeps being mean to AJ I have the right to hex him on his seventeenth birthday." Andy rolled her eyes but had a fond smile on her face.

**"I don't care what sort of blood you've got!" said AJ fiercely. "Why would I want to attack Muggleborns?"**

**"I've heard you hate those Muggles you live with," said Ernie swiftly.**

"Anyone with a pulse hates them." Remus muttered angrily

**"It's not possible to live with the Dursleys and not hate them," said AJ. "I'd like to see you try it."**

Sirius lit up like a Christmas tree "YES! That's a great idea pup, I love the way you think."

"I don't think Ernie will be going to the muggles house to live anytime soon Sirius." Kingsley said with a smile

**She turned on her heel and stormed out of the library, earning herself a reproving glare from Madam Pince, who was polishing the gilded cover of a large spell book. AJ blundered up the corridor, barely noticing where she was going, she was in such a fury. The result was that she walked straight into something very large and solid, which knocked him backwards onto the floor.**

**"Oh, hullo, Hagrid," AJ said, looking up.**

Charlie smiled "Hagrid will cheer you up, he's good at that."

**Hagrid's face was entirely hidden by a wooly, snow-covered balaclava, but it couldn't possibly be anyone else, as he filled most of the corridor in his moleskin overcoat. A dead rooster was hanging from one of his massive, gloved hands.**

Tonks wrinkled her nose "That's disgusting."

**"All righ', AJ?" he said, pulling up his balaclava so he could speak. "Why aren't yeh in class?"**

**"Cancelled," said AJ, getting up. "What're you doing in here?"**

**Hagrid held up the limp rooster.**

Ginny looked away in guilt, she couldn't believe she did that.

**"Second one killed this term," he explained. "It's either foxes or a Blood-Suckin' Bugbear, an' I need the Headmaster's permission ter put a charm round the hen-coop."**

"That wouldn't have helped any." Ginny muttered

**He peered more closely at AJ from under his thick, snow-flecked eyebrows. "Yeh sure yeh're all righ'? Yeh look all hot an' bothered."**

Charlie glared at Hagrid's choice of words "I better be the only one making you hot and bothered." AJ snorted while everyone in her family glared.

"Excuse me what was that?" Andy asked in a false polite voice which Charlie tried to ignore,

Ted glared "Speak up dragon boy, my wife asked what you said. Gotta admit I'm pretty damn curious myself."

Charlie shifted "Well I…what I meant…that…I'm just going to shut up"

"Smart move dragon boy!" Sirius said through clenched teeth

**AJ couldn't bring herself to repeat what Ernie and the rest of the Hufflepuffs had been saying about her.**

Andy sighed sadly and made a note to talk to AJ during lunch.

**"It's nothing," she said. "I'd better get going, Hagrid, it's Transfiguration next and I've got to pick up my books." She walked off, her mind still full of what Ernie had said about herself.**

"I loved transfiguration but it was my worst subject." Ted laughed

Sirius snorted "That's because you were too busy flirting with Andy to pay attention in class."

**"Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen ever since he let slip to Potter he was Muggle-born ..."**

Bill looked annoyed "I don't believe that for a minute."

"It probably didn't cross his mind till after the dueling club." Hermione glared

**AJ stamped up the stairs and turned along another corridor, which was particularly dark; the torches had been extinguished by a strong, icy draught which was blowing through a loose window pane. She was halfway down the passage when she tripped head-long over something lying on the floor.**

Tonks gasped "Another attack?" Kingsley held her hand hoping in vain it wasn't another student.

**She turned to squint at what she'd fallen over, and felt as though her stomach had dissolved. Justin Finch-Fletchley was laying on the floor, rigid and cold, a look of shock frozen on his face, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.**

Remus sighed "Get out of there cub, you don't want to be there when people start coming out of class."

**AJ got to her feet, her breathing fast and shallow, and her heart doing a kind of drum-roll against her ribs.**

"I would be scared out of my mind." Ron commented

**She looked wildly up and down the deserted corridor and saw a line of spiders scuttling as fast as they could away from the bodies. The only sounds were the muffled voices of teachers from the classes on either side.**

Regulus cocked his head to the side wondering about these spiders.

**She could run, and no one would ever know she had been there. But she couldn't just leave him lying here ... she had to get help.**

"No now would be a good time to not be noble pup." Sirius said

**Would anyone believe she hadn't had anything to do with this? As she stood there, panicking,**

Ted shook his head "I doubt it kiddo; they're going to blame you and shun you at this point."

**A door right next to her opened with a bang. Peeves the poltergeist came shooting out.**

"Great!" Andy snarled "The biggest pain in the ass is going to make a scene!"

**"Why, it's potty wee Potter!" cackled Peeves, bouncing past her. "What's Potter up to? Why's Potter lurking -" Peeves stopped, halfway through a mid-air somersault. Upside-down, he spotted Justin and Nearly-Headless Nick. He flipped the right way up, filled his lungs and, before AJ could stop him, screamed, "ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK!"**

"I am going to kill that ghost!" Charlie growled

AJ laughed "A little late love, he seems to already be dead."

**Crash - crash - crash: door after door flew open along the corridor and people flooded out.**

"I should think so! That's a hard thing to ignore." Molly snapped

**For several long minutes, there was a scene of such confusion that Justin was in danger of being squashed and people kept standing in Nearly-Headless Nick. AJ found herself pinned against the wall as the teachers shouted for quiet.**

"I wouldn't have been able to stand still." Bill admitted "I would need to walk around."

**Professor McGonagall came running, followed by her own class, one of whom still had black and white striped hair. She used her wand to set off a loud bang, which restored silence, and ordered everyone back into their classes. No sooner had the scene cleared somewhat than Ernie the Hufflepuff arrived, panting, on the scene.**

**"Caught in the act!" Ernie yelled, his face stark white, pointing his finger dramatically at AJ.**

"I don't like him love," Sirius growled to Remus "I hope you gave him a lot of detentions."

Remus smirked "He did get a few detentions while I was there."

**"That will do, Macmillan!" said Professor McGonagall sharply.**

**Peeves was bobbing overhead, now grinning wickedly, surveying the scene; Peeves always loved chaos. As the teachers bent over Justin and Nearly-Headless Nick, examining them, Peeves broke into song:**

"This oughta be real good." Regulus said sarcastically

**"Oh Potter, you rotter, oh what have you done? You're killing off students, you think it's good fun -"**

Regulus glared "Stupid jerk. That's not something to say!"

**"That's enough Peeves!" barked Professor McGonagall, and Peeves zoomed away backwards, with his tongue out at AJ.**

**Justin was carried up to the hospital wing by Professor Flitwick and Professor Sinastra of the Astronomy department, but nobody seemed to know what to do for Nearly-Headless Nick. In the end, Professor McGonagall conjured a large fan out of thin air, which she gave to Ernie with instructions to waft Nearly-Headless Nick up the stairs. This Ernie did, fanning Nick along like a silent black hovercraft. This left AJ and Professor McGonagall along together.**

"She better not think you had anything to do with this." Charlie growled

**"This way, Potter," she said.**

Andy looked alarmed "Where are you going?"

"She took me to Dumbledore's office." AJ said quietly

**"Professor," said AJ at once, "I swear I didn't -"**

**"This is out of my hands, Potter," said Professor McGonagall curtly.**

Ted glared "She could have reassured you that you wouldn't be getting into trouble!"

"She didn't know though dad, all she knew was that AJ was at the place of two attacks." Tonks said still upset over another student getting attacked

**They marched in silence around a corner and she stopped before a large and extremely ugly stone gargoyle.**

**"Sherbet lemon!" she said.**

Dumbledore smiled in spite of the situation, he loved that candy almost as much as lemon drops.

**This was evidently a password, because the gargoyle sprang suddenly to life, and hopped aside as the wall behind him split in two. Even full of dread for what was coming, AJ couldn't fail to be amazed.**

Bill shook his head "This shouldn't be happening."

"A lot of things shouldn't have happened that year Bill." Hermione said sadly

**Behind the wall was a spiral staircase which was moving smoothly upwards, like an escalator. As she and Professor McGonagall stepped onto it, AJ heard the wall thud closed behind them. They rose upwards in circled, higher and higher, until at last, slightly dizzy, AJ could see a gleaming oak door ahead, with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin.**

All the Gryffindors smiled at that.

**She knew where she was being taken. This must be where Dumbledore lived.**

Andy took the book from AJ's outstretched arm "I'll read…**The Polyjuice Potion…**


	35. The Polyjuice Potion

**AJ looked around. One thing was certain: of all the teachers' offices AJ had visited so far this year, Dumbledore's was by far the most interesting.**

"I would hope so." Ted joked "Between Snape, Lockhart and Dumbledore I would hope you picked Dumbledore's."

**If she hasn't been so annoyed with everyone accusing her of petrifying a student and facing possible expulsion,**

"You're not going to get kicked out of the school." Ginny snapped "You're such a pessimist."

Andy glared "She has a right to be pessimistic considering no teacher ever seems to believe her."

**she would have been very pleased to have a chance to look around it.**

Molly frowned "You shouldn't snoop AJ; it's not your business."

"Oh please," Regulus frowned "everyone who goes into Dumbledore's office for the first time snoops, it's like the laws of science or something."

"Don't encourage her!" Molly snapped

Andy jumped in "It's in the past so I would say it's a little late to tell her what not to do. All these books are in the past or future Molly, of course we'll get mad over their actions but we have to remember it's a book!"

**It was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tabled, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke.**

Hermione looked dreamy "Your office sounds wonderful Sir."

"Thank you Ms. Granger, my students are welcome in my office anytime." Dumbledore said with a smile

**The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames.**

"More like faking it." Bill chuckled

"They're the biggest gossips in the entire school." Charlie agreed

**There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tattered wizard's hat - the Sorting Hat. AJ hesitated. She cast a wary eye around the sleeping witches and wizards on the walls. Surely it couldn't hurt if she took the Hat down and tried it on again? Just to see ... just to make sure it had put her in the right house.**

"I think it's weird that we put so much stock into what the hat says." Sirius looked amused

Remus smiled "It's kind of hard not to take a talking hat seriously no matter how silly it sounds."

**She walked quietly around the desk, lifted the Hat from its shelf, and lowered it slowly onto her head. It was much too large and slipped down over her eyes, just as it had done the last time she'd put it on. AJ stared at the black inside of the Hat, waiting. Then a small voice said in his ear, "Bee in your bonnet, Alessandra Potter?"**

Tonks rolled her eyes "Such a clever little hat."

"**Yeah…" AJ muttered. "I need to ask you-"**

**"You've been wondering whether I put you in the right house," said the Hat smartly.**

"Do you think he took offense to you second guessing him?" Kingsley asked

Tonks elbowed him in the ribs "I doubt it Kings, considering it's a hat and he doesn't have feelings."

**"Yes... you were particularly difficult to place. But I stand by what I said before -" AJ's heart leapt**

**"- you would have done well in Slytherin."**

Snape groaned "Yes you would have, but you're far too noble and courageous for Slytherin."

**AJ groaned. She grabbed the point of the Hat and pulled it off. It hung limply in her hand, grubby and faded. AJ pushed it back onto the shelf, feeling even more annoyed.**

**"You're wrong," She said aloud to the still and silent Hat. "Great, now I'm talking to hat. Merlin Help me."**

Ron snorted "You really are funny when you get annoyed AJ."

"What can I say? I live to please." AJ grinned

**It didn't move. AJ backed away, watching it. Then a strange, gagging noise behind her made her wheel around. She wasn't alone after all. Standing on a golden perch behind the door was a Phoenix. Who at this point resembled a half plucked turkey.**

"You got to see a Phoenix on its burning day punk?" Charlie asked amazed

AJ nodded "Yeah Fawkes and me bonded that year."

"You…" Charlie smiled widely "are amazing! They never let people see them on their burning day!"

**AJ stared at it and the bird looked balefully back, making its gagging noise thought it looked very ill. Its eyes were dull and, even as AJ watched, a couple more feathers fell out of its tail. AJ couldn't believe that Dumbledore's bird was going to burst into flames with her there; she hoped he wouldn't take offense considering she had nowhere else to go.**

"Why would it matter to Dumbledore if you witnessed his birds burning day?" Bill asked

"Phoenixes are very fickle creatures and get offended easily," Hermione explained "so if AJ reacted a certain way it could affect the way Fawkes handles situations in the near future."

**Before AJ could look away the office door opened. Dumbledore came in, looking very somber.**

Remus groaned "You could have come in a little less dramatically."

**"Professor," AJ started, "your bird burst into flames and I didn't have time to look away."**

**To AJ's astonishment, Dumbledore smiled.**

"You really piss people off when you do that." Regulus muttered

**"About time, too," he said. "He's been looking dreadful for days, I've been telling him to get a move on." He chuckled at the stunned look on AJ's face. "Fawkes is a phoenix, AJ."**

"**Yeah I kinda got that when he burst into flames." AJ deadpanned, she was far too annoyed to care if she was being polite.**

Andy and Ted busted into fits of laughter the later got control enough to speak, "You my dear girl are the most amazing witch I've ever known."

"Teddy's right AJ, you're the only one who can be sarcastic to the headmaster and live to tell the tale." Andy smiled with a chuckle in her voice

**Before Dumbledore could speak another word, however, the door of the office flew open with an almighty bang and Hagrid burst in, a wild look in his eyes, his balaclava perched on top of shaggy black head and the dead rooster still swinging from his hand.**

"Hagrid!" Sirius smiled "He'll do whatever it takes to proves pups innocence."

**"It wasn' AJ, Professor Dumbledore!" said Hagrid urgently. "I was talkin' ter her seconds before that kid was found, she never had time, sir ..." Dumbledore tried to say something, but Hagrid went ranting on, waving the rooster around in his agitation, sending feathers everywhere.**

"That had to have been a sight to see." Remus chuckled

AJ nodded "It was really funny thinking back on it now."

**"...It can't've bin her; I'll swear it in front o' the Ministry o' Magic if I have to..."**

Regulus shook his head "That wouldn't do much even if the Ministry was called in."

**"Hagrid, I -"**

**"...Yeh've got the wrong girl, sir, I know AJ never -"**

**"Hagrid!" said Dumbledore loudly. "I do not think that AJ attacked those people."**

"Good," Bill bit out "could have told her that before you made her think the worse."

**"Oh," said Hagrid, the rooster falling limply at his side. "Right. I'll wait outside then, Headmaster." And he stomped out looking embarrassed.**

**"You don't think it was me, Professor?" AJ repeated skeptically, as Dumbledore brushed rooster feathers off his desk.**

"Why would you be suspicious?" Ron asked clueless

"Because no one ever seems to believe her and now all of a sudden she has someone that believes her without an explanation." Ted responded

**"No, AJ, I don't," said Dumbledore, though his face was somber again. "But I still want to talk to you."**

**AJ waited while Dumbledore considered her, the tips of his long fingers together. "I must ask you, AJ, whether there is anything you'd like to tell me," he said gently. "Anything at all."**

"That sounds like an accusation sir." Charlie ground out

Remus glared "He knows better than to accuse AJ of something like that."

**AJ didn't know what to say.**

**She thought of Malfoy shouting, "You'll be next, Mudbloods!"**

Dumbledore shook his head grimly "I was aware of that."

**and of the Polyjuice Potion, simmering away in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.**

"Now that I wasn't aware of." Dumbledore smiled

"You wouldn't have done anything even if you did know." Snape glared

**Then she thought of the disembodied voice she had heard twice and remembered what Ron had said: "Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world."**

"Yes that's true," Kingsley said "but you still should have told him kid."

"After someone told her it was a sign of going crazy I somehow doubt she was eager to talk about it." Hermione sighed

**She thought, too, about what everyone was saying about her, and her growing dread that she was somehow connected with Salazar Slytherin...**

Tonks shifted "That's something the headmaster should have talk to you about; he probably has a way of pulling up your family tree."

"The headmaster is a very busy man and Black is just another student." Snape sneered

Kingsley glared "She's the only Parselmouth in however many years and everyone is calling her the next Voldemort. I think that Dumbledore talking to her about it is completely justified."

**"No," said AJ, "there isn't anything, Professor."**

**The double attack on Justin and Nearly-Headless Nick turned what had hitherto been nervousness into real panic. Curiously, it was Nearly-Headless Nick's fate that seemed to worry people most.**

"That's not hard to believe, a ghost was petrified, that had to cause a lot of fears come to the surface." Sirius grumbled

**What could possibly do that to a ghost, people asked each other; what terrible power could harm someone who was already dead?**

Regulus smirked "There a lot you can do to a ghost, you can make them turn colors."

"Really?" Ron asked "Can you show us that spell?"

Completely ignoring Molly's glare Andy nodded "I taught Reggie and Siri how to do it in school and I'd be happy to teach you."

**There was almost a stampede to book seats on the Hogwarts Express so that students could go home for Christmas.**

**"At this rate, we'll be the only ones left," Ron told AJ and Hermione. "Us, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. What a jolly holiday it's going to be."**

"On the bright side you'll have the castle to yourself." Ted smirked

**Crabbe and Goyle, who always did whatever Malfoy did, had signed up to stay over the holidays too. But AJ was glad that most people were leaving. She was tired of people skirting around her in the corridors, as though she was about to sprout fangs or spit poison; tired of all the muttering, pointing and hissing as she passed.**

"Kids can be such assholes." Charlie muttered "Ignoring them is easier said than done."

Bill nodded "But you can't blame them Charlie. They're kids and they do and say stupid things."

**Fred and George, however, found all this very funny.**

**They went out of their way to march ahead of AJ down the corridors, shouting, "Make way for the heir of Slytherin, seriously evil Witch coming through..."**

"That's not funny!" Snapped Molly

"Yes it is." Remus argued with a laugh "They know that it's not AJ and they're making people's fears seem more ridiculous than they already are."

"It's still not nice to make fun of ones fears." Molly snipped

Ted glared "And it's not nice to blame my niece for something that she didn't do even after trying to explain what happened."

**Percy was deeply disapproving of this behavior.**

**"It is not a laughing matter," he said coldly.**

Molly nodded in agreement with her son.

**"Oh, get out of the way, Percy," said Fred. "AJ's in a hurry."**

**"Yeah, he's nipping off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged servant," said George, chortling.**

Everyone besides Molly and Snape were laughing at the twins attempt to diffuse the outrageous situation.

**Ginny didn't find it amusing either.**

Ginny nodded with her previous self, it wasn't funny at all how they were treating the situation.

**"Oh, don't," she wailed every time Fred asked AJ loudly who he was planning to attack next, or George pretended to ward AJ off with a large clove of garlic when they met. AJ didn't mind; it made her feel better that Fred and George, at least, thought the idea of her being Slytherins heir was quite ludicrous.**

Andy smiled "I'm glad that they were there to make you feel better, having the whole school turn on you is never easy to swallow."

"They were going about it entirely the wrong way!" Molly said annoyed

"But AJ just said that it made her feel better, no one was taking offense to it and if anyone would it would have been AJ. But she knew they were joking and knew better than to take what they said to heart." Andy stated calmly but her blue eyes were a shade darker than before

Molly snapped out "It was affecting my daughter! They were hurting her!"

"How was it affecting Ginny? I'm sorry but I can't see how Fred and George joking with AJ would harm Ginny in the least. You're being much too over protective and are reading too much into what they did or said. Now if you're done attacking me for no reason we should continue with the reading before my husband gets annoyed with the way you insist on speaking to me and our niece." Andy bit out with Ted holding her hand in silent support.

**But their antics seemed to be aggravating Draco Malfoy, who looked increasingly sour each time he saw them at it.**

Hermione looked puzzled "I still don't understand that one."

"He probably didn't like that AJ wasn't getting upset over everyone turning on her." Ron shrugged

**"It's because he's bursting to say it's really him," said Ron knowingly. "You know how he hates anyone beating him at anything, and you're getting all the credit for his dirty work."**

Bill smiled "That's probably true, he wants everyone to recognize him."

**"Not for long," said Hermione in a satisfied tone. "The Polyjuice Potion's nearly ready. We'll be getting the truth out of him any day now."**

Tonks grinned "I would never have been able to make that complicated of a potion as just a second year."

"You never tried," Ted wanted to know "did you Dora?"

"Of course not dad," Tonks reassured "I wouldn't even have thought of that."

**At last the term ended, and a silence deep as the snow on the grounds descended on the castle. AJ found it peaceful, rather than gloomy, and enjoyed the fact that she, Hermione, and the Weasleys had the run of Gryffindor Tower, which meant they could play Exploding Snap loudly without bothering anyone, and practice dueling in private.**

"Hell of a lot better than if you have Lockhart teaches you anymore." Regulus snarked

**Fred, George, and Ginny had chosen to stay at school rather than visit Bill in Egypt with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.**

"I did miss you guys," Bill smiled "but the reason you guys stayed behind was a good reason."

**Percy, who disapproved of what he termed their childish behavior, didn't spend much time in the Gryffindor common room. He had already told them pompously that he was only staying over Christmas because it was his duty as a prefect to support the teachers during this troubled time.**

Charlie rolled his eyes "Moron, complete and utter moron."

**Christmas morning dawned, cold and white.**

AJ looked disgusted "A white Christmas is fine but then the snow needs to melt right away."

Charlie pulled AJ into him "We could have fun in the snow this year punk; I'll make sure you love it by the time the season is over."

**AJ was woken up very early by Hermione, who ushered her into her clothes and practically dragged her into the boy's dormitory. They found Ron still asleep, he was the only one in his dorm, just as they were the only one in theirs. They carried their presents, Hermione moving at a brisk pace and AJ stumbling along, yawning every few steps.**

Sirius smiled "James wasn't a morning person either, it didn't matter what day of the year it was either."

**"Wake up," she said loudly, pulling back the curtains at the window. **

**"Hermione - AJ - you're not supposed to be in here —" said Ron, shielding his eyes against the light.**

"Well technically there isn't a charm on those steps," Hermione grinned "so we weren't breaking the rules."

"I love the way you think." Bill laughed "But I'd rather you not be in the boy's dorm."

**"Merry Christmas to you, too," said Hermione, throwing him his present.**

**"I've been up for nearly an hour, adding more lacewings to the potion. It's ready."**

"Wow," Regulus looked shocked "I wouldn't have been able to wake up to do that."

**AJ straightened up, suddenly wide awake.**

**"Are you sure?"**

"I wasn't doubting you," AJ assured "I just couldn't believe it was finally done with."

**"Positive," said Hermione, shifting Scabbers the rat so that she could sit down on the end of Ron's four-poster. "If we're going to do it, I say it should be tonight."**

**At that moment, Hedwig swooped into the room, carrying a very small package in her beak.**

**"Hello," said AJ happily as she landed on Neville's bed. "Are you speaking to me again?"**

"Your owl seems to have a very interesting personality." Andy smiled

Ron groaned "She can have a bad attitude when she wants to though." Thinking of all the times Hedwig nipped at him out of anger made him shudder.

**She nibbled her ear in an affectionate sort of way, which was a far better present than the one that she had brought her, which turned out to be from the Dursleys. They had sent AJ a toothpick and a note telling her to find out whether she'd be able to stay at Hogwarts for the summer vacation, too.**

"If only." Ted muttered

"Why bother sending you anything at all if it's just going to be some shitty gift?" Kingsley wondered

AJ shrugged "I don't know really, I never thought to ask and I certainly wouldn't want to ask now."

**The rest of AJ's Christmas presents were far more satisfactory.**

"Of course they would be." Hermione laughed

**Hagrid had sent her a large tin of treacle fudge, which AJ decided to soften by the fire before eating;**

Charlie smiled "That's a good idea. Break your teeth otherwise."

**Ron had given her a book called Flying with the Cannons, a book of interesting facts about his favourite Quidditch team, and Hermione had bought her a luxurious eagle-feather quill.**

"I'm still not a Cannons fan but thanks for trying Ron." AJ grinned

**AJ opened the last present to find a new, hand-knitted sweater from Mrs. Weasley and a large plum cake. **

"Thanks for doing that for our daughter Molly." Remus said

Sirius reluctantly nodded "She needed to have more good Christmases."

**She read her card with a fresh surge of guilt, thinking about Mr. Weasley's car (which hadn't been seen since its crash with the Whomping Willow), and the bout of rule-breaking she and Ron were planning next.**

Bill rolled his eyes "Don't feel guilty, had we not read the books she would never have known."

**No one, not even someone dreading taking Polyjuice Potion later, could fail to enjoy Christmas dinner at Hogwarts.**

Ron groaned thinking about how all the food at the Christmas dinner tasted.

**The Great Hall looked magnificent. Not only were there a dozen frost-covered Christmas trees and thick streamers of holly and mistletoe crisscrossing the ceiling, but enchanted snow was falling, warm and dry, from the ceiling. Dumbledore led them in a few of his favourite carols, Hagrid booming more and more loudly with every goblet of eggnog he consumed. Percy, who hadn't noticed that Fred had bewitched his prefect badge so that it now read "Pinhead," kept asking them all what they were sniggering at.**

Everyone laughed at that besides a select few.

**AJ didn't even care that Draco Malfoy was making loud, snide remark about his new sweater from the Slytherin table. With a bit of luck, Malfoy would be getting his comeuppance in a few hours' time. **

Andy shook her head at how her nephew could be when he was around other pure bloods.

**AJ and Ron had barely finished their third helpings of Christmas pudding when Hermione ushered them out of the hall to finalize their plans for the evening.**

"Moms Christmas pudding is the best!" Tonks said with a watering mouth

Sirius nodded "Andy will make Christmas dinner this year. Please Andy?"

"Of course I will Siri; we haven't had a big Christmas dinner in a while." Andy smiled at her cousin and daughters happy faces.

**"We still need a bit of the people you're changing into," said Hermione matter-of-factly, as though she were sending them to the supermarket for laundry detergent. "And obviously, it'll be best if you can get something of Crabbe's and Goyle's; they're Malfoy's best friends, he'll tell them anything. And we also need to make sure the real Crabbe and Goyle can't burst in on us while we're interrogating him."**

Remus smiled "Good plan and good thinking about going over everything beforehand."

**"Excuse me!" AJ protested loudly. "I will not be transforming into one of his body guards!"**

Everyone was laughing at what AJ would protest to out of everything.

**Hermione rolled her eyes. "Then who would you propose, AJ?"**

**AJ already knew who. "Daphne Greengrass," she replied shortly. "I know just where to get her hair too!"**

Ted smirked "You're always a couple paces ahead of everyone else."

**Hermione sighed in annoyance but went on smoothly, "I've got it all worked out," She held up two plump chocolate cakes. "I've filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught. All you have to do is make sure Crabbe and Goyle find them. You know how greedy they are, they're bound to eat them. It'd be best if Goyle went as well, seeing as how they're always together. Once they're asleep, pull out a few of their hairs and hide them in a broom closet."**

"That's really pathetic that all you have to do is bribe them with food and you'll get whatever you need out of them." Charlie said

Ginny rolled her eyes "How is that different from Ron?"

Charlie glared "Ron likes food but he would never go behind a friends back for it Ginevra!"

**AJ and Ron looked incredulously at each other.**

"**There has to be somewhere else we can put them-"AJ started**

**But Hermione had a steely glint in her eye not unlike the one Professor McGonagall sometimes had.**

"If someone opens up the broom closet you're beyond screwed." Regulus sighed

Sirius shook his head "They have no proof it was them."

**"The potion will be useless without Crabbe's and Daphne's hair" she said sternly. "You do want to investigate Malfoy, don't you?"**

**"Oh, all right, all right," said AJ. "But what about you? Whose hair are you ripping out?"**

Hermione rolled her eyes "You could have worded that a lot better."

**"I've already got mine!" said Hermione brightly, pulling a tiny bottle out of her pocket and showing them the single hair inside it. "Remember Millicent Bulstrode wrestling with me at the Dueling Club? She left this on my robes when she was trying to strangle me! And she's gone home for Christmas — so I'll just have to tell the Slytherins I've decided to come back."**

Snape rolled his eyes that was the stupidest idea ever.

**When Hermione had bustled off to check on the Polyjuice Potion again, Ron turned to AJ with a doom-laden expression. "Have you ever heard of a plan where so many things could go wrong?"**

"In the years to come I'm sure the plans will get more dangerous." Kingsley laughed

Tonks groaned "That's not something we wanted to hear Kings."

**But to AJ's and Ron's utter amazement, stage one of the operation went just as smoothly as Hermione had said.**

"Really?" asked Regulus shocked

Hermione nodded proudly "We were pretty shocked ourselves."

**They lurked in the deserted entrance hall after Christmas tea, waiting for Crabbe and Goyle who had remained alone at the Slytherin table, shoveling down fourth helpings of trifle. AJ had perched the chocolate cakes on the end of the banisters. When they spotted Crabbe and Goyle coming out of the Great Hall, AJ and Ron hid quickly behind a suit of armor next to the front door.**

**"How thick can you get?" Ron whispered ecstatically as Crabbe gleefully pointed out the cakes to Goyle and grabbed them.**

"They're going to get themselves killed if they're that gullible." Andy muttered

"And those three aren't with all the stunts they pull?" Snape sneered

Ted glared "Don't put words in my wife's mouth Severus; you won't like what happens if you do."

**Grinning stupidly, they stuffed the cakes whole into their large mouths. For a moment, both of them chewed greedily, looks of triumph on their faces. Then, without the smallest change of expression, they both keeled over backward onto the floor. **

Charlie laughed "That had to be funny to watch."

AJ smirked "It was like watching a really bad comedy on the TV."

**By far the hardest part was hiding them in the closet across the hall. Once they were safely stowed among the buckets and mops, Ron pulled out several of Crabbe's hairs. They also stole Crabbe's shoes, because Ron's own were far too small for Crabbe sized feet.**

Ron scowled "He was huge!"

"He still is Ron." Hermione corrected lightly

**Then, still stunned at what they had just done, Ron sprinted up to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom whilst AJ sprinted to the defense tower. AJ saw Daphne coming down this way a while ago. Daphne had been very taken with Lockhart and Daphne had left her hairband on the stairway.**

Sirius smirked "Lockhart seems to be good for something than I see."

"Oh yeah," Remus agreed sarcastically "I can totally see why he was hired now."

**AJ grinned and picked up the green and silver fabric, looking around it, AJ took note of the three, slender light brown hairs stuck on the plastic part of the band and dropped the hairband once more before sprinting back to the bathroom. Taking care not to lose the hairs along the way. Ron was standing outside the door, looking anxious and they both hurried in.**

"No offense but I'm really surprised no one got caught during this. Regulus stated

**They could hardly see for the thick black smoke issuing from the stall in which Hermione was stirring the cauldron. Pulling their robes up over their faces, AJ and Ron knocked softly on the door.**

**"Hermione?"**

"You guys took longer than I expected." Hermione remembered being panicked

AJ sighed "Sorry, but we needed to make sure we were careful."

**They heard the scrape of the lock and Hermione emerged, shiny-faced and looking anxious. Behind her they heard the gloop-gloop of the bubbling, glutinous potion. Three glass tumblers stood ready on the toilet seat. **

Tonks wrinkled her nose "That sounds hygienic."

**"Did you get them?" Hermione asked breathlessly.**

**AJ showed her Daphne's hair.**

"Things are going too smoothly," Bill grimaced "what goes wrong?"

Hermione winced "You'll see." She whispered

**"Good. And I sneaked these spare robes out of the laundry," Hermione said, holding up a small sack. "You'll need bigger sizes once you're Crabbe and Daphne."**

"How tall is Daphne compared to you sweets?" Regulus question

AJ thought for a moment "I think she was five four then, I was only five one."

Regulus held back a chuckle "Not a big difference at all than huh?"

**The three of them stared into the cauldron. Close up, the potion looked like thick, dark mud, bubbling sluggishly.**

"Well well well," Charlie smirked "I do believe that's how it's supposed to be."

Snape glared but he was silently impressed that they had done it on their own.

**"I'm sure I've done everything right," said Hermione, nervously rereading the splotched page of Moste Potente Potions. "It looks like the book says it should… once we've drunk it, we'll have exactly an hour before we change back into ourselves."**

"An hour should do." Kingsley mumbled "If you get right to the point."

**"Now what?" Ron whispered.**

**"We separate it into three glasses and add the hairs." **

The golden trio all look disgusted at what was to come.

**Hermione ladled large dollops of the potion into each of the glasses. Then, her hand trembling, she shook Millicent Bulstrode's hair out of its bottle into the first glass. The potion hissed loudly like a boiling kettle and frothed madly. A second later, it had turned a sick sort of yellow.**

Charlie groaned "I spoke to soon I guess."

"You were alright weren't you?" Bill asked frantically to Hermione

"In the end I was perfectly fine." She responded in a dead voice

**"Urgh — essence of Millicent Bulstrode," said Ron, eyeing it with loathing. "Bet it tastes disgusting." **

**"Add yours, then," said Hermione.**

"Do you think it will always taste disgusting or it depends on the person you're turning into?" AJ asked

Snape looked shocked she would ask him anything "No it always has a very bad taste but the taste is different for each person."

**AJ dropped Daphne's hair into the middle glass and Ron put Crabbe's into the last one. Both glasses hissed and frothed: Daphne's turned a tan color; Crabbe's a dark, murky brown.**

Andy smiled proudly "I think you guys did it perfectly!"

**"Hang on," said AJ as Ron and Hermione reached for their glasses. "We'd better not all drink them in here… Once we turn into Crabbe and Daphne we won't fit. And Millicent Bulstrode's no pixie."**

Ginny rolled her eyes; she always had to be polite.

**"Good thinking," said Ron, unlocking the door. "We'll take separate stalls."**

**Careful not to spill a drop of her Polyjuice Potion, AJ slipped into the middle stall. "Ready?" she called.**

"No." muttered Snape and Molly

**"Ready," came Ron's and Hermione's voices.**

**"One — two — three —"**

Sirius, Remus, Regulus, Tonks and Andy were bouncing with excitement while the others were trying to contain their senses of worry.

**Pinching her nose, AJ drank the potion down in two large gulps. It tasted like overcooked cabbage.**

Tonks shuddered and Kingsley placed an arm around her silently reveling in how nice it felt to have his partner this close to him.

**Immediately, her insides started writhing as though she'd just swallowed live snakes— doubled up, she wondered whether she was going to be sick — then a burning sensation spread rapidly from her stomach to the very ends of her fingers and toes — next, bringing her gasping to all fours, came a horrible melting feeling, as the skin all over her body bubbled like hot wax— and before her eyes, her hands began to grow, the fingers lengthened, the nails sharpened from their previously bitten state— her shoulders stretched painfully and a prickling on her forehead told her that her fringe was creeping down toward her eyebrows — her feet were agony in shoes two sizes too small.**

"Always take your shoes off." Ted advised

"That sounds like the most painful potion ever." Remus muttered

Snape shook his head "There are more painful ones but that it probably in the top five."

"I don't want to know how you know that or why you know that." Ted snarked

**As suddenly as it had started, everything stopped. AJ lay face down on the stone-cold floor, listening to Myrtle gurgling morosely in the end toilet. With difficulty, she kicked off her shoes and stood up. So this was what it felt like, being Daphne. **

"What's it like?" Charlie grinned

AJ snorted "I felt very feminine and very proper."

**she pulled off her old robes, which were hanging inches above her ankles, pulled on the spare ones, and laced up a pair of Hermione's that they thought would fit. She reached up to brush her hair out of her eyes and her hand touched perfectly straight and light brown hair. **

"You two are polar opposites." Ron stated

Charlie glared "Well I'm glad."

Ron blushed "I didn't mean it in a bad way, but it must have been difficult for AJ to act like a stuck up pure blood when she's no that at all."

**"Are you two okay?" Daphne's silky smooth voice issued from her mouth.**

"You really did it," laughed Remus "this is the weirdest and coolest thing ever!"

**"Yeah," came the deep grunt of Crabbe from her right. **

**AJ unlocked her door and stepped in front of the cracked mirror. Daphne stared back at her out of blue eyes. AJ scratched her ear. So did Daphne. Ron's door opened. They stared at each other. Except that he looked pale and shocked, Ron was indistinguishable from Crabbe, from the pudding-bowl haircut to the long, gorilla arms.**

Hermione laughed "He just is so hot, I can't believe he's not with anyone by now."

"I'm sure if you show off your smarts more around him he'll be asking you out in no time." Tonks winked and the scowling girl

**"This is unbelievable," said Ron, approaching the mirror and prodding Crabbe's flat nose. "Unbelievable."**

"It was surreal to see something like that." Ron grinned

**"We'd better get going," said AJ "We've still got to find out where the Slytherin common room is. I only hope we can find someone to follow…" **

**Ron nodded and banged on Hermione's door. "C'mon, we need to go —"**

Bill looked worriedly "This isn't going to be good, I can feel it."

**A high-pitched voice answered him. "I — I don't think I'm going to come after all. You go on without me."**

**"Hermione, we know Millicent Bulstrode's ugly, no one's going to know it's you " **

Snape let out a long sigh, he knew she messed it up but for once he didn't want to make the Gryffindor feel incompetent.

**"No — really — I don't think I'll come. You two hurry up, you're wasting time —"**

**AJ looked at Ron, bewildered.**

"What happened Hermione?" Kingsley asked kindly

Hermione blushed "It'll be explained later in the chapter, I'd rather not discuss it."

**"Hermione, are you okay?" said AJ through the door.**

**"Fine — I'm fine — go on —"**

"We didn't want to leave you, but we knew we had no choice." AJ explained

Hermione nodded "I know AJ; it was just a horrible mistake."

**AJ looked at her watch. Five of their precious sixty minutes had already passed. "We'll meet you back here, all right?" she said.**

**AJ and Ron opened the door of the bathroom carefully, checked that the coast was clear, and set off. "Don't swing your arms like that," AJ muttered to Ron.**

**"Eh?" **

AJ rolled her eyes "You should pay more attention to people's body language."

**"Crabbe holds them sort of stiff…"**

**"How's this?"**

**"Yeah, that's better…"**

**They went down the marble staircase. All they needed now was a Slytherin that they could follow to the Slytherin common room, but there was nobody around.**

"Damn." Andy muttered "You don't know where the common room is."

**"The Slytherins always come up to breakfast from over there," said Ron, nodding at the entrance to the dungeons. The words had barely left his mouth when a girl with long, curly hair emerged from the entrance.**

Ron groaned at his stupid idea.

**"Excuse me," said Ron, hurrying up to her. "We've forgotten the way to our common room."**

Ginny snorted "You're supposed to be in Slytherin Ron. They aren't polite."

Tonks and Andy glared at the blushing girl, "My mom was in Slytherin! So was Regulus and you don't think they're rude do you?"

Ginny looked away but muttered a quiet "sorry."

**"I beg your pardon?" said the girl stiffly. "Our common room? I'm a Ravenclaw."**

**She walked away, looking suspiciously back at them. AJ and Ron hurried down the stone steps into the darkness, their footsteps echoing particularly loudly as Crabbe's and Daphne's feet hit the floor, feeling that this wasn't going to be as easy as they had hoped.**

"Well," said Ted laughing lightly "you're impersonating two other students. Yeah I can see how things would get rather tricky."

**The labyrinthine passages were deserted. They walked deeper and deeper under the school, constantly checking their watches to see how much time they had left. After a quarter of an hour, just when they were getting desperate, they heard a sudden movement ahead.**

Ron and AJ groaned.

**"Ha!" said Ron excitedly. "There's one of them now!"**

**The figure was emerging from a side room. As they hurried nearer, however, their hearts sank. It wasn't a Slytherin, it was Percy.**

Bill and Charlie scowled darkly; he was such a pain in the ass.

**"What're you doing down here?" said Ron in surprise.**

**Percy looked affronted. "That," he said stiffly, "is none of your business. It's Crabbe, isn't it?"**

Molly smiled sadly thinking of her son, she missed him dearly.

**"Wh — oh, yeah," said Ron.**

**"Well, get off to your dormitories," said Percy sternly. "It's not safe to go wandering around dark corridors these days."**

"That's what they're trying to do dumbass." Sirius ground out

**"You are," Ron pointed out. **

**"I," said Percy, drawing himself up, "am a prefect. Nothing's about to attack me."**

Kingsley laughed "There ya go. We found what can defeat the monster, just get a prefect!"

**A voice suddenly echoed behind Juniper and Ron. Draco Malfoy was strolling toward them, and for the first time in her life, AJ was pleased to see him.**

Charlie scowled, he knew she had a reason to be happy but he didn't like AJ getting too close to a future death eater.

**"There you are," he drawled, looking at them. "Have you two been pigging out in the Great Hall all this time, Crabbe? I've been looking for you; I want to show you something really funny."**

AJ raised a brow "I don't know whether or not to be insulted on behalf of Daphne or not."

**Malfoy glanced witheringly at Percy.**

**"And what're you doing down here, Weasley?" he sneered.**

"Well Draco," drawled Regulus "that seems to be the question on everybody's mind this evening."

**Percy looked outraged. "You want to show a bit more respect to a school prefect!" he said. "I don't like your attitude!"**

"No one does but you don't see us getting all puffed out about it." Hermione snarked

**Malfoy sneered and motioned for AJ and Ron to follow him. AJ almost said something apologetic to Percy but caught herself just in time. She and Ron hurried after Malfoy, who said as they turned into the next passage, "That Peter Weasley —"**

**"Percy," Ron corrected him automatically.**

"Don't give yourself away!" Charlie groaned "You've come this far to screw it up."

**"Whatever," said Malfoy. "I've noticed him sneaking around a lot lately. And I bet I know what he's up to. He thinks he's going to catch Slytherins heir single-handed." **

Remus dropped his head "He just eliminated himself as a suspect."

**He gave a short, derisive laugh. AJ and Ron exchanged excited looks.**

**Malfoy paused by a stretch of bare, damp stone wall.**

**"What's the new password again?" he said to AJ.**

"Even as Daphne everyone turns to you for answers." Sirius grinned

**"I don't remember darling," AJ flirted**

Ron pretended to gag "You really sounded into him."

**"Oh, yeah — pure-blood!" said Malfoy smiling at AJ, and a stone door concealed in the wall slid open.**

**Malfoy marched through it, and AJ and Ron followed him. The Slytherin common room was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of them, and several Slytherins were silhouetted around it in high-backed chairs.**

Andy and Regulus slumped at the sound of their old common room, nothing had changed much. There's wasn't very homey.

**"Wait here," said Malfoy to AJ and Ron, motioning them to a pair of empty chairs set back from the fire. "I'll go and get it – my father's just sent it to me —" **

**Wondering what Malfoy was going to show them, AJ and Ron sat down, doing their best to look at home. Malfoy came back a minute later, holding what looked like a newspaper clipping. He thrust it under Ron's nose.**

Ron scowled at what he had to read.

**"That'll give you a laugh," he said.**

**AJ saw Ron's eyes widen in shock. He read the clipping quickly, gave a very forced laugh, and handed it to AJ.**

**It had been clipped out of the Daily Prophet, and it said:**

_**INQUIRY AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC **_

_**Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, was today fined fifty Galleons for bewitching a Muggle car. Mr. Lucius Malfoy, a governor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where the enchanted car crashed earlier this year, called today for Mr. Weasley's resignation. "Weasley has brought the Ministry into disrepute," Mr. Malfoy told our reporter. "He is clearly unfit to draw up our laws and his ridiculous Muggle Protection Act should be scrapped immediately." Mr. Weasley was unavailable for comment, although his wife told reporters to clear off or she'd set the family ghoul on them. **_

Molly glared at the book that had been a nightmare for them to deal with.

**"Well?" said Malfoy impatiently as AJ handed the clipping back to him. "Don't you think it's funny?"**

"**Very funny darling." AJ said with a fake laugh**

"If you continue to flirt with him I may have to leave the room." Remus grumbled

**"Arthur Weasley loves Muggles so much he should snap his wand in half and go and join them," said Malfoy scornfully.**

"Go to hell Malfoy!" Bill snapped

**"You'd never know the Weasleys were pure-bloods, the way they behave." **

**Crabbe's — face was contorted with fury.**

Tonks sighed in annoyance "Learn to control your temper!"

**"What's up with you, Crabbe?" snapped Malfoy.**

**"Stomachache," Ron grunted.**

"At least you had a good cover up prepared." Kingsley said with annoyance

**"Well, go up to the hospital wing and give all those Mudbloods a kick from me," said Malfoy, snickering.**

Snape glared at the book. He would be talking to his godson very soon.

**"You know, I'm surprised the Daily Prophet hasn't reported all these attacks yet," he went on thoughtfully. "I suppose Dumbledore's trying to hush it all up. He'll be sacked if it doesn't stop soon. Father's always said old Dumbledore's the worst thing that's ever happened to this place. He loves Muggleborns. A decent headmaster would never've let slime like that Creevey in." Malfoy started taking pictures with an imaginary camera and did a cruel but accurate impression of Colin: "'Potter, can I have your picture, Potter? Can I have your autograph? Can I lick your shoes, please, Potter?"'**

"That does sound like Colin thought." Hermione muttered "Not the last part but he was driving AJ mad.

**He dropped his hands and looked at AJ and Ron.**

**"What's the matter with you, Crabbe?" Malfoy's eyes narrowed suddenly. "And why're you still sitting over there doll and not next to me? Where's Goyle?"**

Sirius glared "I will kill him if he touches you."

**AJ flipped her hair and smiled seductively at Malfoy "I'm sorry darling; I don't know what's wrong with me." AJ got up and sat on Malfoy's awaiting lap and continued talking**

All the men besides Snape were having trouble controlling their anger at this point; they didn't want AJ near that slime ball.

"**Can you believe how stupid Potter is? She thinks she's so cool changing her hair and that stupid scar is beyond hideous."**

"You're a very good actress." Regulus complimented "But no more putting yourself down sweets."

**Malfoy laughed harshly and wrapped an arm around AJ's waste. "Well, you have that right. Ugly little Mudblood lover... did you know her mother's a Mudblood? Didn't surprise me when I found out."**

"That arrogant son-of-a bitch!" Sirius snarled out

Remus growled "I'll kick his ass!"

**It took absolutely everything AJ had in her body to force out the words, "doesn't surprise me, either."**

**Malfoy laughed again and AJ felt sick.**

Charlie was furious at this point "You shouldn't have had to listen to that shit."

**"Saint Potter, the Mudbloods' friend," he said. "She's another one with no proper wizard feeling, or she wouldn't go around with that jumped up Granger Mudblood. And people think she's Slytherins heir!"**

Andy rolled her eyes "No surprise there."

**AJ and Ron waited with bated breath: Malfoy was surely seconds away from telling them it was him — but then "I wish I knew who it is," said Malfoy petulantly. "I could help them."**

"Damn it!" Ted groaned "You're back to square one again!"

**Ron's jaw dropped so that Crabbe's face looked even more gormlessly than usual.**

**Fortunately, Malfoy didn't notice, and AJ, thinking fast, said, "You must have some idea who's behind it all ..."**

"I doubt it;" Bill muttered "he would have been bragging about."

**"You know I haven't doll, how many times do I have to tell you?" snapped Malfoy. "And Father won't tell me anything about what happened the last time the Chamber was opened, either.**

"He doesn't know anything about it other than rumors that's why." Tonks snarled

**Of course, it was about fifty years ago, so it was before his time, but he knows all about it, and he says that it was all kept quiet and it'll look suspicious if I know too much about it. But I know one thing: last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood died. So I bet it's only a matter of time before one of them's killed this time...I hope it's Granger," he said with relish.**

Bill glared at the book and hugged Hermione; he would kill Malfoy if he ever said that in front of him.

**Ron was clenching Crabbe's gigantic fist. Feeling that it would be a bit of a give-away if Ron punched Malfoy,**

Ron shifted "I wanted to so badly. It would have made me feel a hell of a lot better."

**AJ shot him a warning look and said, "D'you know if the person who opened the Chamber last time was caught?"**

Charlie was silently praying they didn't get caught because of his brother's temper.

**"Oh, yeah... whoever it was expelled," said Malfoy. "They're probably still in Azkaban." He shifted restlessly in his chair and said, "Father says to keep my head down and let the heir of Slytherin get on with it. He says the school needs ridding of all the Mudblood filth, but not to get mixed up in it. Of course, he's got a lot on his plate at the know the Ministry of Magic raided our Manor last week?"**

"Good!" Kingsley and Tonks shouted

**AJ forced Daphne's face into a look of concern.**

**"Yeah ..." said Malfoy. "Luckily, they didn't find much. Father's got some very valuable Dark Arts stuff. But luckily, we've got our own secret chamber under the drawing-room floor -"**

Tonks grinned "Good, keep giving up your daddy's secrets."

"We'll get your daddy in Azkaban." Kingsley said happily

**"Ho!" said Ron.**

**Malfoy looked at him. So did AJ. Ron blushed. Even his hair was turning red. His nose was also slowly lengthening - their hour was up.**

"Get out of there now!" Ted yelled "You can't get caught in their common room!"

**Ron was turning back into himself, and from the look of horror he was suddenly giving AJ, she must be, too.**

**They both jumped to their feet.**

Andy nodded frantically "Go! Get out of their! Malfoy won't cover for you if his life depended on it."

**"Medicine for my stomach," Ron grunted, and without further ado they sprinted the length of the Slytherin common room, hurled themselves at the stone wall and dashed up the passage, hoping against hope that Malfoy hadn't noticed anything.**

Snape snarled "Of course he didn't notice, he was too busy giving away family secrets."

**AJ checked her face in the cracked mirror. She was back to normal. Ron hammered on the door of Hermione's cubicle.**

**"Hermione, come out, we've got loads to tell you -**

Bill looked at a blushing Hermione; this was going to embarrass the poor girl.

**"Go away!" Hermione squeaked.**

Remus gave a small smile "I'm sure it wasn't too bad Hermione and if it was Madam Pomfrey has a don't ask policy."

**AJ and Ron looked at each other.**

**"What's the matter?" said Ron. "You must be back to normal by now, we are ..."**

Sirius sighed "Something went wrong…something always goes wrong with you guys."

**But Moaning Myrtle glided suddenly through the cubicle door. AJ had never seen her looking so happy.**

Regulus groaned "It's pretty bad, nothing would make that basket case happier than someone else's misery."

**"Oooooooh, wait till you see," she said. "It's awful!"**

**They heard the lock slide and Hermione emerged, sobbing, her robed pulled up over her head.**

Everyone tensed waiting for the worse.

**"What's up?" said Ron uncertainly. "Have you still got Millicent's nose or something?"**

Snape rolled his eyes "It doesn't work that way Weasley!"

"I didn't know that at the time!" Ron shot back

**Hermione let her robes fall and Ron backed into the sink.**

Ron winced "Sorry Hermione it was a shock."

"I know Ron, I wasn't mad at you." Hermione reassured

**Her face was covered in black fur. Her eyes had gone yellow and there were long pointed ears poking through her hair.**

"A cat?" Bill muttered "You'll be in the hospital wing at least a month."

**"It was a c-cat hair!" she howled. "M-Millicent Bulstrode m-must have a cat! And the P-Potion isn't supposed to be used for animal transformations!"**

**"You'll be teased something dreadful," said Myrtle happily.**

"Go to Hell Myrtle!" Andy snapped "Now's not the time for your sick humor!"

**"It's OK, Hermione," said AJ quickly. "We'll take you up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions ..."**

Regulus smiled "That's the good thing, she never asks questions. She'll always respect patients privacy."

**It took a long time to persuade Hermione to leave the bathroom. Moaning Myrtle sped them on their way with a hearty guffaw.**

**"Wait till everyone finds out you've got a tail!"**

"Thanks Myrtle!" Tonks snapped "We were dying to know that piece of information."

Kingsley dropped his head back "All that for nothing. Damn it."

Ted took the book from Andy "I'll read next and then we can do something for lunch…**The Very Secret Diary**


	36. Very Secret Diary

**Hermione remained in the hospital wing for several weeks.**

"I've never been so happy for the don't ask don't tell policy she has." Hermione smiled

Bill grinned "That would have been hard to explain under the best of circumstances."

**There was a flurry of rumor about her disappearance when the rest of the school arrived back from their Christmas holidays, because of course everyone thought that she had been attacked. **

Ginny glared "No one was attacked during Christmas."

Remus raised a brow "Well when you're away from the castle you don't tend to hear what's going on."

**So many students filed past the hospital wing trying to catch a glimpse of her that Madam Pomfrey took out her curtains again and placed them around Hermione's bed, to spare her the shame of being seen with a furry face.**

Hermione shifted "Malfoy was one of them of course."

**AJ and Ron went to visit her every evening. When the new term started, they brought her each day's homework.**

"That was really nice of you!" Andy beamed "My first trimester was spent in the hospital wing most first and second periods; none of the Slytherins in my year would bother to get my work. You have great friends Hermione."

**"If I'd sprouted whiskers, I'd take a break from work," said Ron, tipping a stack of books onto Hermione's bedside table one evening.**

"You'd take a break of work no matter what the situation." Molly muttered

Ron shifted "I don't like school! Who does at my age?"

**"Don't be silly, Ron, I've got to keep up," said Hermione briskly.**

**Her spirits were greatly improved by the fact that all the hair had gone from her face and her eyes were turning slowly back to brown. "I don't suppose you've got any new leads?" she added in a whisper, so that Madam Pomfrey couldn't hear her.**

"You already eliminated your prime suspect," Sirius grumbled "no one else really shows much interest in killing off anyone that's not a pureblood."

**"Nothing," said AJ darkly **

**"I was so sure it was Malfoy," said Ron, for the hundredth time.**

Charlie snorted "I can see why you thought it was Malfoy but I think it's time to let it go."

**"What's that?" asked AJ, pointing to something gold sticking out from under Hermione's pillow.**

"I hate you." Hermione muttered

AJ grinned "Love you too booboo!"

**"Just a Get Well card," said Hermione hastily, trying to poke it out of sight, but Ron was too quick for her. He pulled it out, flicked it open and read aloud: "To Miss Granger, wishing you a speedy recovery, from your concerned teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League and five times winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming Smile Award."**

Ted rolled his eyes "What a sweet card! I wonder what my favorite part would be. Maybe all his titles, they're fantastic. Whatever happened to this moron?"

"Something he didn't deserve." Ginny bit out

Ted took in everyone's shocked faces "Right…I can see we'll agree to disagree on what happens to him."

**Ron looked up at Hermione, disgusted.**

**"You sleep with this under your pillow?"**

"Sure fire way to get nightmares." Regulus grinned

**But Hermione was spared answering by Madam Pomfrey sweeping over with her evening dose of medicine.**

**"Is Lockhart the smarmiest bloke you've ever met, or what?" Ron said to AJ as they left the dormitory and started up the stairs towards Gryffindor Tower.**

Kingsley laughed "I'm pretty sure we all know AJ's opinion on the man."

"But it never gets old seeing how smart AJ is for hating him right off the bat." Remus smiled

**Snape had given them so much homework, AJ thought most students were most likely to be in the sixth year before they finished it.**

Snape sighed "Wait until this year and we'll see how well you handle this work load if you couldn't handle a second year's work load."

"I'm sorry when did I say I couldn't handle it?" AJ asked politely "I said MOST students not ALL and I didn't include myself in that statement."

**Ron was just saying he wished he had asked Hermione how many rat tails you were supposed to add to a Hair-Raising Potion,**

"You seem to depend on Hermione and AJ a little too much for answers when it comes to homework." Tonks remarked

Ron blushed "It's easier if they just give me the answers instead of looking it up when Hermione practically swallows the book and AJ memorizes everything she reads at first glance."

"That's really not helping your case Ron." Tonks bit out

**when an angry outburst from the floor above reached their ears.**

**"That's Filch," AJ muttered, as they hurried up the stairs and paused, out of sight, listening hard.**

Charlie stiffened "There wasn't another attack was there?"

"No, not this time love." AJ assured

**"You don't think someone else's been attacked?" said Ron tensely.**

**They stood still, their heads inclined towards Filch's voice, which sounded quite hysterical.**

"He wouldn't be hysterical over that." Bill muttered "He would be happy that a student was petrified."

**"-even more work for me! Mopping all night, like I haven't got enough to do! No, this is the final straw; I'm going to Dumbledore-"**

Sirius groaned "It's his job! If he doesn't want to mop up messes than he shouldn't be working in a school where he's supposed to mop up messes!"

"I've missed Sirius' rants." Andy grinned "He's fun when he gets all annoyed."

**His footsteps receded and they heard a distant door slam. They poked their heads around the corner. Filch had clearly been manning his usual lookout post; they were once again on the spot where Mrs. Norris had been attacked.**

"Oh," Remus looked relieved "Myrtle just had a temper tantrum."

Ted laughed "I love the way you put that mate. I'm sure Myrtle would be over the moon with that phrase too."

**"Now what's up with her?" said Ron.**

**"Let's go and see," said AJ, and holding their robes over their ankles they stepped through the great wash of water to the door bearing its 'Out of Order' sign, ignored it as always, and entered.**

"Is it too much to ask that you decided to walk in the opposite direction?" Molly asked

AJ rolled her eyes "You're asking a lot of my past self."

**Moaning Myrtle was crying, if possible, louder and harder than ever before. She seemed to be hiding down her usual toilet. It was dark in the bathroom, because the candles had been extinguished in the great rush of water that had left both walls and floor soaking wet.**

"I'm still amazed that she still has enough energy from her life to be able to cause a flood." Remus remarked

**"What's new Myrtle?" said AJ.**

**"Who's that?" glugged Myrtle miserably. "Come to throw something else at me?"**

Ginny stiffened considerably at that, she didn't she caused so many issues that day.

**AJ waded across to her cubicle and said, "Why would I throw something at you?"**

"Kids make it a game." Andy supplied

Hermione gaped at the women "They played it when you were in school too?"

"Of course," laughed Andy "They've been playing that since she passed on I believe."

**"Don't ask me," Myrtle shouted, emerging with a wave of yet more water, which splashed onto the already sopping floor. "Here I am, minding my own business, and someone thinks it's funny to throw a book at me ..."**

**"But it can't hurt you if someone throws something at you," said AJ, reasonably. "I mean, it'd just go right through you, wouldn't it?"**

Regulus sighed "Probably not the best way to put that to an irate ghost sweets."

"It came out worse then I intended Uncle Reggie." AJ pouted

**She had said the wrong thing. Myrtle puffed herself up and shrieked, "Let's all throw books at Myrtle, because she can't feel it! Ten points if you can get it through her stomach! Fifty points if it goes through her head! Well, ha, ha, ha! What a lovely game, I don't think!"**

"Well it's probably funnier to the living rather than the dead." Ron said casually

Bill shook his head "Yeah Ron we kind of got that."

**"Who threw it at you, anyway?" asked AJ.**

The golden trio fought the urge to look at Ginny, it wasn't her fault but she did cause a lot of issues.

**"I don't know… I was just sitting in the U-bend, thinking about death, and it fell right through the top of my head," said Myrtle, glaring at them. "It's over there, it got washed out…"**

"Why is she constantly talking about death?" Charlie asked

Kingsley shrugged "She died young and understanding death is hard enough for the elderly let alone the young. She might not have accepted her death yet."

**AJ and Ron looked under the sink where Myrtle was pointing. A small, thin book lay there.**

Ginny stiffened again "You should have just left it there."

"Or you could have brought it to a teacher, looks like we both fucked up in that department." AJ snapped

**It had a shabby black cover and was as wet as everything else in the bathroom. AJ stepped forward to pick it up, but Ron suddenly flung out an arm to hold her back.**

"Good," Tonks muttered "you don't know if it could be dangerous."

**"What?" said AJ**

**"Are you crazy?" said Ron. "It could be dangerous."**

Tonks nodded grabbing Kingsley's hand "You don't want to touch that AJ, it's not a good idea."

**"Dangerous?" said AJ, laughing. "Come off it, how could it be dangerous?"**

AJ groaned lowly "Apparently very."

**"You'd be surprised," said Ron, who was looking apprehensively at the book. "Some of the books the Ministry's confiscated Dad's told me — there was one that burned your eyes out. And everyone who read Sonnets of a Sorcerer spoke in limericks for the rest of their lives. And some old witch in Bath had a book that you could never stop reading! You just had to wander around with your nose in it, trying to do everything one-handed. And —"**

Bill grinned "You definitely went off on a rant there."

"I knew it could be really dangerous and I didn't want AJ getting hurt." Ron said grimly

**"All right, I've got the point," said AJ.**

**The little book lay on the floor, nondescript and soggy. **

**"Well, we won't find out unless we look at it," she said, and she ducked around Ron and picked it up off the floor.**

"You should have left it there, it could be dangerous cub." Remus sighed

Regulus nodded "No one's mad at you sweets we just don't want you getting hurt."

"I know," AJ smiled "for some reason I was drawn to the diary. It was a weird feeling."

**AJ saw at once that it was a diary, and the faded year on the cover told her it was fifty years old.**

**She opened it eagerly. On the first page she could just make out the name "T. M. Riddle" in smudged ink.**

"He had a diary?" Sirius said with a laugh "Like he really kept a diary?"

Remus laughed "I don't suppose he'll like us having this information."

**"Hang on," said Ron, who had approached cautiously and was looking over AJ's shoulder. "I know that name ...**

Kingsley looked shocked "How would you know that name?"

"It'll be explained next sentence." Ron said

**T. M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school fifty years ago."**

Ted looked annoyed "You kept his award in the school after all the shit he did? What in the hell is wrong with the people running that school?"

"It should have been thrown out as soon as all his "deeds" to the wizarding world were popping up." Regulus snarled

**"How on earth d'you know that?" said AJ in amazement.**

**"Because Filch made me polish his shield about fifty times in detention," said Ron resentfully. "That was the one I burped slugs all over. If you'd wiped slime off a name for an hour, you'd remember it, too."**

Andy laughed "Voldemort will love to hear that."

**AJ peeled the wet pages apart. They were completely blank.**

**There wasn't the faintest trace of writing on any of them, not even "Auntie Mabel's birthday", or "dentist, half past three".**

**"He never wrote in it," said AJ, disappointed.**

Tonks raised a brow "What's the point in having it then?"

**"I wonder why someone wanted to flush it away?" said Ron curiously.**

"Because it's pure evil and needed to not be in someone's possession." The golden trio yelled

**AJ turned to the back cover of the book and saw the printed name of a news agent's in Vauxhall Road, London.**

**"He must've been Muggle-born," said AJ thoughtfully, "to have bought a diary from Vauxhall Road... "**

"But Riddle wasn't Muggleborn." Charlie looked confused

AJ smiled "He's a half-blood and not a very proud one at that."

**"Well, it's not much use to you," said Ron. He dropped his voice. "Fifty points if you can get it through Myrtle's nose."**

"I think we can safely say that Myrtle is such a nut." Bill bit out

"She was crazy long before I came along!" Ron defended

Bill rolled his eyes "Good excuse Ron please come up with more of those."

**AJ, however, pocketed it.**

**Hermione left the hospital wing, de-whiskered, tail-less, and fur-free, at the beginning of February.**

"Hey thanks for adding that in there." Hermione muttered

**On her first evening back in Gryffindor Tower, AJ showed her T. M. Riddle's diary and told her the story of how they found it.**

**"Oooh, it might have hidden powers," said Hermione enthusiastically, taking the diary and looking at it closely.**

"I don't know about hidden powers." Sirius smiled "But it's a cool thought."

Ginny snapped "It's not cool Sirius! Why would you say that?"

"What are you talking about? I've never heard about this diary!" Sirius said shocked "Oh and Ginny? Do not disrespect me in my own home."

**"I wish I knew why someone did try to chuck it," said AJ. "I wouldn't mind knowing how Riddle got an award for special services to Hogwarts, either."**

**"Could've been anything," said Ron. "Maybe he got thirty O. or saved a teacher from the giant squid. Maybe he murdered Myrtle that would've done everyone a favor ..."**

"You don't joke about someone being murdered!" Ted snapped "That's not funny!"

Molly glared "Do not snap at my son! I will reprimand him when the time comes."

"I see." Ted bit out "So when he jokes about an innocent girl's death you'll ignore it but if he swears you'll jump down his throat and make him feel like shit? Good to know Molly."

**But AJ could tell from the arrested look on Hermione's face that she was thinking what AJ was thinking.**

"Why?" Regulus asked

**"What?" said Ron, looking from one to the other.**

Regulus glared at not being answered "Feel free to answer either of us."

**"Well, the Chamber of Secrets was opened fifty years ago, wasn't it?" AJ said. "That's what Malfoy said."**

"He was there when the Chamber was opened!" Tonks yelled "He knows who opened it!"

Kingsley nodded "Finally your luck is changing kid!"

**"Oh, Ron, wake up," snapped Hermione. "We know the person who opened the Chamber last time was expelled fifty years ago. We know T. M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school fifty years ago. Well, what if Riddle got his special award for catching the Heir of Slytherin? His diary would probably tell us everything — where the Chamber is, and how to open it, and what sort of creature lives in it — the person who's behind the attacks this time wouldn't want that lying around, would they?"**

**"That's a brilliant theory, Hermione," said Ron, "with just one tiny little flaw. There's nothing written in his diary."**

"Damn." Remus swore "Why wouldn't it have any writing in it?"

Andy sighed "It doesn't make any sense for him not to write in it, especially when it comes to the attacks."

**But Hermione was pulling her wand out of her bag.**

**"It might be invisible ink!" she whispered.**

Regulus looked a little skeptical "I don't think it's invisible, that wasn't popular until about twenty years ago."

**She tapped the diary three times and said, " Aparecium !"**

**Nothing happened.**

"Hey I was right!" Regulus smiled

Sirius rolled his eyes "Good job Reggie, I'll make a note of this moment on the calendar."

**Undaunted, Hermione shoved her hand into her bag and pulled out what appeared to be a bright red eraser.**

**"It's a Revealer, I got it in Diagon Alley," she said.**

"Why did you buy that?" Bill asked

Hermione shrugged "I don't know really, but it seemed like a good thing to have just in case."

**She rubbed hard on January first. Nothing happened.**

**"I'm telling you, there's nothing to find in there," said Ron. "Riddle just got a diary for Christmas and couldn't be bothered filling it in."**

AJ snorted "I can honestly say he wouldn't get that for a Christmas gift."

**AJ couldn't explain, even to himself, why she didn't just throw Riddle's diary away.**

Charlie pulled AJ into a tight hug knowing that AJ regretted not giving it to Dumbledore right away.

**The fact was that even though she knew the diary was blank, she kept absent-mindedly picking it up and turning the pages, as though it was a story she wanted to finish. **

Dumbledore looked alarmed at that, he hadn't realized how much it had affected AJ.

**And while AJ was sure she had never heard the name T. M. Riddle before, it still seemed to mean something to her, almost as though Riddle was a friend she'd had when she was very small, and half-forgotten.**

Everyone stiffened thinking about how much this was affecting AJ and she never told anyone.

**But this was absurd. She'd never had friends before Hogwarts, Dudley had made sure of that. Nevertheless, AJ was determined to find out more about Riddle, so, next day at break, she headed for the trophy room to examine Riddle's special award,**

"They never tell you what the person did to do deserve the award though." Tonks grumbled

**accompanied by an interested Hermione and a thoroughly unconvinced Ron, who told them he'd seen enough of the trophy room to last him a lifetime. Riddle's burnished gold shield was tucked away in a corner cabinet. It didn't carry details of why it had been given to him ("Good thing, too, or it'd be even bigger and I'd still be polishing it," said Ron). However, they did find Riddle's name on an old Medal for Magical Merit, and on a list of old Head Boys.**

Remus looked shocked "He was head boy?"

"Who would have thought that a mass murderer would have been head boy at one point?" Sirius remarked puzzled

**"He sounds like Percy," said Ron, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "Prefect, Head Boy- probably top of every class."**

Ron winced "That was a little harsh."

**"You say that like it's a bad thing," said Hermione, in a slightly hurt voice.**

**The sun had now begun to shine weakly on Hogwarts again. Inside the castle, the mood had grown more hopeful. There had been no more attacks since those on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick, and Madam Pomfrey was pleased to report that the Mandrakes were becoming moody and sensitive, meaning that they were fast leaving childhood.**

Bill beamed "That's great, soon people can tell what was attacking them."

**"The moment their acne clears up, they'll be ready for re-potting again," AJ heard her telling Filch kindly one afternoon. "And after that, it won't be long until we're cutting them up and stewing them. You'll have Mrs. Norris back in no time."**

"I don't know whether to be happy about that one or not." Charlie muttered

AJ laughed "You love animals so you're happy about it even though you hate it."

**Perhaps the heir of Slytherin had lost his nerve, thought AJ. It must be getting riskier and riskier to open the Chamber of Secrets, with the school so alert and suspicious. Perhaps the monster, whatever it was, was even now settling itself down to hibernate for another fifty years...**

"That would be nice," Andy said hopefully "but it's doubtful."

**Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff didn't take this cheerful view. He was still convinced that AJ was the guilty one that he had "given himself away" at the Dueling Club.**

"He doesn't belong in Hufflepuff." Tonks said disgusted "They are supposed to be loyal to one another."

Regulus snorted "Well to be fair they are being loyal, just not to anyone that's in another house."

**Peeve wasn't helping matters; he kept popping up in crowded corridors singing "Oh, Potter, you rotter..." now with a dance-routine to match.**

"That must have made you feel like shit." Ted said sympathetically

AJ sighed "I've been through worse Uncle Ted, it's nothing I can't handle."

**Gilderoy Lockhart seemed to think he himself had made the attacks stop. AJ overheard him telling Professor McGonagall so while the Gryffindors were lining up for Transfiguration.**

Snape rolled his eyes, he wouldn't have been able to get rid of a mouse with a talking cat.

**"I don't think there'll be any more trouble, Minerva," he said, tapping his nose knowingly and winking. "I think that Chamber has been locked for good this time. The culprit must have known it was only a matter of time before I caught them. Rather sensible to stop now, before I came down hard on them.**

"Sure dumbass. I believe that." Sirius deadpanned

**"You know, what the school needs now is a morale-booster. Wash away the memories of last term! I won't say any more just now, but I think I know just the thing..."**

"I really don't want to know what this idiot is planning." Kingsley grimaced

Remus smirked "You never know, it could be a really good plan."

"Oh yea?" Kingsley snapped "Like what?"

"He could be offing himself in his office." Remus and Kingsley smiled at the thought.

**He tapped his nose again and strode off.**

**Lockhart's idea of a morale-booster became clear at breakfast time on February the fourteenth.**

Charlie looked at the scowl on AJ's face and knew whatever Lockhart had cooked up couldn't be good.

**AJ hadn't had much sleep because of a late-running Quidditch practice the night before, and she hurried down to the Great Hall, slightly late. She thought, for a moment, that she'd walked through the wrong doors. The walls were all covered with large, lurid pink flowers.**

All the men in the room looked disgusted, Valentine's day was a holiday for lovers not for pink flowers popping up in the great hall.

**Worse still, heart-shaped confetti was falling from the pale blue ceiling. AJ went over to the Gryffindor table, where Ron was sitting looking sickened, and Hermione seemed to have been overcome with giggles.**

Hermione blushed while AJ and Ron snickered at her past actions.

**"What's going on?" AJ asked them, sitting down and wiping confetti off her bacon.**

**Ron pointed to the teachers' table, apparently too disgusted to speak.**

Ron glared "I stand by that!"

Hermione groaned "It was in second year Ron, it's time to let it go."

**Lockhart, wearing lurid pink robes to match the decorations, was waving for silence.**

"What self-respecting man wears the color pink?" Bill griped

Regulus snorted "I wasn't aware that he was a man, let alone a self-respecting one."

**The teachers on either side of him were looking stony-faced. From where she sat, AJ could see a muscle going in Professor McGonagall's cheek. Snape looked as though someone had just fed him a large beaker of Skele-Gro.**

"I would rather have that than having to deal with Lockhart on another Valentine's day." Snape complained

**"Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart shouted. "And may I thank the forty-six people who have so far sent me cards! Yes, I have taken the liberty of arranging this little surprise for you all — and it doesn't end here!"**

"Oh good!" Tonks fake cheered "I was so worried that the fun was ending."

**Lockhart clapped his hands and through the doors to the entrance hall marched a dozen surly-looking dwarfs. Not just any dwarfs, however. Lockhart had them all wearing golden wings and carrying harps.**

Kingsley chocked on laughter "I'm sorry but he really doesn't do anything halfhearted when it comes to torturing students."

**"My friendly, card-carrying cupids!" beamed Lockhart. "They will be roving around the school today delivering your valentines! And the fun doesn't stop here! I'm sure my colleagues will want to enter into the spirit of the occasion! Why not ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip up a Love Potion!**

"How many love potions did you brew up Severus?" Ted grinned

Snape glared "I am happy to announce that I made none that fateful day."

**And while you're at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I've ever met, the sly old dog!"**

AJ grit her teeth, she was going to kill Lockhart.

**Professor Flitwick buried his face in his hands. Snape was looking as though the first person to ask him for a Love Potion would be force-fed poison. It was a testament to how much this had annoyed McGonagall that she didn't even complain.**

"He really had a death wish didn't he?" Hermione chuckled

**"Please, Hermione, tell me you weren't one of the forty-six," said Ron as they left the Great Hall for their first lesson. Hermione suddenly became very interested in searching her bag for her schedule and didn't answer.**

Ron grinned at his friends scowling face, he knew she hated being reminded of that horrible year.

**All day long, the dwarfs kept barging into their classes to deliver valentines, to the annoyance of the teachers, and late that afternoon as the Gryffindors were walking upstairs for Charms, one of the dwarfs caught up with AJ.**

"That's cute though," Tonks grinned "someone must have really liked you."

Ginny blushed deep red "Seamus and I were trying to be nice."

"Oh, that was…well that's…stalker like to be honest." Tonks shifted

**"Oy, you! Alessandra Potter!" shouted a particularly grim-looking dwarf, elbowing people out of the way to get to AJ.**

"**She died!" Annoyed beyond belief at the thought of being given a valentine in front of a line of first years, which happened to include Ginny Weasley, AJ tried to escape. The dwarf, however, cut her way through the crowd by kicking people's shins, and reached her before she'd gone two paces.**

"I think that could have been done in private." Regulus said kindly

Ginny blushed "Well I thought it was a nice idea!"

"I understand that," Regulus stated calmly "but you have to remember that AJ hates her fame and doesn't like attention on her."

**"I've got a musical message to deliver to 'Alessandra Potter in person," he said, twanging his harp in a threatening sort of way.**

Hermione rubbed the side of her head in remembrance of that horrible dwarf.

**"I don't want it," AJ snarled, trying to escape.**

**"Stay still!" grunted the dwarf, grabbing hold of AJ's bag and pulling her back.**

"Now this is getting out of hand, she obviously doesn't want this." Charlie snarled

**"Let me go!" AJ bit out, tugging. With a loud ripping noise, her bag split in two. Her books, wand, parchment, and quill spilled onto the floor and her ink bottle smashed over everything.**

Sirius groaned "Damn pup you can never just be left alone."

"That day was a living hell for me daddy." AJ pouted "But it ended fairly quickly."

**AJ scrambled around, trying to pick it all up before the dwarf started singing, causing something of a holdup in the corridor.**

**"What's going on here?" came the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy**

"He's a stalker to." Remus growled "He's always around AJ during the worst moments ever."

**AJ started stuffing everything feverishly into her ripped bag, desperate to get away before Malfoy could hear her musical valentine.**

Bill winced "He'll hold that over your head for the rest of your life."

**"What's all this commotion?" said another familiar voice as Percy Weasley arrived.**

"He was no help yet again." AJ growled

"You can't really expect much from him mate." Ron said

**Losing her head, AJ tried to make a run for it, but the dwarf seized her around the knees and brought her crashing to the floor.**

"Hey!" Andy shouted "Be careful with my niece!"

**"Right," he said, sitting on AJ's ankles. "Here is your singing valentine:**

**Her eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad, **

**Her hair is as dark as a blackboard, **

**I wish she were mine, **

**she's really divine, **

**The heroine who conquered the Dark Lord."**

**AJ would have given all the gold in Gringotts to evaporate on the spot.**

Kingsley laughed "Who wrote that again?"

"It was Ginny and Seamus, they apparently thought it was clever." AJ ground out

"It's kind of funny kiddo." Seeing the anger Kingsley hastily said "I mean it wasn't funny at all, they should be in detention till they graduate."

**Trying valiantly to laugh along with everyone else, she got up, her feet numb from the weight of the dwarf, as Percy Weasley did his best to disperse the crowd, some of whom were crying with mirth.**

"Hey look, the idiot can do something right." Bill snapped

**"Off you go, off you go, the bell rang five minutes ago, off to class, now," he said, shooing some of the younger students away. "And you, Malfoy —"**

**AJ, glancing over, saw Malfoy stoop and snatch up something. Leering, he showed it to Crabbe and Goyle, and AJ realized that he'd got Riddle's diary.**

"He has a bad habit of touching things that aren't his." Charlie muttered

**"Give that back," she said quietly.**

**"Wonder what Potter's written in this?" said Malfoy, who obviously hadn't noticed the year on the cover, and thought he had AJ's own diary.**

"He's a brilliant detective." Tonks laughed "He would make his daddy proud."

**A hush fell over the onlookers. Ginny was staring from the diary to AJ, looking terrified.**

Bill raised an eyebrow at his pale looking sister, what did she have to do with the diary?

**"Hand it over, Malfoy," said Percy sternly.**

**"When I've had a look," said Malfoy, waving the diary tauntingly at AJ.**

"Can someone please kick his ass?" Ted begged "It would do him some good really."

Andy sighed "He seems to have gained a lot of the Black traits which are hard to squash once you're his age."

**Percy said, "As a school Prefect -", but AJ had lost her temper. She pulled out her wand and shouted, "Expelliarmus!" and just as Snape had disarmed Lockhart, so Malfoy found the diary shooting out of his hand into the air.**

"I really can't use that spell as much as I do." AJ said more to herself but Charlie heard and frowned.

**Ron, grinning broadly, caught it.**

**"Alessandra!" said Percy loudly. "No magic in the corridors. I'll have to report this, you know!"**

"She was getting her belongings back!" Remus shouted

"Did he report Malfoy for taunting her to the point of needing to use magic in the halls?" Sirius snarled

**But AJ didn't care, she'd got one over Malfoy, and that was worth five points from Gryffindor any day.**

**Malfoy was looking furious, and as Seamus pushed passed him, he yelled spitefully after him, "I don't think Potter liked your valentine much!"**

"I don't like Seamus but he didn't deserve to be humiliated like that in front of the whole school." Charlie reluctantly muttered

**Seamus looked mortified as he looked at AJ, and without looking back, he ran from the hall. It wasn't until they had reached Professor Flitwick's class that AJ noticed something rather odd about Riddle's diary. All her other books were drenched in scarlet ink. The diary, however, was as clean as it had been before the ink bottle had smashed all over it.**

"I don't understand how that could be." Regulus looked puzzled

Andy bit her lip "Maybe it hadn't gotten any ink on it or it's enchanted."

"I think it's an enchantment," Regulus agreed "but not a good kind of enchantment or one that the kids she be exposed to."

**She tried to point this out to Ron, but Ron was having trouble with his wand again; large purple bubbles were blossoming out of the end, and he wasn't much interested in anything else.**

Ron shifted "Sorry AJ but my wand was really bugging me."

**AJ went to bed before anyone else in her dormitory that night. This was partly because she didn't think she could stand Fred and George singing, "Her eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad" one more time,**

Molly groaned in annoyance, they never understood when they would go too far.

**and partly because she wanted to examine Riddle's diary again, and knew that Ron thought she was wasting her time.**

AJ smiled, it wasn't a waste of time but it was a bad idea.

**AJ sat on her four-poster and flicked through the blank pages, not one of which had a trace of scarlet ink on it. Then she pulled a new bottle out of her bedside cabinet, dipped her quill into it, and dropped a blot onto the first page of the diary. The ink shone brightly on the paper for a second and then, as though it was being sucked into the page, vanished.**

"Not good," Tonks muttered "this really isn't good"

Kingsley held her hand "We'll see what happens and hopefully it won't end badly."

**Shocked, AJ loaded up her quill a second time and wrote, "My name is AJ Potter."**

"Don't ever write your name in anything that is absorbing ink AJ." Sirius said sternly

Remus looked to their daughter "It's extremely dangerous and can have serious consequences."

"I know that now papa and I'll never do it again daddy. I don't know why I did it but I did." AJ was kicking herself for playing into Riddles game."

**The words shone momentarily on the page and they, too, sank without trace. Then, at last, something happened. Oozing back out of the page, in her very own ink, came words AJ had never written.**

Ted pinched the bridge of his nose "I can't see any good coming out of this. Please put the diary away."

**"Hello, AJ. My name is Tom Riddle. How did you come by my diary?" **

"Because some moron tried to flush it down a toilet." Kingsley muttered

**These words, too, faded away, but not before AJ had started to scribble back. "Someone tried to throw it away in the girl's bathroom."**

Tonks forced a laugh "Don't listen to Kings AJ, he's not the best negotiator."

**She waited eagerly for Riddle's reply.**

**"Lucky that I recorded my memories in some more lasting way than ink.**

"That just sounds really weird." Regulus grunted "I don't like how it's replying in cryptic little sentences."

**But I always knew that there would be those who would not want this diary read."**

**"What do you mean?" AJ scrawled, blotting the page in her excitement.**

Charlie sighed "He's an asshole and wants to ruin lives, that's what he means. You just have to read between the lines."

**"I mean that this diary holds memories of terrible things. Things that were covered up. Things that happened at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."**

Bill glared "I somehow doubt that his memories are all that accurate."

**"That's where I am now," AJ wrote quickly. "I'm at Hogwarts, and horrible stuff's been happening. Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?"**

"He probably does." Sirius snarled "But of course he won't be truthful with what he knows."

**Her heart was hammering. Riddle's reply came quickly, his writing becoming untidier, as though he was hurrying to tell all he knew.**

Remus growled "Stay the fuck away from my daughter Riddle. She doesn't need to hear your lies."

**"Of course I know about the Chamber of Secrets. In my day, they told us it was a legend that it did not exist. But this was a lie. In my fifth year, the Chamber was opened and the monster attacked several students, finally killing one. I caught the person who'd opened the Chamber and he was expelled. **

"Of course it was a lie you dipshit! You're the one who made it up!" Andy exploded

**But the Headmaster, Professor Dippet, ashamed that such a thing had happened at Hogwarts, forbade me to tell the truth. A story was given out that the girl had died in a freak accident.**

Tonks gapped "A freak accident? Her parents were told it was a freak accident?"

Kingsley hugged her "Her daughter's murder will be in Azkaban or dead when we're done."

**They gave me a nice, shiny, engraved trophy for my trouble and warned me to keep my mouth shut. But I knew it could happen again. The monster lived on, and the one who had the power to release it was not imprisoned."**

Bill snorted "Yeah I'm sure that's how it all went down you jackass."

**AJ nearly upset her ink bottle in her hurry to write back. "It's happening again now. There have been three attacks and no one seems to know who's behind them. Who was it last time?"**

"Not the person he blamed." Hermione said lowly

**"I can show you, if you like," came Riddle's reply. "You don't have to take my word for it. I can take you inside my memory of the night when I caught him."**

Regulus shook his head "Don't do it sweets, please don't do it."

**AJ hesitated, her quill suspended over the diary. What did Riddle mean? How could she be taken inside somebody else's memory? She glanced nervously at the door to the dormitory, which was growing dark. When she looked back at the diary, she saw fresh words forming.**

"Please ignore them, they won't lead to anything good." Charlie shifted

**"Let me show you."**

**AJ paused for a fraction of a second and then wrote two letters.**

**"OK."**

Everyone tensed thinking of AJ being sucked into his memories.

**The pages of the diary began to blow as though caught in a high wind, stopping halfway through the month of June. Mouth hanging open, AJ saw that the little square for June the thirteenth seemed to have turned into a minuscule television screen.**

"What did he do to that diary?" Remus asked to himself holding his husbands hand firmly.

**Her hands trembling slightly, she raised the book to press her eye against the little window, and before she knew what was happening, she was tilting forwards; the window was widening, she felt his body leave her bed and she was pitched headfirst through the opening in the page, into a whirl of color and shadow.**

"It's like a pensieve except a really creepier version." Andy muttered faintly

Ted nodded "I don't like this at all, this is bad."

**She felt her feet hit solid ground, and stood, shaking, as the blurred shapes around him came suddenly into focus. She knew immediately where she was. This circular room with the sleeping portraits was Dumbledore's office - but it wasn't Dumbledore who was sitting behind the desk.**

"No it would be the headmaster of fifty years previously." Snape sneered

**A wizened, frail-looking wizard, bald except for a few wisps of white hair, was reading a letter be candlelight. AJ had never seen this man before.**

**"I'm sorry," she said shakily, "I didn't mean to butt in ..."**

Ginny rolled her eyes "He can't hear you. It's a memory."

Charlie snapped "She doesn't know that! Lay off!"

**But the wizard didn't look up. He continued to read, frowning slightly.**

**AJ drew nearer to his desk and stammered, "Er - I'll just go, shall I?"**

Ginny snorted, seriously how hard is it to understand you're in a memory?

**Still the wizard ignored her. She didn't seem to have heard him.**

**"Sorry I disturbed you, I'll go now," She half-shouted.**

Remus smiled a little "You're still polite, I love that about you cub."

**The wizard folded up the letter with a sigh, stood up, walked past AJ without glancing at him and went to draw the curtains at his window. The sky outside the window was ruby red; it seemed to be sunset. The wizard went back to the desk, sat down and twiddled his thumbs, watching the door. AJ looked round the office. No Fawkes the phoenix- no whirring silver contraptions. This was Hogwarts as Riddle had known it, meaning that this unknown wizard was the Headmaster, not Dumbledore, and she, AJ, was little more than a phantom, completely invisible to the people of fifty years ago.**

"That's one way to look at it." Tonks smiled

**There was a knock on the office door.**

**"Enter," said the old wizard in a feeble voice.**

**A boy of about sixteen entered, taking off his pointed hat. A silver prefect's badge was glinting on his chest. He was much taller than AJ, but he, too, had jet-black hair.**

Charlie looked annoyed "Don't compare yourself to that jackass punk."

**"Ah, Riddle," said the Headmaster.**

**"You wanted to see me, Professor Dippet?" said Riddle. He looked nervous.**

"It was most likely all an act." Snape muttered

**"Sit down," said Dippet. "I've just been reading the letter you sent me."**

**"Oh," said Riddle. He sat down, gripping his hands together very tightly.**

Kingsley growled "He's such a good actor, but if Dippet was paying closer attention he would see that."

**"My dear boy," said Dippet kindly, "I cannot possibly let you stay at school over the summer. Surely you want to go home for the holidays?"**

AJ stiffened, she didn't like how much they had in common.

**"No," said Riddle at once, "I'd much rather stay at Hogwarts than go back to that - to that-"**

"Thank Merlin he wasn't allowed to stay." Bill muttered

**"You live in a Muggle orphanage during the holidays, I believe?" said Dippet curiously.**

**"Yes, sir," said Riddle, reddening slightly.**

"Why would he blush over that?" Ted asked

AJ shrugged "He probably didn't like the fact he was parentless."

**"You are Muggle-born?"**

**"Half-blood, sir," said riddle. "Muggle father, witch mother."**

"I love the irony of it all." Remus laughed without humor

**"And are both your parents -?"**

**"My mother died just after I was born, sir. They told me at the orphanage she lived just long enough to name me: Tom after my father, Marvolo after my grandfather."**

Dumbledore shook his head knowing how much Tom hated his namesake.

**Dippet clicked his tongue sympathetically. "The thing is, Tom," he sighed, "special arrangements might have been made for you, but in the current circumstances..."**

Andy narrowed her eyes "I don't like this, he's playing the headmaster like a pro and he never suspected a thing."

**"You mean all these attacks, sir?" said Riddle, and AJ's heart leapt, and she moved closer, scared of missing anything.**

"Auror material!" Kingsley stage whispered

**"Precisely." said the Headmaster. "My dear boy, you must see how foolish it would be of me to allow you to remain at the castle when term ends. Particularly in light of the recent tragedy... the death of that poor little girl ... You will be safer by far at your orphanage. As a matter of fact, the Ministry of Magic is even now talking about closing the school. We are no nearer locating the - er - source of all this unpleasantness ..."**

Charlie shook his head "Sick bastard is trying to plan his next lie."

**"Oh ... yeah." But his eyes shifted from side to side as though disappointed in a strange way.**

**Riddle's eyes widened. "Sir - if the person was caught... If it all stopped..."**

"He's going to blame an innocent person!" Regulus snarled "Who in the Hell would cover for this sicko?"

**"What do you mean?" said Dippet, with a squeak in his voice, sitting up in his chair. "Riddle, do you mean you know something about these attacks?"**

"Well Professor Dumbass," Tonks bit out "it's the person you're talking to!"

**"No, sir," said Riddle quickly. But AJ was sure it was the same kind of 'no' that she herself had given Dumbledore.**

AJ closed her eyes, they were too much alike.

**Dippet sank back, looking faintly disappointed.**

**"You may go, Tom..."**

"You're joking right?" Sirius bit out "How can you not see through this man?"

**Riddle slid off his chair and stumped out of the room. AJ followed him.**

Hermione grinned "Not much of a choice in the matter really."

"Thanks for the lesson on walking in a memory Mio." AJ deadpanned

**Down the moving spiral staircase they went, emerging next to the gargoyle in the darkening corridor. Riddle stopped dead, and so did AJ, watching him. AJ could tell that Riddle was doing some serious thinking. He was biting his lip, his forehead furrowed.**

"He's planning on how to make this work in his favor." Ted said through clenched teeth

**Then, as though he had suddenly reached a decision, he hurried off, AJ gliding noiselessly behind him. They didn't see another person until they reached the Entrance Hall, when a tall wizard with long, sweeping auburn hair and beard called to Riddle from the marble staircase.**

**"What are you doing, wandering around this late, Tom?"**

"Setting an innocent person up." AJ shrugged "What else?"

**AJ gaped at the wizard. He was none other than a fifty-year-younger Dumbledore.**

**"I had to see the Headmaster, sir," said Riddle.**

"Arrogant bastard." Remus muttered

**"Well, hurry off to bed," said Dumbledore, giving Riddle exactly the kind of penetrating stare AJ knew so well. "Best not to roam the corridors these days. Not since..."**

"You could have questioned him yourself." Regulus scowled "You see through people like moody."

**He sighed heavily, bade Riddle goodnight and strode off. Riddle watched him walk out of sight and then, moving quickly, headed straight down the stone steps to the dungeons, with AJ in hot pursuit. But to AJ's disappointment, Riddle led him not into a hidden passageway or a secret tunnel but the very dudgeon in which Harry had Potions with Snape. **

Snape shifted uneasily wondering what the Dark Lord was up to.

**The torches hadn't been lit, and when Riddle pushed the door almost closed, AJ could only just see Riddle, standing stock-still by the door, watching the passage outside. It felt to AJ that they were there for at least an hour. All she could see was the figure of Riddle at the door, staring through the crack, waiting like a statue. And just when AJ had stopped feeling expectant and tense, and started wishing she could return to the present, she heard something move beyond the door.**

Everyone tensed forgetting AJ couldn't be harmed in a memory

**Someone was creeping along the passage. She heard whoever it was pass the dungeon where she and Riddle were hidden. Riddle, quiet as a shadow, edged through the door and followed, AJ tiptoeing behind him, forgetting that she couldn't be heard.**

Bill grinned "The first few times it's easy to forget but you'll get used to it I suppose."

**For perhaps five minutes they followed the footsteps, until Riddle stopped suddenly, his head inclined in the direction of new noises. AJ heard a door creak open, and then someone speaking in a hoarse whisper.**

AJ shook her head in anger, she hated Tom more and more reading these books, reliving her past.

**"C'mon... gotta get yeh outta here... c'mon now... in the box..."**

**There was something familiar about that voice.**

"I don't like where this is going." Ted said with annoyance

**Riddle suddenly jumped around the corner. AJ stepped out behind him. She could see the dark outline of a huge boy who was crouching in front of an open door, a very large box next to it.**

"I think I know who that is." Sirius said slowly "He better not accuse who I think it is."

**"Evening, Rubeus," said Riddle sharply.**

"BASTARD!" everyone yelled

**The boy slammed the boy shut and stood up.**

**"What yer doin' down here, Tom?"**

"Accusing you of murder." Remus bit out

**Riddle stepped closer.**

**"It's all over," he said. "I'm going to have to turn you in, Rubeus. They're talking about closing Hogwarts if the attacks don't stop."**

**"What d'yeh-"**

**"I don't think you meant to kill anyone. But monsters don't make good pets. I suppose you just let it out for exercise and-"**

"Oh come on!" yelled Bill "Hagrid wouldn't have a pet like that!"

**"It never killed no one!" said the large boy, backing against the closed door. From behind her, AJ could hear a funny rustling and clicking.**

Ron shuddered knowing exactly what that was.

**"Come on, Rubeus," said Riddle, moving yet closer. "The dead girl's parents will be here tomorrow. The least Hogwarts can do is making sure that the thing that killed their daughter is slaughtered..."**

"Then let us kill you Tommy." Kingsley growled

**"It wasn' him!" roared the boy, his voice echoing in the dark passage. "He wouldn'! He never!"**

**"Stand aside," said Riddle, drawing out his wand.**

"I hate him!" Charlie yelled "Even as a fifteen year old he causes all this trouble and no one bothers to check him out!"

**His spell lit the corridor with a sudden flaming light. The door behind the large boy flew open with such a force it knocked him into the wall opposite. And out of it came something that made AJ let out a long, piercing scream no one but he seemed to hear. A vast, low-slung, hairy body and a tangle of black legs; a gleam of many eyes and a pair of razor-sharp pincers-**

Tonks made a disgusted face "Spiders can't petrify dumbass!"

**Riddle raised his wand again, but he was too late.**

Ron bit his lip, he so wished that spider was gone.

**The thing bowled him over as it scuttled away, tearing up the corridor and out of sight. Riddle scrambled to his feet, looking after it; he raised his wand, but the huge boy leapt on him, seized his wand and threw him back down, yelling, "NOOOOOOO!"**

Ted grinned "Good, make sure you hurt that bastard."

**The scene whirled, the darkness became complete, AJ felt herself falling and, with a crash, she landed spread-eagled on her four-poster in the Gryffindor dormitory, Riddle's diary lying open on her stomach.**

"That must have felt really weird." Andy tried to smile

AJ nodded "It took a few minutes to catch my breath and regain my barring's."

**Before she had time to regain her breath, the dormitory door opened and Hermione came in.**

**"There you are," she said.**

"You looked like you were just getting back from a run with the quidditch team." Hermione grinned

**AJ sat up. She was sweating and shaking.**

"I would be like that too." Regulus voice cracking "It's a horrible feeling coming back from a memory like that."

**"What's up?" said Hermione, looking at her with concern.**

**"Hagrid was blamed for opening the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago."**

Everyone besides Molly was in a shocked silence. "I believe I'll start a lunch now." Molly muttered to the room.


	37. Cornelius Fudge

Lunch was very tense while everyone processed what had happened in a school that was supposedly very safe. They knew Dumbledore wasn't to blame but it was easy to point the finger when your child's life was being threatened at every turn. Once everyone finished their lunch they went back into the sitting room silently praying that nothing dangerous was happening in the next few chapters. Remus flipped the book open and rolled his eyes reading the next chapter,

**Cornelius Fudge: AJ, Ron, and Hermione had always known that Hagrid had an unfortunate liking for large and monstrous creatures.**

Molly glared "Unfortunate isn't the word I would use."

"Good thing no one asked for your opinion." AJ bit out, already pissed off with how Molly could even think Hagrid would do such a thing.

**During their first year at Hogwarts he had tried to raise a dragon in his little wooden house, **

"Something we have to thank Dragon boy for." Regulus muttered

Charlie shifted "I thought we moved past this…I didn't give him the dragon!"

**and it would be a long time before they forgot the giant, three-headed dog he'd christened "Fluffy." And if, as a boy, Hagrid had heard that a monster was hidden somewhere in the castle, AJ was sure he'd have gone to any lengths for a glimpse of it.**

"Doesn't mean he would ever do anything intentionally to hurt someone." Kingsley remarked

Tonks nodded "Hagrid loves Hogwarts and wouldn't jeopardize his education there."

**He'd probably thought it was a shame that the monster had been cooped up so long, and thought it deserved the chance to stretch its many legs; AJ could just imagine the thirteen-year-old Hagrid trying to fit a leash and collar on it. But she was equally certain that Hagrid would never have meant to kill anybody.**

"I can't imagine Hagrid wanting a pet to kill someone." Hermione smiled

Bill nodded "His pets have always been a little…dangerous, but he would never let them hurt a student on his watch."

**AJ half wished she hadn't found out how to work Riddle's diary. Again and again Ron and Hermione made her recount what she'd seen, until she was heartily sick of telling them and sick of the long, circular conversations that followed.**

Ron blushed "Sorry AJ, we were just really curious."

AJ shrugged "I understand but reliving it was no picnic."

**"Riddle might have got the wrong person," said Hermione. "Maybe it was some other monster that was attacking people…"**

**"How many monsters d'you think this place can hold?" Ron asked dully.**

Ted glared "Too many in my opinion."

"How many monsters did you three run into?" Andy asked a little fearful of the answer, but all she got in return were three smiles.

**"We know Hagrid was expelled," said AJ miserably. "And the attacks must've stopped after Hagrid was kicked out. Otherwise, Riddle wouldn't have got his award. But I'm telling you it wasn't Hagrid!" **

**Ron tried a different tack. "Riddle does sound like Percy — who asked him to squeal on Hagrid, anyway?"**

"He wouldn't have been asked he screws people over for laughs." Sirius fumed

Remus smirked "He'll get what he deserves by the end of these books love."

**"But the monster had killed someone, Ron," said Hermione.**

**"And Riddle was going to go back to some Muggle orphanage if they closed Hogwarts," said AJ. "I don't blame him for wanting to stay here…"**

Charlie hugged AJ "You aren't like him punk, he's a disgusting fowl jackass. He hurts people for his own sick pleasure; you're an amazing person with a heart of gold."

**"You met Hagrid down Knockturn Alley, didn't you, AJ?"**

**"He was buying a Flesh-Eating Slug Repellent," said AJ quickly.**

Tonks glared "You did believe AJ when she said it could have been Hagrid right?

"Of course but all the signs were pointing against him!" Ron exclaimed

**The three of them fell silent. After a long pause, Hermione voiced the knottiest question of all in a hesitant voice. "Do you think we should go and ask Hagrid about it all?"**

"I don't think that would be the best idea guys." Sirius said sympathetically

Ted nodded "He probably doesn't want to relive what happened fifty years ago."

**"That'd be a cheerful visit," said Ron. "'Hello, Hagrid. Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?'"**

**In the end, they decided that they would not say anything to Hagrid unless there was another attack,**

Hermione shifted uncomfortably thinking about what was to come.

**and as more and more days went by with no whisper from the disembodied voice, they became hopeful that they would never need to talk to him about why he had been expelled. It was now nearly four months since Justin and Nearly Headless Nick had been Petrified, and nearly everybody seemed to think that the attacker, whoever it was, had retired for good.**

AJ couldn't suppress a glare directed towards Ginny; she should have gone to an adult the minute her memory started to fade.

**Peeves had finally got bored with his "Oh, Potter, you rotter" song,**

Tonks rolled her eyes "Well at least he knows when to shut his mouth."

"He was just trying to lighten the mood in his own weird way." Kingsley whispered

**Ernie Macmillan asked AJ quite politely to pass a bucket of leaping toadstools in Herbology one day, and in March several of the Mandrakes threw a loud and raucous party in greenhouse three. This made Professor Sprout very happy.**

"They're like her babies," smiled Remus "she's very protective of them and loves them."

"But they're just plants." Ginny muttered under her breath

**"The moment they start trying to move into each other's pots, we'll know they're fully mature," she told AJ. "Then we'll be able to revive those poor people in the hospital wing."**

Bill relaxed slightly hoping that Hermione wasn't petrified for too long.

**The second years were given something new to think about during their Easter holidays. The time had come to choose their subjects for the third year, a matter that Hermione, at least, took very seriously.**

Hermione blushed "It's important! I stand by my past self."

"Yeah but we were only twelve and thirteen year olds, who really knows what they want to do that young." Ron laughed

"Surprisingly enough Ronald people do take their futures seriously." Hermione glared

**"… it could affect our whole future," she told AJ and Ron as they pored over lists of new subjects, marking them with checks.**

**"I just want to give up Potions," said AJ. **

Snape smirked at that but was slightly put out that she wanted to leave potions, she was very good at it and could become a master at it with a little time and more patients from himself.

**"We can't," said Ron gloomily. "We keep all our old subjects, or I'd've ditched Defense Against the Dark Arts."**

"Can't blame you there," Regulus laughed "I would have been skipping defense if I had that jerk teaching the class."

Molly sniffed "It's a very important class and my son should not and will not skip a class because of the teacher!"

Regulus ignored Molly's tirade and said "If you feel the need to ditch you come to your Uncle Reggie. I got your back AJ."

**"But that's very important!" said Hermione, shocked.**

**"Not the way Lockhart teaches it," said Ron. "I haven't learned anything from him except not to set pixies loose."**

Ted rolled his eyes "That's common sense though, he's not teaching anything of importance!"

"He's not teaching now Teddy," Andy tried to sound positive "he's probably locked up somewhere by now."

Ted smiled "That's a comforting thought love, thank you."

**Neville Longbottom had been sent letters from all the witches and wizards in his family, all giving him different advice on what to choose. Confused and worried, he sat reading the subject lists with his tongue poking out, asking people whether they thought Arithmancy sounded more difficult than the study of Ancient Runes. Dean Thomas, who, like AJ, had grown up with Muggles, ended up closing his eyes and jabbing his wand at the list, then picking the subjects it landed on.**

"McGonagall should have been more helpful!" Charlie bit out "They're only second years and should have someone from the outside giving advice not a family member or a friend."

Sirius nodded "It would have made them a lot less nervous, they are just second years and figuring out what to do in school is never easy."

**Hermione took nobody's advice but signed up for everything.**

Kingsley looked wide eyed "How is that possible? Some classes overlap each other."

"Well," Hermione shifted "you'll have to wait and see. It wasn't my brightest idea."

**AJ smiled grimly to herself at the thought of what Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia would say if she tried to discuss her career in wizardry with them. Not that she didn't get any guidance: Percy Weasley was eager to share his experience.**

Regulus snorted "I'm sure that was all very pleasant and you took it all to heart I hope."

**"Depends where you want to go, Alessandra," he said. "It's never too early to think about the future, so I'd recommend Divination.**

Remus spit out his water "Why in the hell would you ever recommend that class?"

"Now I really recommend you ditch that class pup, it'll save you a headache." Sirius grinned

**People say Muggle Studies is a soft option, but I personally think wizards should have a thorough understanding of the non-magical community, particularly if they're thinking of working in close contact with them — look at my father, he has to deal with Muggle business all the time.**

Andy laughed "I remember hearing about Sirius taking muggle studies and how he received the highest grade recorded for that year."

Sirius blushed at all the looks "I wanted to piss off my parents and I had fun doing it."

**My brother Charlie was always more of an outdoors type, so he went for Care of Magical Creatures.**

Charlie grinned at all the good times he had with Hagrid during that class.

**Play to your strengths, Alessandra." **

**But the only thing AJ felt she was really good at was Quidditch.**

AJ ignored the disbelieving looks she was getting; it wasn't like she wanted to showcase her strengths.

**In the end, she chose the same new subjects as Ron, feeling that if she was lousy at them, at least she'd have someone friendly to help her.**

AJ and Ron grinned at each other; they did make boring classes more tolerable.

**Gryffindor's next Quidditch match would be against Hufflepuff. Wood was insisting on team practices every night after dinner, so that AJ barely had time for anything but Quidditch and homework.**

"He was normal at one point," AJ smiled "then it was all shot to hell the following year."

**However, the training sessions were getting better, or at least drier, and the evening before Saturday's match she went up to her dormitory to drop off her broomstick feeling Gryffindor's chances for the Quidditch cup had never been better. But her cheerful mood didn't last long.**

Charlie groaned "What could possibly go wrong now?"

"It is AJ," Bill grinned "we're noticing that anything is possible with her."

**At the top of the stairs to the dormitory, she met Parvarti Patil, who was looking frantic. "AJ— I don't know who did it — I just found —"**

Hermione snorted "Drama queen."

**Watching AJ fearfully, Parvarti pushed open the door.**

"They always assume that I'm going to blow up or something. It's really annoying." AJ ground out

Ted laughed "They're young sweetheart, they always expect the worse."

**The contents of AJ's trunk had been thrown everywhere. Her cloak lay ripped on the floor. The bedclothes had been pulled off her four-poster and the drawer had been pulled out of her bedside cabinet, the contents strewn over the mattress. **

"Whoever did it was obviously looking for something." Tonks fumed

Kingsley looked thoughtful "But what could they want so badly that they would trash someone else's property like that."

**AJ walked over to the bed, open-mouthed, treading on a few loose pages of Travels with Trolls. As she and Parvarti pulled the blankets back onto her bed, Hermione and Lavender came in. Lavender swore loudly.**

"Well yeah I can imagine being a little shocked," Remus muttered "that doesn't usually happen at Hogwarts."

Sirius shrugged "First time for everything I suppose."

**"What happened, AJ?"**

**"No idea," said AJ. But Hermione was examining AJ's robes. All the pockets were hanging out.**

Bills eyes narrowed "It's obviously something specific that the person is looking for and small enough that it fits into a pocket."

"Yeah but that doesn't really give us much to work on." Charlie snorted

**"Someone's been looking for something," said Hermione. "Is there anything missing?"**

**AJ started to pick up all her things and throw them into her trunk. It was only as she threw the last of the Lockhart books back into it that she realized what wasn't there.**

Everyone leaned forward silently praying that it wasn't what they thought it was.

**"Riddle's diary's gone," she said in an undertone to Hermione.**

"Damn it!" Regulus swore "This isn't going to end well."

Andy shook her head "If it gets into the wrong hands the effects could be disastrous."

**"**_**What**_**?"**

**AJ jerked her head toward the dormitory door and Hermione followed her out. They hurried down to the Gryffindor common room, which was half-empty, and joined Ron, who was sitting alone and studying a chess board.**

Ron grinned thinking about playing a game of chess, he needed a new opponent.

**Ron looked aghast at the news. "But — only a Gryffindor could have stolen — nobody else knows our password —"**

"Now there's a cheerful thought." Charlie muttered

"It had to of been one of the girls," Tonks remarked "guys don't have access to the girls dormitories."

Charlie frowned "But that's every girl in Gryffindor, who would do that?"

**"Exactly," said AJ.**

**They woke the next day to brilliant sunshine and a light, refreshing breeze.**

"I love warmth," AJ sighed happily "nothing is better than the heat."

Sirius smiled "You got that right pup, but winter has its upsides."

"We always have fun in the winter month's punk." Charlie grinned than shifted under the glares "I just…it…we never…never mind."

**"Perfect Quidditch conditions!" said Wood enthusiastically at the Gryffindor table, loading the team's plates with scrambled eggs. "AJ, buck up there, you need a decent breakfast."**

Regulus shook his head "He needs to calm down; it's a game not the deciding factor in life and death."

"Never say that to Wood," Ron laughed "he would kill you for even thinking of it."

**AJ had been staring down the packed Gryffindor table, wondering if the new owner of Riddle's diary was right in front of her eyes. Hermione had been urging her to report the robbery, but AJ didn't like the idea. She'd have to tell a teacher all about the diary, and how many people knew why Hagrid had been expelled fifty years ago?**

"I see where you're coming from kid," Kingsley stated "but going to an adult might have been the best course of action."

AJ sighed "In the beginning it would have made sense to go to an adult but in the end its better that we didn't."

**She didn't want to be the one who brought it all up again. As she left the Great Hall with Ron and Hermione to go and collect her Quidditch things, another very serious worry was added to AJ's growing list. She had just set foot on the marble staircase when she heard it yet again.**

"Fucking hell," Sirius snarled "you can never get a break?"

AJ smiled grimly "It sure seems that way doesn't it daddy? But its fine, I can handle it."

**"Kill this time… let me rip… tear…" **

**She shouted aloud and Ron and Hermione both jumped away from her in alarm.**

**"The voice!" said AJ, looking over her shoulder. "I just heard it again — didn't you?" Ron shook his head, wide-eyed. Hermione, however, clapped a hand to her forehead.**

Hermione grabbed Bills hand; she didn't really want to hear about herself being petrified.

**"AJ — I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library!"**

**And she sprinted away, up the stairs.**

Bill groaned "Now you're alone and whatever it is can attack you."

Hermione held Bills hand a little tighter "It's in the past and as much as it hurts we can't let it get to us."

**"What does she understand?" said AJ distractedly; still looking around, trying to tell where the voice had come from.**

**"Loads more than I do," said Ron, shaking his head.**

Charlie grinned "Nothing new then right Ron?"

"Shut up dragon boy." Ron muttered while blushing deep red

**"But why's she got to go to the library?"**

**"Because that's what Hermione does," said Ron, shrugging. "When in doubt, go to the library."**

Molly glared "You should be spending more time in the library then trying to find trouble."

"They don't look for trouble Molly," Sirius sighed "they just get caught up in situations that are beyond their control."

**AJ stood, irresolute, trying to catch the voice again, but people were now emerging from the Great Hall behind her, talking loudly, exiting through the front doors on their way to the Quidditch pitch.**

"Somehow I doubt you get to play a peaceful game of Quidditch." Andy sighed

Tonks snorted "I doubt they even get to play the damn game."

**"You'd better get moving," said Ron. "It's nearly eleven — the match —" **

**AJ raced up to Gryffindor Tower, collected her Nimbus Two Thousand, and joined the large crowd swarming across the grounds, but her mind was still in the castle along with the bodiless voice, and as she pulled on her scarlet robes in the locker room, her only comfort was that everyone was now outside to watch the game. The teams walked onto the field to tumultuous applause. Oliver Wood took off for a warm-up flight around the goal posts; Madam Hooch released the balls.**

"Just catch the snitch before anything gets too out of hand punk." Charlie murmured

AJ smiled "Little too late for that Char, but it ends quicker than you think."

**The Hufflepuffs, who played in canary yellow, were standing in a huddle, having a last-minute discussion of tactics. AJ was just mounting her broom when Professor McGonagall came half marching, half running across the pitch, carrying an enormous purple megaphone.**

"Canceling Quidditch?" Kingsley asked shocked "That never happens."

"Something really bad must have happened." Remus muttered

**AJ's heart dropped like a stone.**

**"This match has been cancelled," Professor McGonagall called**

"Whatever happened must have been really horrible," Sirius sighed "this isn't going to have a happy ending to the chapter."

**through the megaphone, addressing the packed stadium. There were boos and shouts. Oliver Wood, looking devastated, landed and ran toward Professor McGonagall without getting off his broomstick. **

**"But, Professor!" he shouted. "We've got to play — the cup —Gryffindor —"**

Ted groaned "He's a basket case! He needs to be admitted to the nearest hospital for an evaluation."

"He does sound a little crazy there," Regulus smirked "but he's young and to him the game is the most important thing."

**Professor McGonagall ignored him and continued to shout through her megaphone: "All students are to make their way back to the House common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!" Then she lowered the megaphone and beckoned AJ over to her.**

Hermione stiffened at what was to come; she didn't want her friends to hear about her accident in front of everyone.

**"Potter, I think you'd better come with me…"**

"She's not going to blame you for something right?" Remus asked sharply

AJ shook her head "No papa, she just needed me to see something."

**Wondering how she could possibly suspect her this time, AJ saw Ron detach himself from the complaining crowd; he came running up to them as they set off toward the castle. To AJ's surprise, Professor McGonagall didn't object.**

Bill held onto Hermiones hand tightly, reminding himself that she was alive and was okay. He didn't know how he was going to handle the rest of the book if this was just their second year.

**"Yes, perhaps you'd better come, too, Weasley…"**

Andy gasped and looked to Hermione, she didn't like the idea of her niece's best friend being harmed, this was getting ridiculous. That school should have had aurors all around the perimeter or at least investigating what was going on.

**Some of the students swarming around them were grumbling about the match being cancelled; others looked worried. AJ and Ron followed Professor McGonagall back into the school and up the marble staircase. But they weren't taken to anybody's office this time.**

Regulus pinched the bridge of his nose "You're going to the hospital wing because someone was petrified and it's most likely Hermione this time around."

"God I love this book," Tonks muttered "this is the most depressing book ever."

**AJ recognized her as the Ravenclaw they'd accidentally asked for directions to the Slytherin common room. And on the bed next to her was —**

**"Hermione!" Ron groaned.**

Bill wrapped and arm around Hermione silently praying that whoever was causing these attacks was paying for it. There was no excuse for all these things to be going on.

**Hermione lay utterly still, her eyes open and glassy.**

Sirius and Remus shuddered remembering what it was like seeing their friend's bodies after the attack on their home.

**"They were found near the library," said Professor McGonagall. "I don't suppose either of you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them…" She was holding up a small, circular mirror. AJ and Ron shook their heads, both staring at Hermione.**

"What would a mirror do?" Kingsley asked

Tonks shrugged "Maybe it fell out of her pocket or something."

**"All students will return to their House common rooms by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities."**

"Damn," Regulus sighed "total lockdown. That happened a few times when I was a student."

"How often did it happen Uncle Reggie?" AJ asked

"No it usually never happens sweets," Regulus stated "only in times of war or during an attack on the school itself will it be on lockdown."

**The Gryffindors packed inside the common room listened to Professor McGonagall in silence. She rolled up the parchment from which she had been reading and said in a somewhat choked voice, "I need hardly add that I have rarely been so distressed. It is likely that the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught. I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about them to come forward."**

Ginny sighed thinking about how everyone would know she was behind the attacks and never came forward with her memory loss. How would she explain herself to her siblings?

**She climbed somewhat awkwardly out of the portrait hole, and the Gryffindors began talking immediately.**

AJ chuckled "Nothing will stop the party house from talking."

**"That's two Gryffindors down, not counting a Gryffindor ghost, one Ravenclaw, and one Hufflepuff," said the Weasley twins' friend Lee Jordan, counting on his fingers. "Haven't any of the teachers noticed that the Slytherins are all safe? Isn't it obvious all this stuff's coming from Slytherin? The Heir of Slytherin, the monster of Slytherin — why don't they just chuck all the Slytherins out?" he roared, to nods and scattered applause.**

Andy glared "Not all Slytherins are bad! The children that follow in their parents footsteps are giving that house a bad name."

"You can't really blame them Andy," Bill said "all the Slytherins in their year are future death eaters or are pureblood maniacs."

**Percy Weasley was sitting in a chair behind Lee, but for once he didn't seem keen to make his views heard. He was looking pale and stunned.**

"Why was Percy upset?" Remus asked "He wasn't close with Hermione or anyone who was petrified for that matter."

Ron snickered "The Ravenclaw girl that was petrified was his girlfriend. He didn't believe anyone that said she would be okay."

**"Percy's in shock," George told AJ quietly. "That Ravenclaw girl — Penelope Clearwater — she's a prefect. I don't think he thought the monster would dare attack a prefect."**

Ted laughed "It was kind of stupid to think that a prefect wouldn't be petrified because of their school status."

"Even for someone that can be so smart when it comes to academics can be very naïve when it comes to life." Charlie said

"That was very profound dragon boy," Sirius smirked "please don't hold back with your theories."

**Tom Riddle had turned Hagrid in because he was faced with the prospect of a Muggle orphanage if the school closed. AJ now knew exactly how he had felt.**

**"What're we going to do?" said Ron quietly in AJ's ear. "D'you think they suspect Hagrid?"**

Kingsley dropped his head in his hands "Of course they'll blame him, he's the easiest suspect and it's not like he will have people lining up to defend him."

**"We've got to go and talk to him," said AJ, making up her mind. "I can't believe it's him this time, but if he set the monster loose last time he'll know how to get inside the Chamber of Secrets, and that's a start."**

"But it doesn't make any sense on how the person who opened up fifty years ago could open it up again." Tonks said sensibly

Bill snorted "Nothing about this book makes sense, remember that this is AJ and nothing is cut and dry with her."

**"But McGonagall said we've got to stay in our tower unless we're in class —"**

**"I think," said AJ, more quietly still, "it's time to get my dad's old cloak out again."**

Snape rolled his eyes, all Gryffindors had death wishes.

**AJ had inherited just one thing from her father:**

Sirius sighed sadly, she shouldn't have had to grow up without her parents, they didn't deserve death and AJ didn't deserve the life she was given.

**a long and silvery Invisibility Cloak. It was their only chance of sneaking out of the school to visit Hagrid without anyone knowing about it. They went to bed at the usual time, AJ waited until Parvarti and Lavender had stopped discussing the Chamber of Secrets and finally fallen asleep, then got up, dressed again, and threw the cloak over herself before travelling downstairs. She need only wait a few more moments before Ron, pale and shaky, followed quickly. AJ threw the cloak over him as well and they set off.**

Ron blushed "Who really wants to go outside in the middle of the night when something is attacking students?"

Hermione laughed "I wasn't aware that AJ forced you into going Ron, you could have stayed behind I'm sure."

**The journey through the dark and deserted castle corridors wasn't enjoyable. AJ, who had wandered the castle at night several times before, had never seen it so crowded after sunset. Teachers, prefects, and ghosts were marching the corridors in pairs, staring around for any unusual activity. Their Invisibility Cloak didn't stop them making any noise, and there was a particularly tense moment when Ron stubbed his toe only yards from the spot where Snape stood standing guard. Thankfully, Snape sneezed at almost exactly the moment Ron swore.**

Snape glared at anyone who was laughing, he hated those brats. They got away with everything and never understood what they did wrong.

**It was with relief that they reached the oak front doors and eased them open. It was a clear, starry night. They hurried toward the lit windows of Hagrid's house and pulled off the cloak only when they were right outside his front door. Seconds after they had knocked, Hagrid flung it open. They found themselves face-to-face with him aiming a crossbow at them. Fang the boar hound barked loudly behind him.**

"Wow," Regulus said wide eyed "he must be really nervous if he has protection like that."

"Well yeah Reggie it wasn't like it was the safest time for anyone at Hogwarts." Sirius snapped

**"Oh," he said, lowering the weapon and staring at them. "What're you two doin' here?"**

**"What's that for?" said AJ, pointing at the crossbow as they stepped inside.**

Charlie shook his head "How you can remain calm is beyond me, I would have been scared out of my mind."

"It's a talent of mine Char," AJ smiled "I always have to be the calm one."

**"Nothin' — nothin' —" Hagrid muttered. "I've bin expectin' — doesn' matter — Sit down — I'll make tea —"**

"He knows something isn't right." Ted sighed "They are going to blame him and he knows it."

Andy groaned "Fudge is a bumbling jackass and needs to step down from his position if he's always going to blame innocent people."

**He hardly seemed to know what he was doing. He nearly extinguished the fire, spilling water from the kettle on it, and then smashed the teapot with a nervous jerk of his massive hand.**

"This is such bullshit!" Kingsley exploded "He's scared out of his mind for possibly being blamed AGAIN. This is just one of the many reasons why we know Hagrid didn't do it, the guilty party wouldn't be that scared."

**"Are you okay, Hagrid?" said AJ. "Did you hear about Hermione?"**

**"Oh, I heard, all righ'," said Hagrid, a slight break in his voice.**

Hermione smiled sadly thinking about sweet Hagrid, he was such a kind man and didn't deserve to be treated like a criminal.

**He kept glancing nervously at the windows. He poured them both large mugs of boiling water (he had forgotten to add tea bags) and was just putting a slab of fruitcake on a plate when there was a loud knock on the door. Hagrid dropped the fruitcake. **

Remus glared "I can only imagine who that is."

"They wouldn't arrest him without proof." Tonks said trying to make the bad situation worse

"Yeah right Tonks," Remus snorted "they don't care either way when it comes to being innocent or guilty."

**AJ and Ron exchanged panic-stricken looks, then threw the Invisibility Cloak back over themselves and retreated into a corner. Hagrid checked that they were hidden, seized his crossbow, and flung open his door once more.**

**"Good evening, Hagrid."**

**It was Dumbledore. He entered, looking deadly serious, and was followed by a second, very odd-looking man. The stranger had rumpled gray hair and an anxious expression, and was wearing a strange mixture of clothes: a pinstriped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak, and pointed purple boots. Under his arm he carried a lime-green bowler.**

"Great, the jackass himself is there to make it worse." Ted snarled out

Andy hugged her husband "Hagrid is innocent; Fudge will see that soon Teddy."

**"That's Dad's boss!" Ron breathed. "Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic!" **

**AJ elbowed Ron hard to make him shut up.**

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you could get into if you're caught?" Bill shouted "You can't afford to get into more trouble, especially when Fudge is there."

"Bill!" Charlie snarled "It's in the past! As in already happened, obviously they weren't caught considering they are still at Hogwarts!"

**Hagrid had gone pale and sweaty. He dropped into one of his chairs and looked from Dumbledore to Cornelius Fudge.**

**"Bad business, Hagrid," said Fudge in rather clipped tones. "Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks on Muggleborns. Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to act."**

"Now the Ministry wants to act?" Sirius snarled "Four attacks later they decide it's time to get involved?"

"They're morons Siri," Regulus bit out "they don't give a damn about anything except their stands in the political run."

**"I never," said Hagrid, looking imploringly at Dumbledore. "You know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir —"**

**"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence," said Dumbledore, frowning at Fudge.**

"He better" snarked Kingsley "he needs all the support he can get at this point."

**"Look, Albus," said Fudge, uncomfortably. "Hagrid's record's against him. Ministry's got to do something — the school governors have been in touch —"**

"What a jerk! He knows that there isn't a case there but he's still going to act like there is!" Tonks screeched

Kingsley wrapped an arm around her, "He's a jerk and he will be hearing from us after we're finished reading."

**"Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest," said Dumbledore. His blue eyes were full of a fire AJ had never seen before.**

"I wouldn't let my anger get the best of me in front of my students." Dumbledore said softly causing most of the room to jump for he hadn't said more than two words this past chapter.

**"Look at it from my point of view," said Fudge, fidgeting with his bowler. "I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen to be doing something. If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back and no more said. But I've got to take him. Got to. Wouldn't be doing my duty —"**

"So he admits he has no idea what he's doing?" Regulus yelled

Ted nodded "Great minister we have, I don't think we will ever have a better one."

**"Take me?" said Hagrid, who was trembling. "Take me where?"**

Sirius leaned into his husband praying that Hagrid didn't have to go where he thought he was going.

**"For a short stretch only," said Fudge, not meeting Hagrid's eyes. "Not a punishment, Hagrid, more a precaution. If someone else is caught, you'll be let out with a full apology —"**

**"Not Azkaban?" croaked Hagrid.**

"They sent him to Azkaban?" Remus bit out

"They don't care if he's innocent or not." Hermione snorted "As long as someone was taken into custody that night it didn't matter."

**Before Fudge could answer, there was another loud rap on the door. Dumbledore answered it. It was AJ's turn for an elbow in the ribs; she'd let out an audible gasp. Mr. Lucius Malfoy strode into Hagrid's hut, swathed in a long black travelling cloak, smiling a cold and satisfied smile.**

"What could he possibly be doing there at that time of night?" Charlie wondered

Kingsley shrugged "He wants to make sure the "guilty" party is caught."

**Fang started to growl.**

**"Already here, Fudge," he said approvingly. "Good, good…"**

**"What're you doin' here?" said Hagrid furiously. "Get outta my house!"**

"Good!" was shouted around the room; Malfoy was a sadistic bastard and didn't deserve the time of day.

**"My dear man, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your — er — d'you call this a house?" said Lucius Malfoy, sneering as he looked around the small cabin. "I simply called at the school and was told that the headmaster was here."**

"What could he want with Dumbledore at a time like this?" Charlie growled out

**"And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?" said Dumbledore. He spoke politely, but the fire was still blazing in his blue eyes.**

Remus couldn't help but chuckle that was typical Dumbledore.

**"Dreadful thing, Dumbledore," said Malfoy lazily, taking out a long roll of parchment, "but the governors feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension — you'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch. How many attacks have there been now? Two more this afternoon, wasn't it? At this rate, there'll be no Muggleborns left at Hogwarts, and we all know what an awful loss that would be to the school."**

"How is that going to solve anything?" Shouted Ted

"It won't! It's just going to make everything much worse!" Regulus yelled

**"Oh, now, see here, Lucius," said Fudge, looking alarmed, "Dumbledore suspended — no, no — last thing we want just now."**

"Shut up Fudge!" Bill snarled "You don't know what in the hell is going on half the time so why bother trying to figure it out now?"

Tonks shook her head "This is going to make it so more people are attacked, this is complete bullshit!"

**"The appointment — or suspension — of the headmaster is a matter for the governors, Fudge," said Mr. Malfoy smoothly. "And as Dumbledore has failed to stop these attacks —"**

**"See here, Malfoy, if Dumbledore can't stop them," said Fudge, whose upper lip was sweating now, "I mean to say, who can?"**

Hermione laughed "AJ of course, she won't take this laying down."

Andy groaned "Not exactly a comforting thought right about now."

**"That remains to be seen," said Mr. Malfoy with a nasty smile. "But as all twelve of us have voted —"**

**Hagrid leapt to his feet, his shaggy black head grazing the ceiling.**

Kingsley smiled "Good Hagrid, teach him to keep his damn mouth shut!"

**'An' how many did yeh have ter threaten an' blackmail before they agreed, Malfoy, eh?" he roared.**

"I'm guessing all of them," Charlie snorted "he's Malfoy. Morals and ethics don't apply to him."

**"Dear, dear, you know, that temper of yours will lead you into trouble one of these days, Hagrid," said Mr. Malfoy. "I would advise you not to shout at the Azkaban guards like that. They won't like it at all."**

"What a sadistic bastard!" Sirius shouted "He's goading him and Fudge is just going to stand by and let him!"

**"Yeh can' take Dumbledore!" yelled Hagrid, making Fang the boarhound cower and whimper in his basket. "Take him away, an' the Muggleborns won' stand a chance! There'll be killin' next!"**

"No one died," Ginny shifted

AJ glared "No but it was pretty damn close!"

**"Calm yourself, Hagrid," said Dumbledore sharply. He looked at Lucius Malfoy. "If the governors want my removal, Lucius, I shall of course step aside —"**

Remus groaned "Idiots, you're all a bunch of idiots."

"That was a stupid move headmaster." Regulus stated "Things could have been avoided if you stayed."

**"But —" stuttered Fudge.**

**"No!" growled Hagrid.**

"Listen to Hagrid!" Kingsley shouted "Leaving is a mistake!"

"You leaving is going to cause problems for two students and you know it." Ted glared

**Dumbledore had not taken his bright blue eyes off Lucius Malfoy's cold gray ones.**

**"However," said Dumbledore, speaking very slowly and clearly so that none of them could miss a word, "you will find that I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me… Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."**

"Cryptic much?" Snorted Hermione

Bill smiled "He wouldn't be Dumbledore if he wasn't cryptic."

**For a second, AJ was almost sure Dumbledore's eyes flickered toward the corner where she and Ron were hidden.**

Dumbledore smiled at the clever girl "I knew you want to make sure your friend was okay AJ, you're a good person and always look out for your friends."

**"Admirable sentiments," said Malfoy, bowing. "We shall all miss your — er — highly individual way of running things, Albus, and only hope your successor will manage to prevent any — ah — killings."**

AJ smiled "I did jackass, don't worry."

"We just hope you weren't hurt too much in the process of saving the school pup." Sirius tried to smile but was failing at the thought of his daughter being harmed once again.

**He strode to the cabin door, opened it, and bowed Dumbledore out. Fudge, fiddling with his bowler, waited for Hagrid to go ahead of him, but Hagrid stood his ground, took a deep breath, and said carefully, "If anyone wanted ter find out some stuff, all they'd have ter do would be ter follow the spiders. That'd lead 'em right. That's all I'm sayin'."**

Ron shuddered "Follow the spiders, worst idea Hagrid has ever had."

"Technically if you hadn't you wouldn't have known where to look." Hermione supplied

"Doesn't mean I have to like it Mio." Ron said through clenched teeth

**Fudge stared at him in amazement.**

"I'm pretty sure he was wondering if he had a few screws lose." Tonks smiled

Kingsley kissed her cheek "You're right but its Fudge so his thought process wouldn't allow him to think on that statement too much."

**"All right, I'm comin', said Hagrid, pulling on his moleskin overcoat. But as he was about to follow Fudge through the door, he stopped again and said loudly, "An' someone'll need ter feed Fang while I'm away."**

"I'm sure Fang missed him a lot," Remus smiled "his animals are all very attached."

Andy nodded "They were probably just as depressed as Hagrid was in Azkaban."

**The door banged shut and Ron pulled off the Invisibility Cloak. Before he could say a word however, AJ asked the question that had been pressing on her for a while.**

**"What's Azkaban?"**

"Hell on Earth." Sirius snarked

Regulus looked at his brother with sympathy "I'm sorry you had to go through that Siri, it wasn't fair but you'll be free soon."

**Ron blinked in shock before responding, "it's the wizarding prison. A little fortress on an island. All the old Voldemort supporters that had gotten caught were sent there."**

Ron glared "Not all of them, Malfoy belongs there more than anyone."

**AJ nodded before freezing, the realization of the situation sinking in. "Dumbledore's gone." Her voice was tinged with shock.**

"Hogwarts without Dumbledore, it's unimaginable." Bill shook his head

Hermione nodded "Everyone associates safety with Dumbledore and when your safety blanket is ripped away you tend to go into shock."

**"We're in trouble now," Ron agreed, his voice depressed. "No Dumbledore. They might as well close the school tonight. There'll be an attack a day with him gone."**

**Fang started howling, scratching at the closed door.**

Remus dropped the book into Regulus' awaiting hands; the faster they got this book over with the faster they could free Sirius and get Fudge sacked.

Regulus raised an eyebrow at the title **"Aragog..."**


	38. Aragog

**Summer was creeping over the grounds around the castle; sky and lake alike turned periwinkle blue and flowers large as cabbages burst into bloom in the greenhouses.**

Charlie sighed happily "This chapter is starting off pretty good."

"Yeah but this is only the first sentence," AJ smirked "you never know what creepy little crawlers will pop up in this chapter."

**But with no Hagrid visible from the castle windows, striding the grounds with Fang at his heels, the scene didn't look right to AJ;**

"He's like the school mascot." Ted mused

Sirius rolled his eyes "Sure Ted that's what we all think Hagrid is. The unofficial Hogwarts mascot."

**no better, in fact, than the inside of the castle, where things were so horribly wrong. AJ and Ron had tried to visit Hermione, but visitors were now barred from the hospital wing.**

Hermione smiled at her best friends, they were always there for one another no matter what.

**"We're taking no more chances," Madam Pomfrey told them severely through a crack in the infirmary door. "No, I'm sorry, there's every chance the attacker might come back to finish these people off…"**

"That was such a nice way of putting that." Andy muttered "She couldn't have said something like "we don't want to risk their health" or something along those lines?"

"I think it was beyond putting it delicately mom." Tonks remarked "The people that weren't petrified could at least try and defend themselves while the people that are petrified are just lying there vulnerable to everything around them."

**With Dumbledore gone, fear had spread as never before, so that the sun warming the castle walls outside seemed to stop at the mullioned windows. There was barely a face to be seen in the school that didn't look worried and tense, and any laughter that rang through the corridors sounded shrill and unnatural and was quickly stifled.**

"Your students have a lot of trust in you headmaster." Kingsley remarked

Dumbledore smiled "Yes they do Mr. Shaklebolt and sometimes I'm not sure I deserve all that faith."

**AJ constantly repeated Dumbledore's final words to herself **_**"I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me… Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."**_** But what good were these words? Who exactly were they supposed to ask for help, when everyone was just as confused and scared as they were?**

AJ mock glared "You could have been a little less cryptic sir, that sentence was driving me insane."

"Now what fun would that be?" Remus laughed

**Hagrid's hint about the spiders was far easier to understand. The trouble was, there didn't seem to be a single spider left in the castle to follow. AJ looked everywhere she went, helped (rather reluctantly) by Ron.**

Bill laughed at his youngest brother "They're just spiders Ron; you should really try and conquer your fear."

"Great idea Bill," Ron snapped "let's see how you feel at the end of this "happy" chapter."

**They were hampered, of course, by the fact that they weren't allowed to wander off on their own but had to move around the castle in a pack with the other Gryffindors. Most of their fellow students seemed glad that they were being shepherded from class to class by teachers, but AJ found it very irksome.**

Snape snorted, Gryffindors they were the biggest pains in his ass.

**One person, however, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere of terror and suspicion. Draco Malfoy was strutting around the school as though he had just been appointed Head Boy.**

"Someone kicks his ass right?" Sirius asked hopefully

Remus snorted "With Dumbledore gone his father would personally handle anyone that even thought about crossing his baby."

**AJ didn't realize what he was so pleased about until the Potions lesson about two weeks after Dumbledore and Hagrid had left, when, sitting right behind Malfoy; AJ overheard him gloating to Crabbe and Goyle.**

"He needs to get new friends," Charlie muttered "he can't possibly think that those two would be there for him if he really needed it."

Bill chuckled "I somehow doubt death eaters or future death eaters know the value of friendship."

**"I always thought Father might be the one who got rid of Dumbledore," he said, not troubling to keep his voice down. "I told you he thinks Dumbledore's the worst headmaster the schools ever had. Maybe we'll get a decent headmaster now. Someone who won't want the Chamber of Secrets closed. McGonagall won't last long; she's only filling in…"**

"He really should keep his mouth shut." Hermione advised "Maybe then people wouldn't always suspect the worst in him."

**Snape swept past AJ, making no comment about Hermione's empty seat and cauldron. "Sir," said Malfoy loudly. "Sir, why don't you apply for the headmaster's job?"**

Regulus burst out laughing "Please apply Snape! I would love to see what you would put on the application under "previous jobs". It would certainly lighten up the mood around the school."

"I would make a fine Headmaster Black." Snape sneered "But at the moment I don't have the ambition to become the Headmaster."

**"Now, now, Malfoy," said Snape, though he couldn't suppress a thin-lipped smile. "Professor Dumbledore has only been suspended by the governors. I daresay he'll be back with us soon enough." **

"You really know how to make people think your still a death eater." Kingsley muttered

**"Yeah, right," said Malfoy, smirking. "I expect you'd have Father's vote, sir, if you wanted to apply for the job— I'll tell Father you're the best teacher here, sir —"**

Tonks rolled her eyes "So he's going to lie to his father? Brilliant idea cousin."

**Snape smirked as he swept off around the dungeon, fortunately not spotting Seamus Finnigan, who was pretending to vomit into his cauldron. "I'm quite surprised the Mudbloods haven't all packed their bags by now," Malfoy went on. "Bet you five Galleons the next one dies. Pity it wasn't Granger —"**

Andy glared "Well isn't he just as charming as his father and mother."

"I don't care really," Hermione assured "he's always saying things like that to piss people off. He just wants attention."

**The bell rang at that moment, which was lucky; at Malfoy's last words, Ron had leapt off his stool, and in the scramble to collect bags and books, his attempts to reach Malfoy went unnoticed. "Let me at him," Ron growled as AJ and Dean hung onto his arms. "I don't care, I don't need my wand, I'm going to kill him with my bare hands —"**

Ron blushed "She's one of my best friends and I don't like people talking about her dying or being murdered for that matter."

**"Hurry up, I've got to take you all to Herbology," barked Snape over the class' heads, and off they marched, with AJ, Ron, and Dean bringing up the rear, Ron still trying to get loose.**

Regulus sighed "Learn to control your temper or you're going to get into serious trouble someday."

**It was only safe to let go of him when Snape had seen them out of the castle and they were making their way across the vegetable patch toward the greenhouses. The Herbology class was very subdued; there were now two missing from their number, Justin and Hermione.**

"It felt wrong for classes to continue when so much was going on." AJ mused "It was like there was pink elephant in the room and no one was allowed to talk about it."

**Professor Sprout set them all to work pruning the Abyssinian Shrivelfigs. AJ went to tip an armful of withered stalks onto the compost heap and found herself face-to-face with Ernie Macmillan.**

Remus groaned "What could he possibly blame you for now? No new attacks have happened and blaming you for something that happened to your best friend is uncalled for."

**Ernie took a deep breath and said, very formally, "I just want to say, AJ, that I'm sorry I ever suspected you. I know you'd never attack Hermione Granger, and I apologize for all the stuff I said. We're all in the same boat now, and, well —"**

Charlie rolled his eyes "Took the jackass long enough to realize you would never do anything to harm someone else intentionally."

**He held out a pudgy hand, and AJ shook it. Ernie and his friend Hannah came to work at the same Shrivelfig as AJ and Ron.**

Ron shook his head "You're way too forgiving AJ. Not everyone deserves a second chance."

"That's true," agreed AJ "but he was just a twelve year old at the time and in his mind his best friend was attacked and I was the only one there. Not everyone deserves a second chance but others do Ron and I'm not going to waste my time or energy on a stupid grudge."

**"That Draco Malfoy character," said Ernie, breaking off dead twigs, "he seems very pleased about all this, doesn't he? D'you know, I think he might be Slytherins heir."**

Kingsley laughed "He's doing a really good job of making enemies."

"He's a Malfoy," Sirius muttered "they don't care about how others perceive them unless they're in the same social standings."

**"That's clever of you," said Ron, who didn't seem to have forgiven Ernie as readily as AJ. **

**"Do you think its Malfoy, AJ?" Ernie asked.**

**"No," said AJ, so firmly that Ernie and Hannah stared.**

"That's not suspicious at all hun." Ted laughed "You may want to be less forceful when defending your enemy."

**A second later, AJ spotted something. Several large spiders were scuttling over the ground on the other side of the glass, moving in an unnaturally straight line as though taking the shortest route to a prearranged meeting. AJ hit Ron over the head with her pruning shears.**

"That's one way to get his attention." Andy smirked "Just don't hit him with sharp end that could cause a few problems."

**"Ouch! What're you —"**

**AJ pointed out the spiders, following their progress with her eyes screwed up against the sun.**

"That's not normal spider behavior." Remus remarked "Usually they don't want to be seen, especially around people."

**"Oh, yeah," said Ron, trying, and failing, to look pleased. "But we can't follow them now —"**

"Of course not," Hermione replied "you have to wait till night time."

**Ernie and Hannah were listening curiously. AJ's eyes narrowed as she focused on the spiders. If they pursued their fixed course, there could be no doubt about where they would end up. **

**"Looks like they're heading for the Forbidden Forest…"**

"Oh good, another trip into the damned forest from hell." Groaned Tonks

Charlie hugged AJ "Feel free to stop going in there at any point in the near future."

**And Ron looked even unhappier about that. At the end of the lesson Professor Sprout escorted the class to their Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. AJ and Ron lagged behind the others so they could talk out of earshot. "We'll have to use the Invisibility Cloak again," AJ told Ron. "We can take Fang with us. He's used to going into the forest with Hagrid, he might be some help."**

"You're better off with Fluffy." Sirius muttered "At least that dog isn't a damn coward."

Bill smiled "I'm pretty sure it would have given them away if they walked out of the school with a three headed dog."

**"Right," said Ron, who was twirling his wand nervously in his fingers. "Er — aren't there — aren't there supposed to be werewolves in the forest?" he added as they took their usual places at the back of Lockhart's classroom.**

"Only during a full moon Ron." Remus supplied kindly

**AJ smacked Ron on the back of the head "No Ron! It's not a full moon tonight! Pay attention to the phases of the moon more often. Besides there are good things in there, too. The centaurs are all right, and the unicorns…"**

"It's weird to hear you trying to be optimistic sweets." Regulus smiled "You're usually more realistic than that."

AJ snorted "I didn't think Ron could handle my realistic view before entering the woods at night."

**Ron had never been into the Forbidden Forest before. AJ had entered it only once and had hoped never to do so again. Lockhart bounded into the room and the class stared at him. Every other teacher in the place was looking grimmer than usual, but Lockhart appeared nothing short of buoyant.**

"Of course he's happy, he has no sense of wrong or right. Jackass." Kingsley snarked

**"Come now," he cried, beaming around him. "Why all these long faces?"**

"An innocent man was sent to Azkaban! Again! What in the hell is wrong with him?" Ted exploded

**People swapped exasperated looks, but nobody answered.**

**"Don't you people realize," said Lockhart, speaking slowly, as though they were all a bit dim, "the danger has passed! The culprit has been taken away —"**

Hermione shook her head "Idiot, Hagrid being taken away and Dumbledore being forced to step down meant nothing except feeding into people's fears."

"Coming from the girl who was obsessed with him." Snorted AJ

**"Says who?" said Dean Thomas loudly. **

**"My dear young man, the Minister of Magic wouldn't have taken Hagrid if he hadn't been one hundred percent sure that he was guilty,"**

Snape couldn't help but roll his eyes at that. The ministry was blind to what was in front of them; they didn't give a damn about people or their innocence as long as it made Fudge look good.

**said Lockhart, in the tone of someone explaining that one and one made two. **

**"Oh yes, he would," said Ron, even more loudly than Dean. **

"He does it all the time!" Sirius growled "He has no clue what people go through to try and prove their innocence."

**"I flatter myself I know a touch more about Hagrid's arrest than you do, Mr. Weasley," said Lockhart in a self-satisfied tone.**

"Really?" Charlie asked shocked "I wasn't aware he was in Hagrid's hut at the time."

**Ron started to say that he didn't think so, somehow, but stopped in mid-sentence when AJ kicked him hard under the desk. "We weren't there, remember?" AJ hissed with her hair turning dark blue in anger.**

"I still don't get why you got so mad." Ron muttered

AJ glared "We broke at least five major school rules dumbass! Not to mention the school was under lockdown at the time."

**But Lockhart's disgusting cheeriness, his hints that he had always thought Hagrid was no good, his confidence that the whole business was now at an end, irritated AJ so much that she yearned to throw Gadding with Ghouls right in Lockhart's stupid face.**

"I wouldn't have held that against you Black." Snape said quietly "He deserved far worse than what he was dealt with."

**Instead she contented herself with scrawling a note to Ron: **_**Let's go tonight**_**.**

Andy sighed "This isn't going to go well, even if you gather much needed information it's still risky to go into the woods at night."

"It's more than just risky!" Molly shouted "It's stupid and completely reckless!"

"I understand that Molly," Andy stated in false

calmness "but I refuse to yell and screech over things I have no control over."

**Ron read the message, swallowed hard, and looked sideways at the empty seat usually filled by Hermione. The sight seemed to stiffen his resolve, and he nodded. **

Ron suppressed a shudder at the reminder of that huge man eating spider.

**The Gryffindor common room was always very crowded these days, because from six o'clock onward the Gryffindors had nowhere else to go.**

Ted groaned in sympathy, being young and under lockdown must have been pure torture.

**They also had plenty to talk about, with the result that the common room often didn't empty until past midnight. AJ went to get the Invisibility Cloak out of her trunk right after dinner, and spent the evening sitting on it, waiting for the room to clear. Fred and George challenged AJ and Ron to a few games of Exploding Snap, and Ginny sat watching them, very subdued in Hermione's usual chair.**

"You're acting really guilty Ginny," Bill said "usually you're bouncing with energy."

Ginny glared "Maybe I was trying to act more mature. Ever thought of that?"

"Watch your tone Gin." Bill snapped "All I'm saying is that you're acting as if you had something to do with the Chamber."

**AJ and Ron kept losing on purpose, trying to finish the games quickly, but even so, it was well past midnight when Fred, George, and Ginny finally went to bed. AJ and Ron waited for the distant sounds of two dormitory doors closing before seizing the cloak, throwing it over themselves, and climbing through the portrait hole.**

Sirius winced "That's really late to be in the forest, the animals and creatures get restless around that time."

**It was another difficult journey through the castle, dodging all the teachers. At last they reached the entrance hall, slid back the lock on the oak front doors, squeezed between them, trying to stop any creaking, and stepped out into the moonlit grounds.**

"I love that you never get caught sweets." Regulus said proudly "I always got caught but my excuses were pretty good so I rarely got into trouble."

Remus laughed "Maybe you should teach them some of your excuses Reggie, they tend to clam up at important times."

**"'Course," said Ron abruptly as they strode across the black grass, "we might get to the forest and find there's nothing to follow. Those spiders might not've been going there at all. I know it looked like they were moving in that sort of general direction, but…"**

"I really didn't want to go into the forest looking for spiders." Ron muttered

AJ snorted "You hid it well Ron. After the first five minutes you finally stopped shaking."

**His voice trailed away hopefully.**

**They reached Hagrid's house, sad and sorry-looking with its blank windows. When AJ pushed the door open, Fang went mad with joy at the sight of them.**

"Poor dog," Charlie sighted "he didn't have any company and his master just up and left."

"Yeah I'm sure Fang was just ecstatic to see them when he found out they were heading into the forbidden forest." Tonks quipped

**Worried he might wake everyone at the castle with his deep, booming barks; they hastily fed him treacle fudge from a tin on the mantelpiece, which glued his teeth together.**

Kingsley chuckled "That's not a bad idea, a little unconventional but a good idea none the less."

**AJ left the Invisibility Cloak on Hagrid's table. There would be no need for it in the pitch-dark forest.**

**"C'mon, Fang, we're going for a walk," said AJ, patting her leg, and Fang bounded happily out of the house behind them, dashed to the edge of the forest, and lifted his leg against a large sycamore tree.**

"That was more information than necessary AJ." Hermione said revolted

**AJ took out her wand, murmured, "Lumos!" and a tiny light appeared at the end of it, just enough to let them watch the path for signs of spiders.**

"I don't know how well that's going to work out for you." Andy shifted

Sirius nodded "Spiders are really small and looking for them with just wand light won't be an easy task."

**"Good thinking," said Ron. "I'd light mine, too, but you know — it'd probably blow up or something…"**

**AJ tapped Ron on the shoulder, pointing at the grass. Two solitary spiders were hurrying away from the wandlight into the shade of the trees.**

"I don't know whether to congratulate you or scold you." Regulus mused

**"Okay," Ron sighed as though resigned to the worst, I'm ready. Let's go."**

"That's very brave of you Ron," Ted complimented "not many of us have the ability to concur our fears like that."

**So, with Fang scampering around them, sniffing tree roots and leaves, they entered the forest. By the glow of AJ's wand, they followed the steady trickle of spiders moving along the path. They walked behind them for about twenty minutes, not speaking, listening hard for noises other than breaking twigs and rustling leaves.**

"Being in the dark and in a scary place always makes the littlest noises seem far worse than they are." Remus smiled kindly

**Then, when the trees had become thicker than ever, so that the stars overhead were no longer visible, and AJ's wand shone alone in the sea of dark, they saw their spider guides leaving the path.**

Kingsley groaned "Now would be a terrific time to change your minds and head back to the school."

"Sorry Kingsley," smirked AJ "but the past can't be changed and the school needed saving."

**AJ paused, trying to see where the spiders were going, but everything outside his little sphere of light was pitch-black. She had never been this deep into the forest before. She could vividly remember Hagrid advising her not to leave the forest path last time she'd been in here. But Hagrid was miles away now, probably sitting in a cold cell in Azkaban, and he had also said to follow the spiders. Something wet touched AJ's hand and she jumped backward, crushing Ron's foot, but it was only Fang's nose.**

"You have to remain calm," Tonks advised "if you lose your head you're screwed."

Charlie growled lowly "That's not something we needed to know Dora! We understand they made it out okay but it's not the point!"

"Sorry dragon boy!" snapped Tonks "I'm just giving them some useful advice!"

**"What d'you reckon?" AJ said to Ron, whose eyes she could just make out, reflecting the light from her wand.**

**"We've come this far," said Ron. **

"That's really brave of you guys," Hermione smiled "you went beyond the call of duty to get answers."

**So they followed the darting shadows of the spiders into the trees. They couldn't move very quickly now; there were tree roots and stumps in their way, barely visible in the near blackness.**

"Thank Merlin you have excellent eye sight AJ. If you weren't a fantastic seeker I'd hate to think where you would have ended up." Andy said weakly

**AJ could feel Fang's hot breath on her hand. More than once, they had to stop, so that AJ could crouch down and find the spiders in the wandlight.**

"Where was Ron in all this?" Hermione laughed

AJ grinned "As far away from the spiders as he could get."

**They walked for what seemed like at least half an hour, their robes snagging on low-slung branches and brambles. After a while, they noticed that the ground seemed to be sloping downward, though the trees were as thick as ever. Then Fang suddenly let loose a great, echoing bark, making both AJ and Ron jump out of their skins.**

"Whatever it is can't be good." Ted muttered

Remus nodded "In the Forbidden Forest it can be anything. I just hope it's not what I think it is."

**"What?" said Ron loudly, looking around into the pitch-dark, and gripping AJ's elbow very hard.**

**"There's something moving over there," AJ breathed. "Listen… sounds like something big…"**

AJ snorted "More like huge."

"Thanks pup!" groaned Sirius "We're all trying to imagine that it's nothing and you made it out safely."

**They listened. Some distance to their right, the something big was snapping branches as it carved a path through the trees.**

**"Oh, no," said Ron. "Oh, no, oh, no, oh —"**

"Don't be so loud!" Bill snapped "Whatever is in that forest can hurt you."

**"Shut up," said AJ frantically. "It'll hear you."**

**"Hear me?" said Ron in an unnaturally high voice. "It's already heard Fang!"**

"The forest is used to hearing Fang though," explained AJ "you and I are strangers to all those creatures."

Hermione grinned "Did you make lots of friends that night AJ?"

"Of course Mio." AJ scoffed "Everyone who meets me falls in love almost instantly."

**The darkness seemed to be pressing on their eyeballs as they stood, terrified, waiting. There was a strange rumbling noise and then silence.**

**"What d'you think it's doing?" said AJ.**

"Leave that damn forest!" Charlie sighed "It's not anything good and it's probably going to end badly the longer you stay there."

**"Probably getting ready to pounce," said Ron.**

**They waited, shivering, hardly daring to move.**

Regulus rubbed his eyes tiredly "Either way you're screwed at this point."

"Thanks Regulus!" Remus snapped "That's what I want to hear when it concerns my daughter!"

"I'm sorry, that came out worse then I intended." Regulus admitted "But it's not as if the situation they got themselves into is the best."

**"D'you think it's gone?" AJ whispered.**

"No," Tonks huffed "you have horrible luck and it's just a matter of time before something bad happens."

**"Dunno —"**

**Then, to their right, came a sudden blaze of light, so bright in the darkness that both of them flung up their hands to shield their eyes. Fang yelped and tried to run, but got lodged in a tangle of thorns and yelped even louder.**

"Good thing you brought the cowardly lion." Bill tried to joke

**"AJ!" Ron shouted, his voice breaking with relief. "AJ, it's our car!"**

Sirius gaped "How in the hell did that happen?"

"Whatever dad did to I'll never be able to thank him enough." Ron admitted

**"**_**What**_**?"**

**"Come on!"**

"Best idea you had all night." AJ joked while snuggling into Charlie ignoring the pain in her scar.

**AJ blundered after Ron toward the light, stumbling and tripping, and a moment later they had emerged into a clearing. Mr. Weasley's car was standing, empty, in the middle of a circle of thick trees under a roof of dense branches, its headlights ablaze. As Ron walked, open-mouthed, toward it, it moved slowly toward him, exactly like a large, turquoise dog greeting its owner.**

Kingsley let out a relieved sigh "Thank Merlin for that car! It's trying to protect you in some way."

**"It's been here all the time!" said Ron delightedly, walking around the car. "Look at it. The forest's turned it wild…" **

"Yeah I'm sure it was all the forests fault." Laughed Andy

**The sides of the car were scratched and smeared with mud. Apparently it had taken to trundling around the forest on its own. Fang didn't seem at all keen on it; he kept close to AJ, who could feel him quivering. Her breathing slowing down again, AJ stuffed her wand back into her robes.**

"Bad move hun," groaned Ted "you never know what could pop out of nowhere when it comes to the forest."

"Yeah I kinda got that Uncle Ted." AJ snapped while rubbing her forehead wondering what could have pissed off Voldemort this time. Ted looked at his niece with a calculating look but didn't comment knowing she wasn't ready to talk about what was bothering her.

**"And we thought it was going to attack us!" said Ron, leaning against the car and patting it. "I wondered where it had gone!"**

"Hell and back possibly?" Tonks stated trying to ease the tension in the room

Hermione grinned "I wouldn't past that car; it seemed to have gained a sixth sense of some sort."

**AJ squinted around on the floodlit ground for signs of more spiders, but they had all scuttled away from the glare of the headlights.**

**"We've lost the trail," she said. "C'mon, let's go and find them."**

Bill rolled his eyes "Only you would come up with a suggestion like that after everything you've gone through already."

**Ron didn't speak. He didn't move. His eyes were fixed on a point some ten feet above the forest floor, right behind AJ.**

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say spiders are around." Sirius stated

Remus held his hand "They made it out alive love; they're going to be okay." He whispered softly in his husband's ear.

**His face was livid with terror. AJ didn't even have time to turn around. There was a loud clicking noise and suddenly she felt something long and hairy seize her around the middle and lift her off the ground, so that she was hanging facedown. Struggling, terrified, she heard more clicking, and saw Ron's legs leave the ground, too, heard Fang whimpering and howling — next moment, she was being swept away into the dark trees.**

"What in the world?" Regulus muttered

Charlie held AJ tighter "Its better if you just continue Reggie, it's better than dealing with "what if" cinereous."

**Head hanging, AJ saw that what had hold of her was marching on six immensely long, hairy legs, the front two clutching her tightly below a pair of shining black pincers.**

Kingsley gaped "Spiders? Spiders attached you?"

"How big were they that they could attack you like that?" Andy questioned

**Behind her, she could hear another of the creatures, no doubt carrying Ron. They were moving into the very heart of the forest. AJ could hear Fang fighting to free himself from a third monster, whining loudly, but AJ couldn't have yelled even if she had wanted to; she seemed to have left her voice back with the car in the clearing.**

"I hate that feeling," muttered AJ "not being in control of your own emotions is the worst feeling ever."

**She never knew how long she was in the creature's clutches; she only knew that the darkness suddenly lifted enough for her to see that the leaf-strewn ground was now swarming with spiders.**

"I would have passed out." Tonks stated gipping Kingsley's hand like a life line

Bill was groaning "A fully trained auror is terrified and yet it's just a walk in the park for AJ and her friends."

**Craning her neck sideways, she realized that they had reached the ridge of a vast hollow, a hollow that had been cleared of trees, so that the stars shone brightly onto the worst scene she had ever laid eyes on.**

"Not anymore," muttered AJ "Tom took care of that last year."

Charlie hugged her closer realizing Voldemort was playing with her again and shook his head to Teds questioning gaze. Now wasn't the time for talks about what happened in fourth year.

**Spiders. Not tiny spiders like those surging over the leaves below. Spiders the size of carthorses, eight-eyed, eight-legged, black, hairy, gigantic. Ron was pale and muttering something under his breath hoarsely. And if AJ didn't mind spiders before, she certainly did now.**

Ginny rolled her eyes "That's not a normal reaction. You're a strange person AJ Potter."

"No shit Ginny" snapped AJ "but if you recall correctly I'm the one who saved your sorry ass that year. You obviously need a reminder of what happened that year but thankfully the book is almost over and we can see how "strange" I am. And it's Black now!"

**The massive specimen that was carrying AJ made its way down the steep slope toward a misty, domed web in the very center of the hollow, while its fellows closed in all around it, clicking their pincers excitedly at the sight of its load.**

Sirius growled lowly "They better not harm you or I am going to be doing some exterminating when I'm free."

"Man eating spiders?" Andy questioned "What in the hell are man eating spiders doing on the grounds? You have some explaining to do Albus!"

**AJ fell to the ground on all fours as the spider released her. Ron and Fang thudded down next to her. Fang wasn't howling anymore, but cowering silently on the spot. Ron looked exactly like AJ felt. His mouth was stretched wide in a kind of silent scream and his eyes were popping. AJ suddenly realized that the spider that had dropped her was saying something. It had been hard to tell, because he clicked his pincers with every word he spoke.**

"It speaks English?" Charlie asked amazed "That's so rare! I wonder what kind of spider it is; only a few can learn a specific language."

Hermione mock glared "Well when the reading is over you can go introduce yourself to the man eating spider and ask what kind he is."

**"Aragog!" it called. "Aragog!"**

"It's a pet of Hagrid's," Regulus stated "only he would name a damn spider something like that."

**And from the middle of the misty, domed web, a spider the size of a small elephant emerged, very slowly. There was gray in the black of his body and legs, and each of the eyes on his ugly, pincered head was milky white. He was blind.**

AJ smiled slightly "Poor spider, he didn't deserve to go blind."

"Only you would think that." Ron snorted but was still pail and shaking thinking of the spiders."

**"What is it?" he said, clicking his pincers rapidly.**

**"Humans," clicked the spider who had caught AJ.**

"I doubt very much that they're going to be welcoming to you." Sighed Remus

Kingsley looked thoughtful "Maybe because they're friends of Hagrid's they'll be more sympathetic."

**"Is it Hagrid?" said Aragog, moving closer, his eight milky eyes wandering vaguely.**

"I get the feeling they won't be sympathetic Kings." Tonks muttered "If Hagrid was with them it would have been a different story."

**"Strangers," clicked the spider who had brought Ron.**

**"Kill them," clicked Aragog fretfully. "I was sleeping…"**

"So from now on," Ted started to advice "you don't listen to Hagrid when he sends you into the woods alone."

**"We're friends of Hagrid's," AJ shouted. Her heart seemed to have left her chest to pound in her throat. Click, click, click went the pincers of the spiders all around the hollow.**

"Try not to piss them off punk." Charlie said fearfully "They aren't the nicest bunch around."

**Aragog paused.**

**"Hagrid has never sent men into our hollow before," he said slowly.**

"He obviously didn't like them enough to trust them around you." AJ grinned much to the relief of everyone in the room.

**AJ bit back a sarcastic reply on how she wasn't a man but stated calmly "Hagrid's in trouble, that's why we've come."**

"Okay good plan." Andy shifted "They like Hagrid and you showing that you're there on behalf of Hagrid is a good idea."

**"In trouble?" said the aged spider, and AJ thought she heard concern beneath the clicking pincers. "But why has he sent you?" **

**AJ thought of getting to her feet but decided against it; she didn't want to show disrespect to the angry spider. So she spoke from the ground, as calmly as she could.**

"Disrespect? You were worried about disrespecting a spider?" Molly looked outraged

"It was either that or I got up and showed that damned thing I was the one who was in charge of that fucked up game of cat and mouse we were playing!" AJ snapped with fire engine red hair. "If you have a better idea why don't you go back in time and come up with a better plan, until then back off!"

**"They think, up at the school, that Hagrid's been setting something on students. They've taken him to Azkaban."**

Sirius exhaled a long breath "Good, don't show that he's a suspect. I doubt he would take too kindly to something like that."

**Aragog clicked his pincers furiously, and all around the hollow the sound was echoed by the crowd of spiders; it was like applause, except applause didn't usually make AJ feel sick with anticipation.**

Bill gripped Hermiones hand in fear thanking every God he could think of that she wasn't in the forest with Ron and AJ. It would hurt too much to hear about Hermione being in danger because of something his sister had to do with.

**"But that was years ago," said Aragog fretfully. "Years and years ago. I remember it well. That's why they made him leave the school. They believed that I was the monster that dwells in what they call the Chamber of Secrets. They thought that Hagrid had opened the Chamber and set me free."**

Tonks swore "Another suspect cleared. Are you ever going to get answers?"

"Since there are only a few chapters till the end of this book I would think they are getting answers soon." Regulus grinned at Tonks glare

**"And you didn't come from the Chamber of Secrets?" said AJ, who could feel cold sweat on her forehead.**

"He won't like that," Charlie said "it'll piss him off that people are accusing him or suspecting him."

**"I!" said Aragog, clicking angrily. "I was not born in the castle. I come from a distant land. A traveler gave me to Hagrid when I was an egg. Hagrid was only a boy, but he cared for me, hidden in a cupboard in the castle, feeding me on scraps from the table. Hagrid is my good friend, and a good man. When I was discovered, and blamed for the death of a girl, he protected me. I have lived here in the forest ever since, where Hagrid still visits me. He even found me a wife, Mosag, and you see how our family has grown, all through Hagrid's goodness…"**

Snape gripped the side of the chair trying to calm himself down before he went out and killed Hagrid for doing something so stupid.

**AJ summoned what remained of her courage. "So you never — never attacked anyone?"**

**"Never," croaked the old spider. "It would have been my instinct, but out of respect for Hagrid, I never harmed a human. The body of the girl who was killed was discovered in a bathroom. I never saw any part of the castle but the cupboard in which I grew up. Our kind like the dark and the quiet…"**

Charlie raised an eyebrow at that; a girl was discovered in a bathroom? That sounded an awful lot like Myrtle.

"If he respects Hagrid so much he'll probably leave you alone." Kingsley said optimistically but sighed when he saw the looks of disbelief "Yeah it was a long shot to hope for."

**"But then… Do you know what did kill that girl?" said AJ. "Because whatever it is, it's back and attacking people again —"**

"He may know but I don't think it's something that their kind will talk about." Groaned Charlie

**Her words were drowned by a loud outbreak of clicking and the rustling of many long legs shifting angrily; large black shapes shifted all around her.**

Sirius rolled his eyes "They're so sensitive. It was just a simple question with a simple answer."

**"The thing that lives in the castle," said Aragog "is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others. Well do I remember how I pleaded with Hagrid to let me go, when I sensed the beast moving about the school."**

"Does that mean that Aragog could have killed it?" Tonks wondered out loud

Andy shook her head "I don't think so Dora, I think he wanted Hagrid to let him go so Hagrid wouldn't be blamed for anything that happened in the castle."

**"What is it?" said AJ urgently. More loud clicking, more rustling; the spiders seemed to be closing in.**

Snape sneered "He won't tell you Black! They won't speak of the creatures name but obviously he is trying to give you a hint."

**"We do not speak of it!" said Aragog fiercely. "We do not name it! I never even told Hagrid the name of that dread creature, though he asked me, many times."**

"Now would have been a terrific time to get over your fear of that things name." Hermione quipped

**AJ didn't want to press the subject, not with the spiders pressing closer on all sides. Aragog seemed to be tired of talking. He was backing slowly into his domed web, but his fellow spiders continued to inch slowly toward AJ and Ron.**

"Oh no, oh no, oh no." Andy kept chanting

Ted hugged his wife "They're okay sweetheart. They made it out alive."

**"We'll just go, then," AJ called desperately to Aragog, hearing leaves rustling behind her.**

**"Go?" said Aragog slowly. "I think not…"**

"Of course he wouldn't let you go," Remus stated "he's a man eating spider after human's blood and Hagrid sent you in there."

**"But — but —"**

Regulus whistled lowly "You've got guts sweets, I'll give you that."

**"My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid, on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat, when it wanders so willingly into our midst. Good-bye, friend of Hagrid."**

"Get out of there!" screeched Tonks "Run like hell and never look back!"

**AJ spun around. Feet away, towering above her was a solid wall of spiders, clicking, their many eyes gleaming in their ugly black heads. Even as she reached for her wand, AJ knew it was no good, there were too many of them, she stood quickly, ready to die fighting, throwing off the only curse against spiders she knew thanks to Riddle.**

There was a shocked silence in the room but Ted was the first to break it "You are incredibly brave AJ; I don't know many fully grown witches or wizards that would be willing to fight to the death like that."

"It's in my nature Uncle Ted," smiled AJ "I would never just take it lying down like that."

**Then a loud, long note sounded, and a blaze of light flamed through the hollow.**

Ron grinned "That car was our saving grace that night."

"Thank Merlin for it or you two would have been toast." Kingsley stated

**Mr. Weasley's car was thundering down the slope, headlights glaring, its horn screeching, knocking spider's aside; several were thrown onto their backs, their endless legs waving in the air. The car screeched to a halt in front of AJ and Ron and the doors flew open.**

Sirius got up and hugged AJ tightly "Thank merlin for that damn car pup, I love you too much for something to happen to you."

"I know daddy, no more man eating spider encounters for me."

**"Get Fang!" AJ yelled, diving into the front seat; Ron seized the boarhound around the middle and threw him, yelping, into the back of the car— the doors slammed shut — Ron didn't touch the accelerator but the car didn't need him; the engine roared and they were off, hitting more spiders. They sped up the slope, out of the hollow, and they were soon crashing through the forest, branches whipping the windows as the car wound its way cleverly through the widest gaps, following a path it obviously knew.**

Hermione smiled at her friends "I've said it before and I'll say it again, you both were extremely brave that night."

"Thank Mio," Ron said with a blush "you're our best friend and we needed answers to make sure you would be okay."

**AJ looked sideways at Ron. His mouth was still open in the silent scream, but his eyes weren't popping anymore.**

Bill couldn't suppress a snort of laughter "Very brave Ron, I've never been prouder."

**"Are you okay?"**

**Ron stared straight ahead, unable to speak.**

"The adrenalin is leaving your body and now you're going into shock." Andy stated with a smile "I work at St. Mungo's and we see that a lot when people come in from a traumatizing situation."

**They smashed their way through the undergrowth, Fang howling loudly in the back seat, and AJ saw the side mirror snap off as they squeezed past a large oak. After ten noisy, rocky minutes, the trees thinned, and AJ could again see patches of sky. The car stopped so suddenly that they were nearly thrown into the windshield. They had reached the edge of the forest. Fang flung himself at the window in his anxiety to get out, and when AJ opened the door, he shot off through the trees to Hagrid's house, tail between his legs.**

"Hagrid finds it odd how fang won't go anywhere near us now when it comes to leaving the Hut without Hagrid." Ron grinned

**AJ got out too, and after a minute or so, Ron seemed to regain the feeling in his limbs and followed, still stiff-necked and staring. AJ gave the car a grateful pat as it reversed back into the forest and disappeared from view. AJ went back into Hagrid's cabin to get the Invisibility Cloak. Fang was trembling under a blanket in his basket. When AJ got outside again, she found Ron being violent sick in the pumpkin patch.**

Andy winced "Good thing Hagrid isn't reading with us or he would have skinned you alive for that."

"He's very…protective…of his pumpkins." Charlie smirked

**"Follow the spiders," said Ron weakly, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "I'll never forgive Hagrid. We're lucky to be alive."**

**"I bet he thought Aragog wouldn't hurt friends of his," said AJ.**

"Yeah but they were man eating spiders and were hungry." Kingsley remarked "I doubt they would have cared if Hagrid was with you when you talked to them."

**"That's exactly Hagrid's problem!" said Ron, thumping the wall of the cabin. "He always thinks monsters aren't as bad as they're made out, and look where it's got him! A cell in Azkaban!" **

"Now that was a little harsh," Regulus snapped "he was innocent and the spider didn't do anything so to blame Hagrid is just ridiculous."

Ron sighed "I was just scared when we got out of the forest, it's not every day your worst fear comes to life like that."

**He was shivering uncontrollably now. "What was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out, I'd like to know?" **

"Learn to pay closer attention Ron," Sirius said kindly "I understand you were afraid but you got the answers you were looking for even though they were a bit cryptic."

**"That Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets," said AJ, throwing the cloak over Ron and prodding him in the arm to make him walk. "He was innocent, like I've been telling you all along."**

Charlie laughed at his smug girlfriend "You're too funny punk, always gotta prove people wrong."

"I don't like people being accused of doing something they didn't do." AJ countered with a winning smile

**Ron gave a loud snort. Evidently, hatching Aragog in a cupboard wasn't his idea of being innocent.**

Ron glared "It's not innocent! It's totally stupid!"

**As the castle loomed nearer AJ twitched the cloak to make sure their feet were hidden,**

Remus grinned "Good idea, keep hidden and be on the lookout."

"AJ can be very sneaky when she's trying to be." Giggled Hermione

**then pushed the creaking front doors ajar. They walked carefully back across the entrance hall and up the marble staircase, holding their breath as they passed corridors where watchful sentries were walking. **

"That's the worst part of sneaking out," Ted remarked "you're always worried about getting caught coming back in and every noise you hear is like thunder clapping."

Andy grinned "I think that's just with you Teddy, you were never all that good with sneaking around."

**At last they reached the safety of the Gryffindor common room, where the fire had burned itself into glowing ash. They took off the cloak and climbed the winding stair to the dormitories. Ron mumbled something about going to sleep when they split up.**

Tonks wrinkled her nose "After the night you two just had I would have been wide awake wondering what the answers were."

**AJ, however, didn't feel very sleepy.**

Kingsley smiled at his beaming partner "Well Tonks, looks like you and AJ have a lot more in common than you thought beforehand."

**She sat on the edge of her four-poster, thinking hard about everything Aragog had said. The creature that was lurking somewhere in the castle, she thought, sounded like a sort of monster Voldemort — even other monsters didn't want to name it. But she and Ron were no closer to finding out what it was, or how it petrified its victims. Even Hagrid had never known what was in the Chamber of Secrets. **

"Maybe you should just sleep on it and things will look clearer in the morning." Regulus suggested

Ron snorted "Like AJ would ever let something like this go."

**AJ swung her legs up onto her bed and leaned back against her pillows, watching the moon glinting at her through the tower window. She couldn't see what else they could do. They had hit dead ends everywhere. Riddle had caught the wrong person, the Heir of Slytherin had got off, and no one could tell whether it was the same person, or a different one, who had opened the Chamber this time. There was nobody else to ask. AJ lay down, still thinking about what Aragog had said.**

"Good," Sirius praised "always try and think through the facts before you go to sleep. It'll make your thoughts clearer when you wake up."

**She was becoming drowsy when what seemed like their very last hope occurred to her, and she suddenly sat bolt upright, flinging the covers off of her form, she raced -as quietly as she could- to Ron's dorm. Creeping in, she nudged him in the side.**

"You spend an awful lot of time in the boy's dorms cub." Remus joked "Maybe this year you can stay out of them for a little while."

AJ grinned "I'll try papa but I can't promise anything like that."

**"Ron," she hissed through the dark, "Ron —"**

**Ron woke with a yelp like Fang's, stared wildly around, and saw AJ. **

"You were the last person I expected to see." Ron grumbled

**"Ron — that girl who died. Aragog said she was found in a bathroom," said AJ, ignoring Neville's snuffling snores from the corner. "What if she never left the bathroom? What if she's still there?"**

"She haunts the bathroom where she died?" Bill asked slowly

Kingsley shrugged "She was really young and probably couldn't cope with death yet so she stayed in the castle."

**Ron rubbed his eyes, frowning through the moonlight. And then he understood, too.**

"You always are a little slow on the uptake." Andy joked good naturedly

**"You don't think — not Moaning Myrtle?"**

AJ grabbed the book from her uncle, "I'll read" she stated "this chapter is going to be interesting. **The Chamber of Secrets...**"


	39. The Chamber of Secrets

Charlie grinned in anticipation "I can't wait to see who's behind these attacks! I can't see anyone really fitting the profile."

"I know what you mean," Bill readily agreed "if it was a student I hope they were expelled or something. You can't get away with things like that."

Noticing Ginny growing upset Molly snapped "That's enough boys! AJ please continue."

**"All those times we were in that bathroom, and she was just three toilets away," said Ron bitterly at breakfast next day, "and we could've asked her, and now…"**

"How do you begin a conversation like that?" Tonks wondered

Ron grinned "Very carefully and you have to ask the right way."

**It had been hard enough trying to look for spiders. Escaping their teachers long enough to sneak into a girls' bathroom, the girls' bathroom, moreover, right next to the scene of the first attack, was going to be almost impossible.**

"You guys do the impossible on a regular basis." Regulus laughed "I doubt you'll have any trouble sneaking into the bathroom."

**But something happened in their first lesson, Transfiguration that drove the Chamber of Secrets out of their minds for the first time in weeks. Ten minutes into the class, Professor McGonagall told them that their exams would start on the first of June, one week from today.**

Andy looked shocked "After everything that happened they still had exams?"

"Of course we still had to give exams!" Snape sneered "They can't put their education on hold because things were going down the tubes."

**"Exams?" howled Seamus Finnigan. "We're still getting exams?"**

**There was a loud bang behind AJ as Neville Longbottom's wand slipped, vanishing one of the legs on his desk.**

"At least he got the spell right." Laughed Remus "He's a very dedicated student and with the proper teaching he'll do excellent in any field he chooses to go into."

**Professor McGonagall restored it with a wave of her own wand, and turned, frowning, to Seamus. "The whole point of keeping the school open at this time is for you to receive your education," she said sternly. "The exams will therefore take place as usual, and I trust you are all studying hard."**

"Did anyone get any studying done?" Kingsley asked "The attacks were happening at random so studying groups were out of the question for most."

AJ grinned "I remembered a lot and was pretty prepared myself."

"Well I meant anyone who didn't have an eidetic memory kid." Kingsley grumbled with a smile

**Studying hard? It had never occurred to AJ that there would be exams with the castle in this state. There was a great deal of mutinous muttering around the room, which made Professor McGonagall scowl even more darkly.**

**"Professor Dumbledore's instructions were to keep the school running as normally as possible, she said. "And that, I need hardly point out, means finding out how much you have learned this year."**

Snape snorted, he doubted any of them actually remembered a damned thing from the time of the first attack to that very moment.

**AJ looked down at the pair of white rabbits she had already turned into slippers and back again. She had no worries about exams, all she had to do was reread her school books and she would pass her test with flying colors but she was worried for Ron. He looked as though he'd just been told he had to go and live in the Forbidden Forest.**

"I feel the same way and I'm not even taking exams." Sirius grinned

**"Can you imagine me taking exams with this?" he asked AJ, holding up his wand, which had just started whistling loudly.**

"You could have borrowed my wand Ron." Hermione stated

Ted shook his head "That's not allowed during exams, something about wands knowing their true owner and such."

**Three days before their first exam, Professor McGonagall made another announcement at breakfast. "I have good news," she said, and the Great Hall, instead of falling silent, erupted.**

**"Dumbledore's coming back!" several people yelled joyfully.**

Dumbledore smiled at the faith his students had in him, he didn't deserve it but it was always appreciated.

**"You've caught the Heir of Slytherin!" squealed a girl at the Ravenclaw table.**

**"Quidditch matches are back on!" roared Wood excitedly.**

"Yeah Wood," Remus said sarcastically "that's the good news you nutcase."

**When the hubbub had subsided, Professor McGonagall said, "Professor Sprout has informed me that the Mandrakes are ready for cutting at last.**

Everyone smiled at that, they couldn't imagine what they would have done without professor sprouts help.

**Tonight, we will be able to revive those people who have been Petrified. I need hardly remind you all that one of them may well be able to tell us who, or what, attacked them. I am hopeful that this dreadful year will end with our catching the culprit."**

Ginny leaned into her mother for support, she didn't want the room hating her but it seemed like that was going to happen regardless of what her defense was.

**There was an explosion of cheering. AJ looked over at the Slytherin table and wasn't at all surprised to see that Draco Malfoy hadn't joined in. Ron, however, was looking happier than he'd looked in days.**

"You notice too much." Ron muttered

Bill grinned "I don't think she notices enough."

**"It won't matter that we never asked Myrtle, then!" he said to AJ. "Hermione'll probably have all the answers when they wake her up!**

Hermione grinned, she didn't have all the answers but it was nice to have people want to go to her for answers.

**Mind you, she'll go crazy when she finds out we've got exams in three days' time. She hasn't studied. It might be kinder to leave her where she is till they're over."**

AJ and Ron laughed at the blush Hermione was sporting, she was so predictable.

**Just then, Ginny Weasley came over and sat down next to Ron. She looked tense and nervous, and AJ noticed that her hands were twisting in her lap.**

Tonks narrowed her eyes; did Ginny have something to do with the chamber? But how would that be possible? She was still at Hogwarts and it wasn't as if she had an excessive amount of detentions or it would have been around the school.

**"What's up?" said Ron, helping himself to more porridge. **

**Ginny didn't say anything, but glanced up and down the Gryffindor table with a scared look on her face that reminded AJ of someone, though he couldn't think who.**

Andy looked to Ginny "Were you in trouble or something?"

"No of course not, I was just trying to word my thoughts carefully." Snapped Ginny

**"Spit it out," said Ron, watching her.**

Regulus chuckled "Nice Ron; that will get her to open up really fast."

**AJ suddenly realized who Ginny looked like. She was rocking backward and forward slightly in her chair, exactly like Dobby did when he was teetering on the edge of revealing forbidden information.**

Sirius could feel a headache coming on "I hate to say this but you're making it seem as if you're hiding information."

**"I've got to tell you something," Ginny mumbled, carefully not looking at AJ.**

"Yeah you're making yourself look guilty." Ted remarked

**"What is it?" said AJ.**

**Ginny looked as though she couldn't find the right words. **

**"What?" said Ron.**

Ginny glared "You could have asked a little nicer Ronald."

"You wouldn't have opened up to me or anyone else for that matter." Snapped Ron

**Ginny opened her mouth, but no sound came out. AJ leaned forward and spoke quietly, so that only Ginny and Ron could hear her. "Is it something about the Chamber of Secrets? Have you seen something? Someone acting oddly?"**

"That was a good way to put something so serious cub." Remus smiled

AJ grinned "Yeah but it wasn't that good."

**Ginny drew a deep breath and, at that precise moment, Percy Weasley appeared, looking tired and wan. "If you've finished eating, I'll take that seat, Ginny. I'm starving; I've only just come off patrol duty."**

"Moron, complete and utter moron." Snorted Kingsley

**Ginny jumped up as though her chair had just been electrified, gave Percy a fleeting, frightened look, and scampered away. Percy sat down and grabbed a mug from the center of the table. **

Tonks shook her head "No one saw this as odd? She randomly jumps up while acting like she murdered someone and no one stopped her?"

"It wouldn't have changed anything Tonks." Ginny huffed "The plan was already set in stone."

**"Percy!" said Ron angrily. "She was just about to tell us something important!"**

**Halfway through a gulp of tea, Percy choked. "What sort of thing?" he said, coughing.**

"Everyone is acting guilty right now!" Remus groaned "Is it something the people at Gryffindor table are drinking or something?"

**"I just asked her if she'd seen anything odd, and she started to say…"**

**"Oh — that — that's nothing to do with the Chamber of Secrets," said Percy at once. **

"What could you know about Percy when he keeps more secrets than the Chamber itself?" Charlie wondered out loud

Bill snorted "That was clever dragon boy, I'm proud of your wit you inherited from me."

**"How do you know?" said Ron, his eyebrows raised.**

Sirius smiled "Good Ron! Ask the question we're all wanting answered."

"It wasn't much of an answer dad," grinned AJ "but you'll get a better answer at the end I'm sure."

**"Well, er, if you must know, Ginny, er, walked in on me the other day when I was — well, never mind — the point is, she spotted me doing something and I, um, I asked her not to mention it to anybody. I must say, I did think she'd keep her word.**

Ted chuckled "He was caught making out or having sex."

"My son was not having sex at school!" Molly snapped

"So you're saying he was having sex outside of school? I guess that's better than what I originally thought." Ted snapped back

**It's nothing, really, I'd just rather —" **

**AJ had never seen Percy look so uncomfortable.**

"Sex can be a very touchy subject AJ," Regulus remarked with a smirk "it could make anyone uncomfortable."

**"What were you doing, Percy?" said Ron, grinning. "Go on, tell us, we won't laugh."**

"Convincing Ron," Hermione laughed "you would have had me spilling my guts."

**Percy didn't smile back. "Pass me those rolls, Alessandra, I'm starving."**

**AJ knew the whole mystery might be solved tomorrow without their help, but she wasn't about to pass up a chance to speak to Myrtle if it turned up— and to her delight it did, mid-morning, when they were being led to History of Magic by Gilderoy Lockhart.**

"So the day started off terrible?" Tonks deadpanned

**Lockhart, who had so often assured them that all danger had passed, only to be proved wrong right away, was now wholeheartedly convinced that it was hardly worth the trouble to see them safely down the corridors. His hair wasn't as sleek as usual; it seemed he had been up most of the night, patrolling the fourth floor.**

"Damn and I'm sure he needed to look his best for the five hundred terrified students that he was protecting." Kingsley bit out

**"Mark my words," he said, ushering them around a corner. "The first words out of those poor Petrified people's mouths will be 'It was Hagrid.' Frankly, I'm astounded Professor McGonagall thinks all these security measures are necessary."**

Snape rolled his eyes "Yes I'm sure that's what they would say you jackass."

**"I agree, sir," said AJ, making Ron drop his books in surprise.**

"You better have a good explanation for this cub." Remus said sternly

Andy mock glared "After all the crap he's pulled you're going to agree with this jerkoff?"

**"Thank you, AJ," said Lockhart graciously while they waited for a long line of Hufflepuffs to pass. "I mean, we teachers have quite enough to be getting on with, without walking students to classes and standing guard all night…" **

"Just when you thought he couldn't get any stupider." Charlie muttered

AJ grinned "Well I can be very persuasive when I want to be love."

**"That's right," said Ron, catching on.**

"I wasn't sure what you were planning at first but then it just came to me." Ron grinned

**"Why don't you leave us here, sir, we've only got one more corridor to go —"**

**"You know, Weasley, I think I will," said Lockhart. "I really should go and prepare my next class —" And he hurried off.**

"Yeah right," Sirius snarked "I'm sure classes were the last thing on his mind."

**"Prepare his class," Ron sneered after him. "Gone to curl his hair, more like." **

Regulus laughed "Good one Ron! We all know he's full of shit at this point no use in trying to defend his sorry ass."

**They let the rest of the Gryffindors draw ahead of them, then darted down a side passage and hurried off toward Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. But just as they were congratulating each other on their brilliant scheme.**

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch." Bill stated

Hermione snickered "Thanks for the analogy Mr. Weasley it was greatly appreciated."

**"Potter! Weasley! What are you doing?" It was Professor McGonagall, and her mouth was the thinnest of thin lines.**

"Well damn," Tonks muttered "you're caught by the strictest teacher."

Kingsley sighed "Hopefully you have a good excuse lined up, like a really good one."

**"We were — we were —" Ron stammered. "We were going to — to go and see —"**

"Good plan." Ted deadpanned "I can see why she always believes you guys."

**"Hermione," said AJ. Ron and Professor McGonagall both looked at her. "We haven't seen her for ages, Professor," AJ went on hurriedly, treading on Ron's foot, "and we thought we'd sneak into the hospital wing, you know, and tell her the Mandrakes are nearly ready and not to worry —"**

Andy beamed "That's a great excuse! I'm sure she'll believe it."

"I don't know how I feel about you using me." Hermione stated with a smirk

AJ snorted "Get used to it sweet cheeks, it's all a part of my charm."

**Professor McGonagall was still staring at her, and for a moment, AJ thought she was going to explode, but when she spoke, it was in a strangely croaky voice.**

**"Of course," she said, and AJ, amazed, saw a tear glistening in her beady eye.**

"Well she is human pup," Sirius said with amusement "McGonagall can show her softer side every now and then."

**"Of course, I realize this has all been hardest on the friends of those who have been… I quite understand. Yes, Miss Potter, of course you may visit Miss Granger. I will inform Professor Binns where you've gone. Tell Madam Pomfrey I have given my permission."**

"You have the entire school wrapped around your finger sweets." Regulus remarked

**AJ and Ron walked away, hardly daring to believe that they'd avoided detention. As they turned the corner, they distinctly heard Professor McGonagall blow her nose.**

"Seems like your bad luck is taking a turn for the better." Remus said with a hopeful voice.

**"That," said Ron fervently, "was the best story you've ever come up with." They had no choice now but to go to the hospital wing and tell Madam Pomfrey that they had Professor McGonagall's permission to visit Hermione. Madam Pomfrey let them in, but reluctantly.**

Tonks smiled "Good thinking! Always cover your tracks in case she decided to ask Madam Pomfrey if you really went in to see Hermione."

**"There's just no point talking to a Petrified person," she said, and they had to admit she had a point when they'd taken their seats next to Hermione.**

Bill shook his head "They may not be able to hear you but it gives the people that aren't petrified a bit of closure."

**It was plain that Hermione didn't have the faintest inkling that she had visitors, and that they might just as well tell her bedside cabinet not to worry for all the good it would do.**

"I couldn't hear anything," Hermione admitted "but when someone was around me I could feel their presence almost. It's hard to explain."

**"Wonder if she did see the attacker, though?" said Ron, looking sadly at Hermione's rigid face. "Because if he sneaked up on them all, no one'll ever know…"**

"I saw the reflection of yellow eyes," Hermione said quietly "but I didn't have time to think about it before I was petrified."

**But AJ wasn't looking at Hermione's face. She was more interested in her right hand.**

"A clue! Finally!" Kingsley exclaimed

**It lay clenched on top of her blankets, and bending closer, she saw that a piece of paper was scrunched inside her fist. Making sure that Madam Pomfrey was nowhere near, she pointed this out to Ron.**

"No one saw this beforehand?" Andy snapped "They should have checked her over for more extensive injuries then they would have noticed the paper!"

**"Go on and get it out," Ron whispered, shifting his chair so that he blocked AJ from Madam Pomfrey's view.**

"Very sneaky," Bill chuckled "Madam Pomfrey would have kicked you two out if she saw what you were doing."

**It was no easy task. Hermione's hand was clamped so tightly around the paper that June was sure she was going to tear it. While Ron kept watch she tugged and twisted, and at last, after several tense minutes, the paper came free. It was a page torn from a very old library book.**

Ginny snickered "Wow the Great Hermione ripped a page from the library book. What's the world coming to?"

"I would be careful of what you say during these next few chapters Ms. Weasley." Snape snarled, he always felt the youngest Weasley got off too easy when it came to being punished.

**AJ smoothed it out eagerly and Ron leaned close to read it, too.**

_**"Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk,**_

Charlie went pale while holding AJ in a vice like grip, they were the deadliest creature in the Wizarding world. This wasn't something a thirteen and a twelve year old could handle alone.

_**known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it."**_

Everyone looked sick to their stomachs, this couldn't have happened. After the year they had before this was getting ridiculous.

**And beneath this, a single word had been written, in a hand AJ recognized as Hermione's. **_**Pipes**_**.**

Sirius held onto Remus like a lifeline while muttering "The pipes? That damn snake is getting around through the plumbing?

"The school is made of magic," Regulus stated "the pipes are probably expanding while the basilisk moves through them."

Andy shook her head "I don't care how it's getting around Reggie, it should never have been in a school full of children!"

**It was as though somebody had just flicked a light on in her brain. **

AJ smiled "It's a good feeling when that happens, it makes everything so much easier for my brain to process."

**"Ron," she breathed. "This is it. This is the answer. The monster in the Chamber's a basilisk — a giant serpent! That's why I've been hearing that voice all over the place, and nobody else has heard it. It's because I understand Parseltongue…"**

"I find it weird that this has never been a problem till AJ started at Hogwarts." Remus bit out "The snake has been there for fifty years and now all of a sudden it's decided to finish the job it tried to fifty years previously? It makes no sense."

"The master of the basilisk needed someone weak to control and make that person the scapegoat." AJ snorted at the look Ginny shot her

**AJ looked up at the beds around her.**

**"The basilisk kills people by looking at them. But no one's died — because no one looked it straight in the eye.**

Tonks breath hitched "If anyone looked that damn thing in the eyes they would have died just like Myrtle! It could have been an innocent first year or someone just coming to Hogwarts to see Dumbledore!"

**Colin saw it through his camera. The basilisk burned up all the film inside it, but Colin just got Petrified. Justin… Justin must've seen the basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick! Nick got the full blast of it, but he couldn't die again…**

"That one is still confusing," Kingsley said while pulling Tonks into his side "if Nick is already dead how did he get petrified?"

Ted laughed "Wow a Ravenclaw doesn't have an answer! I never thought I'd see the day."

**and Hermione and that Ravenclaw prefect were found with a mirror next to them. Hermione had just realized the monster was a basilisk. I bet you anything she warned the first person she met to look around corners with a mirror first! And that girl pulled out her mirror — and —" **

"You're getting all this from that little bit of information?" Bill said in awe "You're really good at putting things together like their a jigsaw puzzle or something."

**Rods jaw had dropped.**

**"And Mrs. Norris?" he whispered eagerly.**

Remus looked thoughtful "Wasn't she by the water when it happened? All she would have seen was the reflection."

"Good job Moony," Hermione laughed "your memory is almost as good as AJ's."

**AJ thought back, picturing the scene on the night of Halloween.**

**"The water…" she said slowly. "The flood from Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. I bet you Mrs. Norris only saw the reflection…"**

AJ and Remus shared grins while Sirius figured out how to kill whoever put his daughter through this while making it look like an accident.

**She scanned the page in her hand eagerly. The more she looked at it, the more it made sense.**

Ron rolled his eyes "Everything comes easy to you, I don't know why you act surprised."

"Well at the time you guys had no facts," Charlie reminded "you only had one word to go on. So the fact that AJ could piece it all together so fast is impressive."

**"… The crowing of the rooster… is fatal to it!" she read aloud. "Hagrid's roosters were killed! The Heir of Slytherin didn't want one anywhere near the castle once the Chamber was opened! Spiders flee before it! It all fits!"**

"It's kind of funny that a Basilisk can be killed by a rooster." Chuckled Ted

Tonks laughed "I don't think they found it too funny at the time daddy."

**"But how's the basilisk been getting around the place?" said Ron. "A giant snake... Someone would've seen…"**

"The pipes!" everyone in the room yelled besides Molly and Ginny who were scowling.

**AJ, however, pointed at the word Hermione had scribbled at the foot of the page.**

**"Pipes," she said. "Pipes… Ron, it's been using the plumbing. I've been hearing that voice inside the walls…"**

"That makes sense," Sirius murmured "it explains why no one can hear it moving, the magic around the school blocks noises coming from inside walls."

**Ron suddenly grabbed AJ's arm.**

Charlie mock glared at his little brother "Don't man handle my girl Ron."

**"The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets!" he said hoarsely. "What if it's a bathroom? What if it's in —"**

Andy smacked her head; it was all so obvious now.

**"Moaning Myrtle's bathroom," said AJ.**

"Why didn't anyone ever ask her before all this shit happened?" Kingsley huffed "She's obsessed with death, I'm sure she would love to tell people about what happened."

Dumbledore smiled grimly "We asked her many times, she never answered except with tears and wails of how horrible it was."

**They sat there, excitement coursing through them, hardly able to believe it.**

Snape hated the feeling of pride welling up inside him on behalf of AJ, she was a smart girl at thirteen but now at sixteen she was brilliant. He always hated the fact that AJ could tell the world to screw as long as she was doing what made her happy, he wanted that ability but he knew it was hard to teach an old dog new tricks.

**"This means," said AJ, "I can't be the only Parselmouth in the school. The Heir of Slytherins one, too. That's how he's been controlling the basilisk."**

Regulus raised an eyebrow "Unless the heir is possessing someone in order to control the basilisk that way."

"But who would be stupid enough to be possessed and not inform someone of the feeling of memory loss?" laughed Bill

**"What're we going to do?" said Ron, whose eyes were flashing. "Should we go straight to McGonagall?"**

Regulus snorted "Not as if she has the best track record when it comes to listing to you guys."

**"Let's go to the staff room," said AJ, jumping up. "She'll be there in ten minutes. It's nearly break."**

Snape turned unhealthy shade of green thinking of how it must have felt hearing your sibling was taken hostage by eavesdropping.

**They ran downstairs. Not wanting to be discovered hanging around in another corridor, they went straight into the deserted staff room. It was a large, paneled room full of dark, wooden chairs. AJ and Ron paced around it, too excited to sit down.**

"I would be like that too," Hermione smiled "you guys covered a lot of ground without any help."

**But the bell to signal break never came.**

**Instead, echoing through the corridors came Professor McGonagall's voice, magically magnified.**

"There couldn't have been another attack," Tonks murmured "it has to be something else."

**"All students to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staff room. Immediately, please."**

"I can't imagine who else could have been attacked." Charlie sighed "Teachers were following all the students for the past few weeks."

**AJ wheeled around to stare at Ron. "Not another attack? Not now?" **

Ginny sighed thinking of what was to come.

**"What'll we do?" said Ron, aghast. "Go back to the tower?"**

**"No," said AJ, glancing around. There was an ugly sort of wardrobe to her left, full of the teachers' cloaks. "In here. Let's hear what it's all about. Then we can tell them what we've found out."**

Remus laughed "Good idea cub, because just coming out with the information would be too anticlimactic."

**They hid themselves inside it, listening to the rumbling of hundreds of people moving overhead, and the staff room door banging open. From between the musty folds of the cloaks, they watched the teachers filtering into the room. Some of them were looking puzzled, others downright scared.**

"I'm sure they all thought another student was attacked or killed." Sirius said

**Then Professor McGonagall arrived.**

**"It has happened," she told the silent staff room. "A student has been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself."**

Everyone who wasn't there gaped, who could have been taken?

**Professor Flitwick let out a squeal. Professor Sprout clapped her hands over her mouth. Snape gripped the back of a chair very hard and said, "How can you be sure?"**

Snape rolled his eyes "Contrary to your beliefs I do care a great deal for my students."

**"The Heir of Slytherin," said Professor McGonagall, who was very white, "left another message. Right underneath the first one. 'Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever'."**

Molly was fighting back tears while AJ glared at Ginny. She didn't care what Ginny's excuse was, she was guilty for the entire mess.

**Professor Flitwick burst into tears.**

"I'm not surprised by his reaction," Ted smiled "he's a nice normal teacher."

**"Who is it?" said Madam Hooch, who had sunk, weak-kneed, into a chair. "Which student?"**

Hermione fought the urge to yell that it was an idiot that was taken, but that wouldn't have gone over well no matter how much Ginny deserved it.

**"Ginny Weasley," said Professor McGonagall**

There was a shocked silence before Charlie glared at his blushing sister, "Ginny what did you do?"

"What are you talking about Charlie?" Bill asked shocked "Our sister was taken by the monster and you're accusing her of doing something wrong!"

"She's been acting funny this entire book Bill!" Charlie snapped "I'm not trying to be an ass but all I'm saying is that she's guilty of something."

**AJ felt Ron slide silently down onto the wardrobe floor beside her. **

"Yeah well I didn't want my sister to die." Ron muttered

**"We shall have to send all the students home tomorrow," said Professor McGonagall. "This is the end of Hogwarts. Dumbledore always said…"**

"Students should have already been sent home." Ted snarked

Kingsley nodded "I agree, or at least had a team of aurors sent in. This was ridiculous."

**The staffroom door banged open again. For one wild moment, June was sure it would be Dumbledore. But it was Lockhart, and he was beaming. "So sorry — dozed off — what have I missed?"**

"Will you please go die?" Andy sighed "He's such an insensitive asshole!"

**He didn't seem to notice that the other teachers were looking at him with pure hatred.**

Snape suppressed another grin at the Gryffindor; all the teachers hated that man.

**Snape stepped forward.**

**"Just the man," he said. "The very man. A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last."**

Tonks smiled "Snape we might not like each other but in this moment I absolutely love you! Sending him into the lion's den…well snakes den is a brilliant plan!"

"You're making yourself less of a pain in the ass right now Severus." Regulus smirked "But I doubt you're going to stay this sweet for long."

**Lockhart blanched.**

"Of course he did," laughed Hermione "he's a liar and wouldn't be caught dead doing something like that without someone to con into going with him."

**"That's right, Gilderoy," chipped in Professor Sprout. "Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?" **

Charlie grinned "I love that the teachers are so vindictive, it's refreshing."

**"I — well, I-" sputtered Lockhart.**

**"Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was inside it?" piped up Professor Flitwick.**

"I'm sure he knew all along," Remus snorted "he just kept silent because he hates attention."

**"D-did I? I don't recall —"**

"You recall just fine jackass." Ted deadpanned "You just don't give a shit unless it affects your reputation."

**"I certainly remember you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested," said Snape. "Didn't you say that the whole affair had been bungled, and that you should have been given a free rein from the first?"**

"I would have loved to see him against the basilisk." AJ laughed "It would have been a fast fight that's for sure."

**Lockhart stared around at his stony-faced colleagues.**

**"I — I really never — you may have misunderstood —"**

"He's still trying to act as if he isn't a fraud," Kingsley huffed "obviously they don't believe anything that comes out of his mouth so why bother?"

Bill snorted "He likes the sound of his own voice."

**"We'll leave it to you, then, Gilderoy," said Professor McGonagall. "Tonight will be an excellent time to do it. We'll make sure everyone's out of your way. You'll be able to tackle the monster all by yourself. A free rein at last."**

Sirius smiled "Good, let that harebrained asshole go down into the chamber and get eaten."

"Hey!" Ginny snapped "I was down there dying and needed someone competent to save me!"

"Whose fault was it you were down there Ginny?" Sirius asked "I have to agree with dragon boy on this one being your own fault."

**Lockhart gazed desperately around him, but nobody came to the rescue. He didn't look remotely handsome anymore. His lip was trembling, and in the absence of his usually toothy grin, he looked weak-chinned and feeble.**

Hermione wiped away a fake tear "I so wish I was there to see that!"

**"V-very well," he said. "I'll — I'll be in my office, getting — getting ready."**

Andy huffed "He's getting ready to leave. He has no intention of staying or trying to help a single person during this."

**And he left the room. **

**"Right," said Professor McGonagall, whose nostrils were flared, "that's got him out from under our feet. The Heads of Houses should go and inform their students what has happened. Tell them the Hogwarts Express will take them home first thing tomorrow. Will the rest of you please make sure no students have been left outside their dormitories."**

"It's hard to believe the school was so close to being closed." Charlie murmured "I can't imagine how bad the Wizarding world would crumble without Hogwarts."

**The teachers rose and left, one by one.**

**It was probably the worst day of AJ's entire life.**

AJ shrugged "My best friends little sister was taken hostage for whatever reason and I knew the chances of finding her alive were slim to none."

**She, Ron, Fred, and George sat together in a corner of the Gryffindor common room, unable to say anything to each other.**

"I don't think there's anything you can really say in a situation like that." Tonks said into Kingsley's shoulder "No matter what you say it will sound dumb or meaningless."

**Percy wasn't there. He had gone to send an owl to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, then shut himself up in his dormitory.**

"At least he has some common sense now." Ted said "It should have come from the teachers in person but I'm happy he told them."

**No afternoon ever lasted as long as that one, nor had Gryffindor Tower ever been so crowded, yet so quiet. Near sunset, Fred and George went up to bed, unable to sit there any longer.**

Hermione sighed "I'm sure they felt completely useless and needed to be doing something to keep their minds off the horrible situation.

**"She knew something, AJ," said Ron, speaking for the first time since they had entered the wardrobe in the staff room. "That's why she was taken. It wasn't some stupid thing about Percy at all. She'd found out something about the Chamber of Secrets. That must be why she was Ron rubbed his eyes frantically. "I mean, she was a pure-blood. There can't be any other reason."**

Ron glared at his scowling sister, there was something she could have done she just chose to ignore it.

**AJ could see the sun sinking, blood-red, below the skyline. This was the worst she had ever felt. If only there was something they could do. Anything. "AJ" said Ron. "D'you think there's any chance at all she's not you know"**

Tonks pinched the bridge of her nose "It seems highly unlikely to be honest. I know this has already happened and if I didn't see Ginny in front of me I wouldn't believe she made it out alive."

**AJ didn't know what to say. She couldn't see how Ginny could still be alive.**

"Wow Tonks," smirked Kingsley "you two have the same thought process, it's cute."

**The poor timid girl that had looked up to her... now hidden in some secret place... AJ was kicking herself furiously for not paying more attention to her...**

Sirius smiled sadly "It's not your fault pup; don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You were a thirteen year old trying to get through school which is your job. Not saving everyone that needs it."

"Thanks daddy, that means a lot to me." For once AJ didn't feel the guilt she had always carried around for being the one to survive.

**"D'you know what?" said Ron. "I think we should go and see Lockhart. Tell him what we know. He's going to try and get into the Chamber. We can tell him where we think it is, and tell him it's a basilisk in there."**

Snape sneered "Brilliant idea Weasley, your best idea this year and that includes using a broken wand!"

"I'm sure he wanted to keep the idea that adults will always help children alive in his heart Snape." Regulus bit out "Don't be such an asshole."

**Because AJ couldn't think of anything else to do, and because she wanted to be doing something, she agreed. The Gryffindors around them were so miserable, and felt so sorry for the Weasleys, that nobody tried to stop them as they got up, crossed the room, and left through the portrait hole.**

Bill groaned "Someone should have noticed I understand it was an awful moment but to completely ignore your surroundings is beyond stupid."

**Darkness was falling as they walked down to Lockhart's office. There seemed to be a lot of activity going on inside it. They could hear scraping, thumps, and hurried footsteps. AJ knocked and there was a sudden silence from inside. Then the door opened the tiniest crack and they saw one of Lockhart's eyes peering through 'it.**

"The monster wouldn't knock you dumb ass." Snarled Remus

**"Oh Miss Potter Mr. Weasley he said, opening the door a bit wider. "I'm rather busy at the moment —if you would be quick"**

"He's running?" Charlie exploded "I guess I shouldn't be too surprised but this is ridiculous!"

**"Professor, we've got some information for you," said AJ. "We think it'll help you."**

"Going into the chamber by yourself is my vote." Said Andy

**"Er well it's not terribly" the side of Lockhart's face that they could see looked very uncomfortable. "I mean well all right"**

Hermione bit her lip "I don't think you should be anywhere near him alone. He's a pervert and is going to try something."

**He opened the door and they entered. His office had been almost completely stripped. Two large trunks stood open on the floor. Robes, jade-green, lilac, midnight blue, had been hastily folded into one of them; books were jumbled untidily into the other. The photographs that had covered the walls were now crammed into boxes on the desk. **

"He didn't honestly think this would work did he?" asked Ted

**"Are you going somewhere?" said AJ, distrust and anger coursing through her immediately.**

"Your senses are amazing," Tonks said with envy "most aurors have to be trained for years before they have those types of senses."

**"Er, well, yes," said Lockhart, ripping a life-size poster of himself from the back of the door as he spoke and starting to roll it up. "Urgent call unavoidable got to go"**

Sirius let out a hearty laugh "I'm surprised he hasn't pissed his pants yet."

**"What about my sister?" said Ron jerkily.**

**"Well, as to that most unfortunate said Lockhart, avoiding their eyes as he wrenched open a drawer and started emptying the contents into a bag. "No one regrets more than I—"**

Bill rolled his eyes "Somehow I doubt that very much."

**"You're the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher!" said AJ. "You can't go now! Not with all the attacks and stuff going on here!"**

Remus groaned "Sorry cub, but I don't think he gives a damn either way."

**"Well I must say when I took the job" Lockhart muttered, now piling socks on top of his robes. "nothing in the job description didn't expect"**

"Sorry we didn't put this sort of thing in the description you moron!" Kingsley yelled

**"You mean you're running away?" said AJ disbelievingly. "After all that stuff you did in your books"**

"Well it didn't seem like something like an adult would do!" AJ snapped at the looks "I was used to people going in and out of my life but not like this."

**"Books can be misleading," said Lockhart delicately.**

Regulus frowned "So he's admitting to plagiarism in not so many words."

**"You wrote them!" AJ shouted, suddenly feeling very young and foolish. How could she have trusted that this man would help them?**

"You should be able to trust your teachers," huffed Tonks

**"My dear girl," said Lockhart, straightening up and frowning at AJ. "Do use your common sense. My books wouldn't have sold half as well if people didn't think I'd done all those things. No one wants to read about some ugly old Armenian warlock, even if he did save a village from werewolves. He'd look dreadful on the front cover. No dress sense at all. And the witch who banished the Bandon Banshee had a harelip. I mean, come on"**

Regulus snarled "Now I understand! He was doing it all out of the goodness of his heart!"

**"So you've just been taking credit for what a load of other people have done?" said AJ incredulously.**

"Obviously." Snape deadpanned without any real heat behind his words

**"AJ, AJ," said Lockhart, shaking his head impatiently, "it's not nearly as simple as that. There was work involved. I had to track these people down. Ask them exactly how they managed to do what they did. Then I had to put a Memory Charm on them so they wouldn't remember doing it. If there's one thing I pride myself on, it's my Memory Charms. No, it's been a lot of work, AJ. It's not all book signings and publicity photos, you know. You want fame, you have to be prepared for a long hard slog." **

Sirius growled "He was always good at those damn charms! He was always bragging about it in school."

"He tried to do it on a few students if I recall correctly," Remus commented "I'm surprised someone didn't kill him before this."

**He banged the lids of his trunks shut and locked them.**

**"Let's see," he said. "I think that's everything. Yes. Only one thing left."**

Andy gaped "He's going to try and do a memory charm on you two!"

**He pulled out his wand and turned to them. But AJ reached her wand just in time. Lockhart had barely raised his, when AJ bellowed, "Expelliarmus!"**

"You disarmed a fully trained wizard?" Ted asked grinning

AJ smiled "Of course I did, I wasn't about to let him use a memory charm on us."

**Lockhart was blasted backward, falling over his trunk; his wand flew high into the air; Ron caught it, and flung it out of the open window.**

"Wouldn't it have been better if you just kept it?" Regulus wondered

Ron snorted "Hell no, it was a good thing we chucked that wand or we would have been screwed."

**"Shouldn't have let Professor Snape teach us that one," said AJ furiously, kicking Lockhart's trunk aside. Lockhart was looking up at her, feeble once more. AJ was still pointing her wand at him.**

Charlie smiled "Good, don't let him think he can get away with this."

**"What d'you want me to do?" said Lockhart weakly. "I don't know where the Chamber of Secrets is. There's nothing I can do."**

"You can go die," Sirius supplied "I doubt anyone would miss your sorry ass."

**"You're in luck," said AJ, forcing Lockhart to his feet at wand point. "We know where it is and how to get in. All we need is snake bait."**

Bill smiled "Good for you AJ! Use that jackass for bait and then leave him down there."

"Bill!" Molly scolded "That's rude and you know better!"

"Mom I'm an adult and can say what I like." Bill stated "As far as me wanting him dead, I'm completely justified after the way he treated AJ."

**They marched Lockhart out of his office and down the nearest stairs, along the dark corridor where the messages shone on the wall, to the door of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. They sent Lockhart in first. AJ was pleased to see that he was shaking.**

"Of course he's shaking," smirked Regulus "he's never done anything dangerous in his life."

**Moaning Myrtle was sitting on the tank of the end toilet. "Oh, it's you," she said when she saw AJ. "What do you want this time?"**

**"To ask you how you died," said AJ.**

Hermione laughed "Right to the point like always I see."

**Myrtle's whole aspect changed at once. She looked as though she had never been asked such a flattering question.**

"Everyone would ask _what killed her_ now _how she died_. It was important to her and no one took that seriously." AJ explained

**"Oooooh, it was dreadful," she said with relish. "It happened right in here. I died in this very stall. I remember it so well. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. The door was locked, and I was crying, and then I heard somebody come in. They said something funny. A different language, I think it must have been. Anyway, what really got me was that it was a boy speaking. So I unlocked the door, to tell him to go and use his own toilet, and then —" Myrtle swelled importantly, her face shining. "I died."**

"That's really sad when you think about it." Ron mumbled "One minute she's alive then she's gone forever without even realizing it happened."

Remus smiled "That was a very mature way to put that Ron, I'm proud."

**"How?" said AJ.**

"It does seem like there should be more to the story then what she's telling." Hermione looked thoughtful "But then again it is Myrtle and she has a flare for dramatics."

**"No idea," said Myrtle in hushed tones. "I just remember seeing a pair of great, big, yellow eyes. My whole body sort of seized up, and then I was floating away…" She looked dreamily at AJ. "And then I came back again. I was determined to haunt Olive Hornby, you see. Oh, she was sorry she'd ever laughed at my glasses."**

"She became a ghost to haunt someone?" Sirius laughed "That sounds like something you would do Snape."

Snape glared "I would not become a ghost Black just to torment you."

**"Where exactly did you see the eyes?" said AJ.**

**"Somewhere there," said Myrtle, pointing vaguely toward the sink in front of her toilet.**

"The chamber is under the toilets?" Ted asked with humor

Kingsley grinned "Always new Slytherin was a little unconventional."

**AJ and Ron hurried over to it. Lockhart was standing well back, a look of utter terror on his face.** **It looked like an ordinary sink. They examined every inch of it, inside and out, including the pipes below. And then AJ saw it: Scratched on the side of one of the copper taps was a tiny snake.**

"It's under the school?" Charlie asked shocked "That's actually not a bad place for it, obviously no one would look there."

**"That tap's never worked," said Myrtle brightly as AJ tried to turn it.**

Andy smirked "She's always been the helpful type. When I would get sick she would tell me how gross I looked and offered to tell Ted how much better he could do."

**"AJ," said Ron. "Say something. Something in Parseltongue."**

"It's really not that easy, to you guys it's a different language but to me it's like English but with an undertone to it." AJ explained

**"But —" AJ thought hard. The only times she'd ever managed to speak Parseltongue were when she'd been faced with a real snake. She stared hard at the tiny engraving, trying to imagine it was real.**

Ron snickered "That didn't help much at all mate."

**"Open up," She said.**

**She looked at Ron, who shook his head.**

**"English," he said.**

**AJ looked back at the snake, willing himself to believe it was alive. If she moved her head, the candlelight made it look as though it were moving.**

Regulus raised an eyebrow "I think that's just because you can talk to snakes sweets."

**"Open up," she said.**

**Except that the words weren't what she heard; a strange hissing had escaped her,**

"That must have sounded so cool," Tonks remarked "you'll still show us what it sounds like right?"

AJ grinned "Of course Tonks, it does sound cool and I've accepted it as a gift so it comes easier now."

**There was a pause.**

**"Well, you hardly seem to need me," said Lockhart, with a shadow of his old smile. "I'll just —"**

"No, I don't think so." Kingsley snarked "They still need bait."

**He put his hand on the door knob, but Ron and AJ both pointed their wands at him.**

**"You can go first," Ron snarled.**

Bill grinned proudly at his little brother; he loved the fact that Ron was teaching that jerk a lesson.

**White-faced and wandless, Lockhart approached the opening.**

"Not very brave," Remus chuckled "he doesn't know how to turn this situation on himself."

**"Kids," he said his voice feeble. "kids, what good will it do?"**

"Hopefully it will get you to shut up." Andy remarked

**AJ jabbed him in the back with his wand. Lockhart slid his legs into the pipe.**

Charlie snickered "He's learning not to mess with AJ and Ron when they get pissed off."

**"I really don't think —" he started to say, but Ron gave him a push, and he slid out of sight. AJ followed quickly. She lowered herself slowly into the pipe, then let go.**

"I don't know if you're extremely brave or extremely stupid." Remus muttered with a small smile

Hermione snickered "Go with the brave, it'll keep you from losing your mind with worry."

**It was like rushing down an endless, slimy, dark slide. She could see more pipes branching off in all directions, but none as large as theirs, which twisted and turned, sloping steeply downward, and she knew that she was falling deeper below the school than even the dungeons. Behind her she could hear Ron, thudding slightly at the curves. And then, just as she had begun to worry about what would happen when he hit the ground,**

"As long as you don't fall into something liquid like you should be okay pup." Sirius said

Regulus narrowed his eyes "Cute Siri, that was downright adorable, I so missed your sick sense of humor."

**the pipe leveled out, and he shot out of the end with a wet thud, landing on the damp floor of a dark stone tunnel large enough to stand in. Lockhart was getting to his feet a little ways away, covered in slime and white as a ghost. AJ stood aside as Ron came whizzing out of the pipe, too.**

"It was actually kind of fun," Ron remarked "wouldn't mind doing it again."

Ginny glared "Glad you had fun Ron!"

**"We must be miles under the school," said AJ, her voice echoing in the black tunnel.**

Ted winced "Be careful, you don't want to cause rocks to fall or the Basilisk to wake up at random or something."

**"Under the lake, probably," said Ron, squinting around at the dark, slimy walls. All three of them turned to stare into the darkness ahead.**

"I hate the dark," Tonks muttered "the unknown freaks me out."

Kingsley grabbed onto Tonks hand "I'll protect you; you're my partner and friend. Nothing will hurt you."

**"Lumos!" AJ muttered to her wand and it lit again. "C'mon," she said to Ron and Lockhart, and off they went, their footsteps slapping loudly on the wet floor. The tunnel was so dark that they could only see a little distance ahead. Their shadows on the wet walls looked monstrous in the wandlight.**

"Just another reason why this is a horrible idea." Remus muttered under his breath "Your mind is going to play tricks on you."

**"Remember," AJ said quietly as they walked cautiously forward, "any sign of movement, close your eyes right away…"**

Sirius groaned "Then you're fighting blind! You're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't."

**But the tunnel was quiet as the grave, and the first unexpected sound they heard was a loud crunch as Ron stepped on what turned out to be a rat's skull.**

Ron smirked in satisfaction wishing it had been wormtails.

**AJ lowered her wand to look at the floor and saw that it was littered with small animal bones. Trying very hard not to imagine what Ginny might look like if they found her, AJ led the way forward, around a dark bend in the tunnel.**

Charlie winced at that, he maybe madder than hell at his little sister but he didn't want to picture a life without her.

**"AJ — there's something up there —" said Ron hoarsely, grabbing AJ's shoulder.**

"You had a death grip on me too Ron," joked AJ "that wasn't very nice."

**They froze, watching. AJ could just see the outline of something huge and curved, lying right across the tunnel. It wasn't moving.**

Bill sighed "That must be the skin it shed."

**"Maybe it's asleep," she breathed, glancing back at the other two. Lockhart's hands were pressed over his eyes. AJ turned back to look at the thing, her heart beating so fast it hurt.**

Andy frowned "You have to calm down dear or you'll give yourself a panic attack."

**Very slowly, her eyes as narrow as she could make them and still see, AJ edged forward, her wand held high.**

"I don't like you so close to that snake punk." Charlie whispered

AJ smiled a little "I know love, but at the time there weren't many options."

**The light slid over a gigantic snake skin, of a vivid, poisonous green, lying curled and empty across the tunnel floor. The creature that had shed it must have been twenty feet long at least.**

Snape's eyes lit up at that, he wanted to harvest parts of the skin for potions, he wondered if AJ could take him down there someday.

**"Blimey," said Ron weakly.**

**There was a sudden movement behind them. Gilderoy Lockhart's knees had given way.**

"I forgot that jackass was with you." Sirius bit out "Just hit him in the head and leave him be."

**"Get up," said Ron sharply, pointing his wand at Lockhart.**

**Lockhart got to his feet — then he dived at Ron, knocking him to the ground.**

There was a horrible silence while everyone processed what was to come silently praying to Merlin to keep them safe.

**AJ jumped forward, but too late — Lockhart was straightening up, panting, Ron's wand in his hand and a gleaming smile back on his face.**

Kingsley grinned "This oughta be good, Ron's wand is broken. There's no way he can work a spell with that wand."

**"The adventure ends here, kiddies!" he said. "I shall take a bit of this skin back up to the school, tell them I was too late to save the girl, and that you two tragically lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body — say good-bye to your memories!"**

Ted wrinkled his nose "Nah I don't think that story will be a best seller. There's no action sequence or anything."

**He raised Ron's Spellotaped wand high over his head and yelled, "Obliviate!"**

Ron rolled his eyes "Good plan moron, too bad you're using a broken wand!"

**The wand exploded with the force of a small bomb. AJ flung her arms over her head and ran, slipping over the coils of snake skin, out of the way of great chunks of tunnel ceiling that were thundering to the floor. Next moment, she was standing alone, gazing at a solid wall of broken rock.**

"You're alone again," groaned Regulus "just onetime I want you to have help."

**"Ron!" she shouted. "Are you okay? Ron!"**

**"I'm here!" came Ron's muffled voice from behind the rock fall. "I'm okay — this git's not, though — he got blasted by the wand —"**

"Serves him right." Snape muttered with pure hatred

**There was a dull thud and a loud "Ow!" It sounded as though Ron had just kicked Lockhart in the shins.**

"Good for you Ron!" Hermione cheered "You teach that git a lesson!"

**"What now?" Ron's voice said, sounding desperate. "We can't get through — it'll take ages…"**

"I was really worried for you." Ron admitted

AJ shrugged "I can handle my own Ron, you don't have to worry about me."

Ted sighed "You don't have to be so tough AJ, you can rely on other people to help you with problems."

**AJ looked up at the tunnel ceiling. Huge cracks had appeared in it. She had never tried to break apart anything as large as these rocks by magic, and now didn't seem a good moment to try — the tunnel would be sure to cave in.**

"Good idea," Remus praised "most people would ignore common sense at that point."

**There was another thud and another "Ow!" from behind the rocks. They were wasting time. Ginny had already been in the Chamber of Secrets for hours… AJ knew there was only one thing to do.**

"Go on alone," Sirius shifted "I hate that you have to do this alone, but you have no options."

**"Wait there," she called to Ron. "Wait with Lockhart. I'll go on… If I'm not back in an hour…"**

"How long did it take?" Bill asked

Ron thought for a moment "At least an hour and a half, but it felt like so much longer."

**There was a very pregnant pause, "I'll try and shift some of this rock," said Ron, who seemed to be trying to keep his voice steady. "So you can — can get back through. And, AJ —"**

"You were really nervous and I couldn't continue to let you talk as if I was on my death bed." AJ deadpanned

**"See you in a bit," said AJ confidently. And she set off alone past the giant snake skin.**

"You always sound so calm during those moments." Hermione commented

**Soon the distant noise of Ron straining to shift the rocks was gone. The tunnel turned and turned again. Every nerve in AJ's body was tingling unpleasantly. She wanted the tunnel to end, yet dreaded what she'd find when it did. And then, at last, as she crept around yet another bend, she saw a solid wall ahead on which two entwined serpents were carved, their eyes set with great, glinting emeralds.**

"They're the color of your eyes," Tonks remarked sadly "I love your green eyes."

AJ nodded "Mine were a darker shade then the eyes on the snake which made me feel a bit better."

**AJ approached, her throat very dry. There was no need to pretend these stone snakes were real; their eyes looked strangely alive. She could guess what she had to do. She cleared her throat, and the emerald eyes seemed to flicker.**

"Anyone who tries to break in probably is cursed." Andy muttered "Good thing you knew on instinct what to do."

**"Open," said AJ, in a low, faint hiss.**

"I don't know if I'm ready for what's next." Ted huffed

Regulus smiled "None of us are but the faster we get this done the better."

**The serpents parted as the wall cracked open, the halves slid smoothly out of sight, and AJ, shaking from head to foot, walked inside.**

AJ handed the book to Ginny "I think you should read next."

Ginny glared but complied none the less "**The Heir of Slytherin…**


	40. The Heir of Slytherin

**She was standing at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place.**

"If someone were to clean it up it could be a good hide out." AJ grinned at the possibility

Ginny sneered "Why would you want to hide out down there?"

"Well the death eaters can't get into the chamber obviously," AJ stated annoyed "hiding students that are too young to fight could stay down there and not be worried about dying too young."

**Her heart beating very fast, AJ stood listening to the chill silence. Could the basilisk be lurking in a shadowy corner, behind a pillar?**

"No it's too big." Tonks joked

"That's what she said." AJ quipped with a grin

**And where was Ginny?**

"Thanks for just slipping me in there." Ginny sneered

AJ winked "I do what I can doll face."

**She pulled out her wand and moved forward between the serpentine columns. Every careful footstep was silent like that of a cat.**

"Thank Merlin," smiled Sirius "that's a skill that will be useful throughout your entire life."

**Then, as she drew level with the last pair of pillars, a statue high as the Chamber itself loomed into view, standing against the back wall.**

Snape couldn't help the smug smile that appeared, the founder of his house was the only one with a statue like that.

**AJ had to crane her neck to look up into the giant face above: It was ancient and monkeyish, with a long, thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes, where two enormous gray feet stood on the smooth Chamber floor. And between the feet, face-down, lay a small, black-robed figure with flaming-red hair.**

Molly grabbed Ginny and held her in a tight embrace for a moment relishing in the fact her baby was alive and well. No matter what anyone said it wasn't her fault.

**"Ginny!" AJ muttered, sprinting to her and dropping to her knees. "Ginny — don't be dead — please don't be dead —" She flung her wand aside,**

Everyone bit their tongues instead of scolding AJ for making a mistake, they knew she was young and panicked no one could fault her for that.

**grabbed Ginny's shoulders, and turned her over. Her face was white as marble, and as cold, yet her eyes were closed, so she wasn't Petrified. But then she must be…**

Ron shuddered "I'm glad I wasn't there with you, I would have freaked out and made the situation worse."

**"Ginny, please wake up," AJ muttered desperately, shaking her. Ginny's head lolled hopelessly from side to side.**

**"She won't wake," said a soft voice. **

"Who else is down there?" Ted asked shocked "I thought Ginny was the only one taken."

**AJ jumped and spun around on her knees. A tall, black-haired boy was leaning against the nearest pillar, watching. He was strangely blurred around the edges, as though AJ were looking at him through a misted window. But there was no mistaking him.**

"That sounds like a memory," Andy stated "but that doesn't make sense."

AJ smirked "Trust me Aunt Andy nothing in this chapter makes sense."

**"Tom Riddle?"**

Regulus narrowed his eyes "He messed with soul, that's the only way he can be there."

**AJ stared at him. Tom Riddle had been at Hogwarts fifty years ago, yet here he stood, a weird, misty light shining about him, not a day older than sixteen.**

Kingsley glared at the book, that reminded him of something of a book in his grandfather's library but he couldn't remember what the word was called.

**"Are you a ghost?" AJ said uncertainly.**

**"A memory," said Riddle quietly. "Preserved in a diary for fifty years."**

Tonks stiffened "That has got to be the creepiest thing ever! Why would anyone ever mess with their soul to that extent?"

**He pointed toward the floor near the statue's giant toes. Lying open there was the little black diary AJ had found in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.**

Bill stiffened "He put a part of his soul in the diary? That's sick!"

**For a second, AJ wondered how it had got there— but there were more pressing matters to deal with.**

"We all want to know the answer to that pup." Said Sirius

**"You've got to help me, Tom," AJ said, cradling Ginny's head.**

"I know he wouldn't help," AJ groaned "but I needed someone on my side and I hoped in vain he would help."

**"We've got to get her out of here. There's a basilisk… I don't know where it is, but it could be along any moment… Please, help me."**

Hermione wiped her eyes "He won't help you AJ, he's a bastard with no heart."

**Riddle didn't move. AJ, sweating, managed to hoist Ginny half off the floor, and bent to pick up her wand again.**

"He's got your wand." Charlie gripped AJ's hand tighter "Damn it punk this isn't fair."

**But her wand had gone.**

**"Did you see —?"**

"He's seen it alright," Remus snarled "it's in his hand the bastard."

**She looked up. Riddle was still watching her — twirling AJ's wand between his long fingers.**

"He's like a cat playing with a mouse before it kills the little creature." Regulus bit out

**"Thanks," said AJ, stretching out her hand for it.**

**A smile curled the corners of Riddle's mouth. He continued to stare at AJ, twirling the wand idly. "Listen," said AJ urgently, her knees sagging with Ginny's dead weight. "We've got to go! If the basilisk comes —"**

Andy huffed "I somehow doubt he'll care if it's called."

**"It won't come until it is called," said Riddle calmly.**

Kingsley glared "This is all so fun for him! I hope he burns in hell after all the shit he's done."

**AJ lowered Ginny back onto the floor, unable to hold her up any longer. "What d'you mean?" she said. "Look, give me my wand, I might need it —"**

**Riddle's smile broadened. **

Remus groaned "Well that's never a good thing, I much rather him angry."

**"You won't be needing it," he said. **

**AJ stared at him. "What d'you mean, I won't be —?"**

"He doesn't want a fair fight," growled Tonks "he would much rather win by being a coward."

**"I've waited a long time for this, Alessandra Potter," said Riddle. "For the chance to see you. To speak to you."**

Sirius looked confused "He wanted to speak with you but he was fifty years before you were even thought of."

**"Look," said AJ, losing patience, "I don't think you get it. We're in the Chamber of Secrets. We can talk later —"**

"Can't get that lucky babe," Hermione looked grim "he wants to play more."

**"We're going to talk now," said Riddle, still smiling broadly, and he pocketed AJ's wand. AJ stared at him. This wasn't going to end well for AJ or Ginny…**

Ginny glared "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"Things weren't looking too good for us Ginny," AJ stated annoyed "looking on the bright side seemed like a dumb thing to do."

**"How did Ginny get like this?" she asked slowly.**

Charlie rolled his eyes "By Ginny being a moron punk, now you're going to suffer."

**"Well, that's an interesting question," said Riddle pleasantly. "And quite a long story. I suppose the real reason Ginny Weasley's like this is because she opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to an invisible stranger."**

"You didn't actually do that right?" Tonks asked shocked "That is the stupidest thing you could have ever done! Now he knows he can control you and how easy it is!"

**"What are you talking about?" said AJ.**

**"The diary," said Riddle. "My diary. Little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes— how her brothers tease her,**

The Weasley brothers winced; it wasn't as if they were serious when they teased her. It was their right as her older brothers.

**how she had to come to school with secondhand robes and books,**

Molly winced now, she and Arthur tried to do right by their kids but they seemed to failing them with material objects.

**how—" Riddle's eyes glinted "— how she didn't think famous, good, great Alessandra Potter would ever be her friend…"**

Hermione covered a laugh with a cough just by thinking of how stalker like Ginny sounded to AJ's enemy.

**All the time he spoke, Riddle's eyes never left AJ's face. There was an almost hungry look in them.**

Remus snarled "Touch her and I will end you Riddle."

**"It's very boring, having to listen to the silly little troubles of an eleven-year-old girl," he went on. "But I was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was kind. Ginny simply loved me. No one's ever understood me like you, Tom… I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in… It's like having a friend I can carry around in my pocket…"**

Ginny winced at how childish she sounded, it wasn't her fault though. It was someone else's besides hers.

**Riddle laughed a high, cold laugh that didn't suit him. It made the hairs stand up on the back of AJ's neck.**

"No one would ever mistake him for bozo the clown." AJ deadpanned

**"If I say it myself, AJ-for you don't seem to like your full name much like myself?-,**

"It's not the same at all." Ted glared "It's a nickname not a completely different name."

**I've always been able to charm the people I needed. So Ginny poured out her soul to me, and her soul happened to be exactly what I wanted…I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, far more powerful than little Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few of my secrets, to start pouring a little of my soul back into her…"**

"That is the most disgusting thing ever." Yelled Regulus "He's bragging about tormenting one person while plotting another's death!"

**"No," AJ groaned. How long had this been going on for?**

"Since the summer." Ron supplied

**"Yes," said Riddle, calmly. "Of course, she didn't know what she was doing at first. It was very amusing. I wish you could have seen her new diary entries… far more interesting, they became…**

"Sick bastard," Kingsley snarled "he's only talking so much because he wants to drain her soul faster."

_**Dear Tom," **_**he recited, watching AJ's horrified face,**_** "'I think I'm losing my memory. There are rooster feathers all over my robes and I don't know how they got there. Dear Tom, I can't remember what I did on the night of Halloween, but a cat was attacked and I've got paint all down my front. Dear Tom, Percy keeps telling me I'm pale and I'm not myself. I think he suspects me… There was another attack today and I don't know where I was. Tom, what am I going to do? I think I'm going mad… I think I'm the one attacking everyone, Tom!'" **_

"How about go to a teacher!" Bill yelled "If not a teacher go to another student or Charlie or I don't know MOM OR DAD!"

"I didn't want to get into trouble or have them think I was crazy!" Ginny snarled

"Brilliant idea Ginny, now only people were attacked and you're taken hostage." Bill snarled back "I hope you have more brilliant ideas later on!"

**AJ's fists were clenched, the nails digging deep into her palms.**

Hermione smirked, AJ was pissed. That's a good thing; it meant Riddle was going to be made an ass out of himself soon.

**"It took a very long time for stupid little Ginny to stop trusting her diary," said Riddle. "But she finally became suspicious and tried to dispose of it. And that's where you came in, AJ," he said her nickname mockingly.**

"Great now you're going to spill your guts to this jackass about AJ." Sirius groaned, "This story just keeps getting better and better."

**"You found it, and I couldn't have been more delighted. Of all the people who could have picked it up, it was you, the very person I was most anxious to meet…" **

"I still want to know why!" Regulus shouted "None of this is adding up!"

**"And why did you want to meet me?" said AJ. Anger was coursing through her, keeping her voice deathly calm seemed to be the easiest part of this game.**

Andy grinned "Good for you, show that jackass he's getting to you."

**"Well, you see, Ginny told me all about you, AJ," said Riddle. "Your whole fascinating history." **

"You moron!" Charlie yelled "You're throwing AJ under the bus just because he'll listen to whatever problem you're having that day of the week?"

**His eyes roved over the lightning scar on AJ's forehead, and their expression grew hungrier. "I knew I must find out more about you, talk to you, and meet you if I could. So I decided to show you my famous capture of that great oaf, Hagrid, to gain your trust —" **

"Well that plan went to hell in a hand basket now didn't it?" Kingsley smirked smugly

**"Hagrid's my friend," said AJ, her voice getting loader. "And you framed him; you knew what was going—"**

**Riddle laughed his high laugh again.**

Tonks shivered "I never want to hear his laugh, it sounds creepy and sadistic."

**"It was my word against Hagrid's, AJ. Well, you can imagine how it looked to old Armando Dippet. On the one hand, Tom Riddle, poor but brilliant, parentless but so brave, school prefect, model student… on the other hand, big, blundering Hagrid, in trouble every other week, trying to raise werewolf cubs under his bed, sneaking off to the Forbidden Forest to wrestle trolls… but I admit, even I was surprised how well the plan worked. I thought someone must realize that Hagrid couldn't possibly be the Heir of Slytherin. It had taken me five whole years to find out everything I could about the Chamber of Secrets and discover the secret entrance… as though Hagrid had the brains, or the power! Only the Transfiguration teacher, Dumbledore, seemed to think Hagrid was innocent.**

Ted snorted "Of course Dumbledore would think Hagrid is innocent."

"I'm surprised more people didn't fall for this act he puts on." Remus remarked "He seems to be a little too perfect."

**He persuaded Dippet to keep Hagrid and train him as gamekeeper. Yes, I think Dumbledore might have guessed… Dumbledore never seemed to like me as much as the other teachers did…"**

"Huh," Bill snorted "I wonder why. He's such a sweet and honest guy."

**"I bet Dumbledore saw right through you," said AJ, her teeth gritted.**

**"Well, he certainly kept an annoyingly close watch on me after Hagrid was expelled," said Riddle carelessly. "I knew it wouldn't be safe to open the Chamber again while I was still at school. But I wasn't going to waste those long years I'd spent searching for it. I decided to leave behind a diary, preserving my sixteen-year-old self in its pages, so that one day, with luck, I would be able to lead another in my footsteps, and finish Salazar Slytherins noble work." **

"That wasn't his work." Snape snarled "He didn't go about killing or petrifying people because he felt they were beneath him."

**"Well, you haven't finished it," said AJ triumphantly. "No one's died this time, not even the cat. In a few hours the Mandrake Draught will be ready and everyone who was Petrified will be all right again —"**

"I don't think pissing him off is such a good idea pup," Sirius stated "he can be very vindictive."

AJ snorted "Trust me dad I know how vindictive he can be."

**"Haven't I already told you," said Riddle quietly, "that killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore? For many months now, my new target has been — you."**

"Of course it is," groaned Charlie "this guys is pissing me off more and more."

**AJ stared at him.**

**"Imagine how angry I was when the next time my diary was opened, it was Ginny who was writing to me, not you. She saw you with the diary, you see, and panicked. What if you found out how to work it and I repeated all her secrets to you?**

Ginny shifted, she hated that they had to read how weak she sounded.

**What if, even worse, I told you who'd been strangling roosters? So the foolish little brat waited until your dormitory was deserted and stole it back. But I knew what I must do. It was clear to me that you were on the trail of Slytherins heir. From everything Ginny had told me about you, I knew you would go to any lengths to solve the mystery — particularly if one of your best friends was attacked.**

Hermione glared at Ginny, she was setup!

**And Ginny had told me the whole school was buzzing because you could speak Parseltongue… So I made Ginny write her own farewell on the wall and come down here to wait. She struggled and cried and became very boring. But there isn't much life left in her… She put too much into the diary, into me. Enough to let me leave its pages at last… I have been waiting for you to appear since we arrived here. I knew you'd come. I have many questions for you, AJ Potter."**

"What else could he possibly want to know?" Kingsley grumbled

Tonks nodded "Ginny pretty much told him everything he needed to know and then some."

**"Like what?" AJ spat, fists still clenched.**

AJ grinned "For some reason Tom has the ability to piss me off like no other."

"He does hold a certain amount of talent for angering others doesn't he Black?" Snape stated with a smirk

**"Well," said Riddle, smiling pleasantly, "how is it that you — a skinny girl with no extraordinary magical talent — managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you escape with nothing but a scar, while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?"**

"Well that wasn't expected," Andy said wide eyed "he is an inquisitive little thing isn't he?"

"Thing Andy?" chuckled Bill "I'm sure he would love to be called a thing."

**There was an odd red gleam in his hungry eyes now. **

**"Why do you care how I escaped?" said AJ slowly. "Voldemort was after your time…"**

Charlie thought for a moment before going pale, this couldn't be happening to his girlfriend. This was too much, too bizarre.

**"Voldemort," said Riddle softly, "is my past, present, and future, AJ Potter…"**

"He makes it seem like they're on in the same." Regulus mumbled

Sirius blinked "I think they are Reggie, it seems crazy but I think they're the same person."

**He pulled AJ's wand from his pocket and began to trace it through the air, writing three shimmering words:**

**TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE**

**Then he waved the wand once, and the letters of his name rearranged themselves:**

**I AM LORD VOLDEMORT**

There was a collective gasp heard around the room while most occupants were glaring at Ginny for causing such a mess.

**"You see?" he whispered. "It was a name I was already using at Hogwarts, to my most intimate friends only, of course. You think I was going to use my filthy Muggle father's name forever? I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, through my mother's side? I, keep the name of a foul, common Muggle, who abandoned me even before I was born, just because he found out his wife was a witch? No, AJ— I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when I had become the greatest sorcerer in the world!"**

"Well he's not so I guess that goal was shot to shit." Said Sirius

**AJ looked at the young man before her who killed her parents and so many others just because he had a muggle father …**

Ron looked at AJ "You sound almost sympathetic to him."

"At the time I was," shrugged AJ "he was angry at his parents for whatever reason and to get back at them for abandoning him he decided to become powerful enough to never need them or anyone else."

**At last she forced herself to speak. "You're not," she said, her quiet voice full of hatred.**

**"Not what?" snapped Riddle.**

"Very smart." Quipped Remus

**"Not the greatest sorcerer in the world," said AJ, breathing fast. "Sorry to disappoint you and all that, but the greatest wizard in the world is Albus Dumbledore. Everyone says so. Even when you were strong, you didn't dare try and take over at Hogwarts. Dumbledore saw through you when you were at school and he still frightens you now, wherever you're hiding these days —"**

Regulus cheered "Hit him where it hurts sweets! Make him realize he's nothing but a cowering murder!"

"I will Uncle Reggie," snickered AJ "I like to put him in his place when we have our special meetings."

**The smile had gone from Riddle's face, to be replaced by a very ugly look. "Dumbledore's been driven out of this castle by the mere memory of me!" he hissed.**

Andy rolled her eyes "Actually he was forced out not driven. If you're going to take credit for something you should at least have all the facts."

**"He's not as gone as you might think!" AJ retorted. She was speaking with pure hatred, wanting nothing more than to wipe that smug smile that always seemed to form on his face.**

"You are very brave kiddo," complimented Kingsley "not many people would stand up to him."

**Riddle opened his mouth, but froze. Music was coming from somewhere. Riddle whirled around to stare down the empty Chamber. The music was growing louder. It was eerie, spine-tingling, unearthly; it lifted the hair on AJ's scalp and made her heart feel as though it was swelling to twice its normal size. Then, as the music reached such a pitch that AJ felt it vibrating inside her own ribs, flames erupted at the top of the nearest pillar.**

Dumbledore smiled proudly at the thought of Fawkes saving his favorite student.

**A crimson bird the size of a swan had appeared, piping its weird music to the vaulted ceiling. It had a glittering golden tail as long as a peacock's and gleaming golden talons,**

Charlie breathed in relief, a Phoenix could do a lot against a basilisk, AJ was lucky Fawkes was there or she could be in serious trouble.

**which were gripping a ragged bundle. A second later, the bird was flying straight at AJ. It dropped the ragged thing it was carrying at her feet, then landed heavily on her shoulder. As it folded its great wings, AJ looked up and saw it had a long, sharp golden beak and a beady black eye. The bird stopped singing. It sat still and warm next to AJ's cheek, gazing steadily at Riddle.**

Bill snickered "A bird hates him! Wow he'll never get any friends at the rate he's going."

**"That's a phoenix." said Riddle, staring shrewdly back at it.**

"**Really?" AJ deadpanned. She felt the bird's golden claws squeeze her shoulder gently.**

Ted smirked "Fawkes is giving you a thumbs up in his own way for using sarcasm against Riddle."

"Just be careful," Andy mumbled "Riddle is capable of doing a lot more than just a clean cut murder."

**"And that —" said Riddle, now eyeing the ragged thing that Fawkes had dropped, "that's the old school Sorting Hat-"**

"A bird and a hat?" questioned Sirius "I don't see how either are going to help you much."

**So it was. Patched, frayed, and dirty, the hat lay motionless at AJ's feet. Riddle began to laugh again. He laughed so hard that the dark chamber rang with it, as though ten Riddles were laughing at once — "This is what Dumbledore sends his defender! A songbird and an old hat! Do you feel brave, AJ Potter? Do you feel safe now?"**

"I wouldn't feel safe at all." Hermione muttered "But then again I wouldn't be able to get two feet without passing out."

Bill kissed Hermiones cheek "You're braver than you give yourself credit for Mio. Trust me."

**Of course AJ didn't feel brave but she wasn't about to tell this sick bastard that. She might not see what use Fawkes or the Sorting Hat were, but she was no longer alone, and she waited for Riddle to stop laughing with her courage mounting.**

"He laughs too much," Regulus said with distaste "the things he laughs at aren't even funny."

**"To business, AJ, dear," said Riddle, still smiling broadly. "Twice — in your past, in my future — we have met. And twice I failed to kill you. How did you survive? Tell me everything. The longer you talk," he added softly, "the longer you stay alive."**

Tonks wrinkled her nose "He's a cocky bastard isn't he? I don't want AJ dead but if he wants her dead so badly he should just kill her."

"He doesn't have enough power to kill her," Remus explained "he needs her to keep talking so he can keep gaining strength to kill AJ and then continue on killing and taking over whoever and wherever he pleases."

**AJ was thinking fast, weighing her chances. Riddle had the wand. She, AJ, had Fawkes and the Sorting Hat, neither of which would be much good in a duel. It looked bad, all right… but the longer Riddle stood there, the more life was dwindling out of Ginny… and in the meantime, AJ noticed suddenly, Riddle's outline was becoming clearer, more solid… If it had to be a fight between her and Riddle, better sooner than later.**

Regulus grinned at his niece, she was wise beyond her years. She was going to be an excellent witch as adult if she kept her head clear like she did now.

**"No one knows why you lost your powers when you attacked me," said AJ abruptly. "I don't know myself. But I know why you couldn't kill me. Because my mother died to save me. My common Muggleborn mother," she added, shaking with suppressed rage. "She stopped you killing me. And I've seen the real you, I saw you last year. You're a wreck. You're barely alive. That's where all your power got you. You're in hiding. You're disgusting, you're foul —"**

Charlie hugged AJ tightly "You're too brave sometimes punk. I don't want you dying because you bruised his ego."

"I'll try not to love." AJ said against his lips

**Riddle's face contorted. Then he forced it into an awful smile. "So. Your mother died to save you.**

Snape stiffened, he didn't want Lily to die for her daughter, he didn't want her to die at all.

**Yes, that's a powerful counter charm. I can see now… there is nothing special about you, after all. I wondered, you see. There are strange likenesses between us, after all. Even you must have noticed. Both half-bloods, orphans, raised by Muggles. Probably the only two Parselmouth to come to Hogwarts since the great Slytherin himself. We even look something alike… but after all, it was merely a lucky chance that saved you from me. That's all I wanted to know."**

"The only reason you're alike is because Tom made it that way." Remarked Hermione

"Exactly," Sirius readily agreed "ignore everything he says pup. There is absolutely no truth in it."

**AJ stood, tense, waiting for Riddle to raise her wand. But Riddle's twisted smile was widening again.**

Kingsley glared "Stop smiling Tom you're freaking out the poor girl."

"Maybe that's how he gets people to bend to his will." Mused Ted "Just smiling will make people do what he wants in hopes he will never smile again."

**"Now, AJ, I'm going to teach you a little lesson. Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against famous AJ Potter, and the best weapons Dumbledore can give her…"**

"I fought pretty damn well that night if I do say so myself." AJ smiled smugly at the reminder

**He cast an amused eye over Fawkes and the Sorting Hat, then walked away. AJ, uncertainty coursing through her legs, watched Riddle stop between the high pillars and look up into the stone face of Slytherin, high above them in the half-darkness. Riddle opened his mouth wide and hissed — but AJ understood what he was saying… "Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four."**

Everyone besides Snape rolled their eyes at how egotistical Riddle could be.

**AJ wheeled around to look up at the statue, Fawkes swaying on her shoulder. Slytherins gigantic stone face was moving. Horror-struck, AJ saw his mouth opening, wider and wider, to make a huge black hole.**

"Oh no," breathed Tonks "the damn snake is in there!"

**And something was stirring inside the statue's mouth. Something was slithering up from its depths. AJ backed away until she hit the dark Chamber wall, and as she shut her eyes tight she felt Fawkes' wing sweep her cheek as he took flight. AJ wanted to shout, "Don't leave me!" but what chance did a phoenix have against the king of serpents?**

Charlie grinned "Actually a pretty good chance. He'll save you punk, I know it."

**Something huge hit the stone floor of the Chamber. AJ felt it shudder — she knew what was happening, she could sense it, could almost see the giant serpent uncoiling itself from Slytherins mouth. Then she heard Riddle's hissing voice: "Kill her."**

The room grew very tense, no one made a sound in fear of saying something they would regret later. The basic feeling was anger though, this was Ginny's fault. If she didn't act like a complete moron and write things about AJ in a strange diary that writes back.

**The basilisk was moving toward AJ; she could hear its heavy body slithering heavily across the dusty floor. Eyes still tightly shut, AJ began to run blindly sideways, her hands outstretched, feeling her way — Voldemort was laughing.**

"Sick bastard," Remus growled "I want nothing more than to hunt him down and rip him limb from limb."

Sirius kissed his husband "I know love, but we have to get through these books before we can kill him."

**AJ tripped. She fell hard onto the stone and tasted blood — the serpent was barely feet from her, she could hear it coming —There was a loud, explosive spitting sound right above her, and then something heavy hit AJ so hard that she was smashed into the wall.**

AJ winced at the phantom pain going through her mind that was one of the most painful moments.

**Waiting for fangs to sink through her body she heard more mad hissing, something thrashing wildly off the pillars. She couldn't help it — she opened her eyes wide enough to squint at what was going on.**

Once again everyone stilled, they knew she had to see what was going on but it was too hard to imagine her dying because one little girl didn't tell someone she was losing her memory.

**The enormous serpent, bright, poisonous green, thick as an oak trunk,**

Ron shivered "I will never piss you off again AJ."

"Yeah right Ron," AJ snickered "you'll piss me off by tomorrow night I'm sure."

**had raised itself high in the air and its great blunt head was weaving drunkenly between the pillars. As AJ trembled, ready to close her eyes if it turned, she saw what had distracted the snake. Fawkes was soaring around its head, and the basilisk was snapping furiously at him with fangs long and thin as sabres Fawkes dived. His long golden beak sank out of sight and a sudden shower of dark blood spattered the floor. The snake's tail thrashed, narrowly missing AJ, and before AJ could shut her eyes, it turned —**

Sirius closed his eyes "Please no, please not my baby."

**AJ looked straight into its face and saw that its eyes, both its great, bulbous yellow eyes, **

Remus glared at Ginny "If anything happens to my daughter you'll wish you were still in the Chamber."

**had been punctured by the phoenix; blood was streaming to the floor, and the snake was spitting in agony. **

Regulus grinned "Fawkes is blinding it! Big bird is my new best friend!"

**"NO!" AJ heard Riddle screaming. "LEAVE THE BIRD! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE GIRL IS BEHIND YOU. YOU CAN STILL SMELL HER. KILL HER!"**

"Someone's getting a little testy." Ted sing songed

Bill grinned "Let him get pissed, when you get mad you lose your head and make careless mistakes.

**The blinded serpent swayed, confused, still deadly. Fawkes was circling its head, piping his eerie song, jabbing here and there at its scaly nose as the blood poured from its ruined eyes.**

**"Help me, help me," AJ muttered, "someone — anyone…"**

Kingsley rubbed his eyes "I didn't think you knew how to ask for help kiddo, it doesn't seem like the kind of person you are."

"Of course I can ask for help." AJ stated "But I don't like involving innocent people in life threatening situations."

**The snake's tail whipped across the floor again. AJ ducked. Something soft hit her face. The basilisk had swept the Sorting Hat into AJ's arms.**

"What in the hell will the sorting hat do?" exploded Andy "It's a fucking hat that sorts people into houses! It doesn't battle killer snakes that are siding with Voldemort!"

**AJ seized it. It was all she had left, her only chance — she rammed it onto her head and threw herself flat onto the floor as the basilisk's tail swung over her again. Help me — help me — AJ thought, her eyes screwed tight under the hat. Please help me. There was no answering voice. Instead, the hat contracted, as though an invisible hand was squeezing it very tightly. Something very hard and heavy thudded onto the top of AJ's head, almost knocking her out.**

"Great, just great." Tonks muttered "On top of everything you have a possible concussion!"

**Stars winking in front of her eyes, she grabbed the top of the hat to pull it off and felt something long and hard beneath it. A gleaming silver sword had appeared inside the hat, its handle glittering with rubies the size of eggs.**

Sirius smiled "That's the sword of Gryffindor! It only comes to a true Gryffindor when it's needed!"

"I think that was a time of need daddy," grinned AJ "it certainly helped a lot."

**"KILL THE GIRL! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE GIRL IS BEHIND YOU. SNIFF — SMELL HER."**

**AJ was on her feet, ready. The basilisk's head was falling, its body coiling around, hitting pillars as it twisted to face her. She could see the vast, bloody eye sockets, see the mouth stretching wide, wide enough to swallow her whole, lined with fangs long as her sword, thin, glittering, venomous — It lunged blindly**

**-AJ dodged**

"It's like an action movie except we know the ending and it's not on TV." Hermione commented

Ron rolled his eyes "Yeah Mio exactly like a movie."

**and it hit the Chamber wall. It lunged again, and its forked tongue lashed Juniper's side. She raised the sword in both her hands — the basilisk lunged again, and this time its aim was true**

Charlie sucked in a breath praying that AJ would be okay.

— **AJ threw her whole weight behind the sword and drove it to the hilt into the roof of the serpent's mouth — but as warm blood drenched AJ's arms, she felt a searing pain just above her elbow.**

"You were bit?" Sirius asked quietly "You were bit by a poisonous snake saving a girl who signed her own death certificate by writing in a diary that wrote back?"

Molly glared "It's hardly her fault Sirius. You're taking this a bit far."

"We'll discuss this later Molly." Remus bit out "I assure you we aren't taking this far enough."

**One long, poisonous fang was sinking deeper and deeper into her arm and it splintered as the basilisk keeled over sideways and fell, twitching, to the floor. June slid down the wall. She gripped the fang that was spreading poison through her body and wrenched it out of her arm. But she knew it was too late. White-hot pain was spreading slowly and steadily from the wound. Even as she dropped the fang and watched her own blood soaking her robes, her vision went foggy. The Chamber was dissolving in a whirl of dull color.**

"Were you afraid?" Hermione asked quietly

AJ shook her head "No, death is inevitable and if that was my time to die there was nothing I could do to prevent it."

**A patch of scarlet swam past, and AJ heard a soft clatter of claws beside her. "Fawkes," said AJ thickly. "You were fantastic, Fawkes…" She felt the bird lay its beautiful head on the spot where the serpent's fang had pierced her.**

"I love Big Bird." Bill muttered "He'll save AJ I'm sure." Hermione smiled gratefully at Bill, he knew how to make her feel better."

**She could hear echoing footsteps and then a dark shadow moved in front of her.**

**"You're dead, AJ Potter," said Riddle's voice above her. "Dead. Even Dumbledore's bird knows it. Do you see what he's doing, Potter? He's crying." AJ blinked, her thoughts were sluggish. Fawkes' head slid in and out of focus. Thick, pearly tears were trickling down the glossy feathers.**

Ted smiled "I owe that bird a lot for saving you, if he wasn't there…" he couldn't finish the thought in fear of losing the control he had on his emotions.

**"I'm going to sit here and watch you die, AJ Potter. Take your time. I'm in no hurry."**

Andy glared "Sick bastard is actually getting enjoyment out of watching you die!"

**AJ felt drowsy. Everything around her seemed to be spinning.**

"I hate that you know what it feels like kiddo," Kingsley huffed "you don't deserve this."

**"So ends the famous AJ Potter," said Riddle's distant voice. "Alone in the Chamber of Secrets, forsaken by her friends, defeated at last by the Dark Lord she so unwisely challenged. You'll be back with your dear Mudblood mother soon, Juniper… She bought you thirteen years of borrowed time… but Lord Voldemort got you in the end, as you knew he must…" **

Regulus rolled his eyes "It wasn't even Voldemort it was the basilisk."

**If this is dying, AJ thought, it's not so bad. AJ didn't believe it God but she remembered a prayer that muggle children said before they went to sleep it went something like **_**Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, If I shall die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. **_

No one knew what to say, the poor girl didn't believe in anything and she was saying a prayer to save her soul. This wasn't how a girl at thirteen was supposed to live her life.

**Then oddly enough the pain was leaving her…but was this dying? Instead of going black, the Chamber seemed to be coming back into focus.**

Remus and Sirius shared smiles, their baby was going to be okay no thanks to Ginny.

**AJ gave her head a little shake and there was Fawkes, still resting his head on AJ's arm. A pearly patch of tears was shining all around the wound — except that there was no wound —**

Tonks smiled "You don't have a scar? That's an added bonus to dealing with big bird."

"I don't know how much Fawkes will enjoy this new nickname guys." AJ said with a smile

**"Get away, bird," said Riddle's voice suddenly. "Get away from her — I said, get away—"**

**AJ raised her head. Riddle was pointing AJ's wand at Fawkes; there was a bang like a gun, and Fawkes took flight again in a whirl of gold and scarlet.**

"Could he get hurt if Riddle were to attack him?" Hermione wondered

Bill smiled "No, Fawkes has a lot of magic protecting him and the worse that could happen is a faster burning day."

**"Phoenix tears…" said Riddle quietly, staring at AJ's arm. "Of course… healing powers… I forgot…"**

**He looked into AJ's face. "But it makes no difference. In fact, I prefer it this way. Just you and me, AJ Potter… you and me…"**

"But he's always lost on a one on one fight," laughed Remus "you'd think he would realize he can't win against you."

**He raised the wand…Then, in a rush of wings, Fawkes had soared back overhead and something fell into AJ's lap — the diary. For a split second, both AJ and Riddle, wand still raised, stared at it. Then, without thinking, without considering, as though she had meant to do it all along, AJ seized the basilisk fang on the floor next to her and plunged it straight into the heart of the book. There was a long, dreadful, piercing scream. Ink spurted out of the diary in torrents, streaming over June's hands, flooding the floor. Riddle was writhing and twisting, screaming and flailing and then —he had gone.**

"Oh my god," Sirius muttered "he really had a piece of his soul in the diary. He was that desperate he split his soul."

Tonks shook her head in disbelief "You don't mess with your soul, it's just not something you do."

"That's because it's extremely dark magic and it could kill you if it's done too many times." Sirius muttered with hatred in his eyes

**AJ's wand fell to the floor with a clatter and there was silence. Silence except for the steady drip of ink still oozing from the diary. The basilisk venom had burned a sizzling hole right through it.**

Ron smiled "I'm glad this is almost over, not being able to reach you was the hardest moment of my life."

**Shaking all over, AJ pulled herself up. Her head was spinning as though she'd just traveled miles by Floo powder. Slowly, she gathered together her wand and the Sorting Hat, and, with a huge tug, retrieved the glittering sword from the roof of the basilisk's mouth. Then came a faint moan from the end of the Chamber. Ginny was stirring.**

Molly was the only one who smiled in relief, Ginny got herself into this mess and she was the only one who could get herself out if they had it their way.

**As AJ hurried toward her, she sat up. Her bemused eyes traveled from the huge form of the dead basilisk, over AJ, in his blood-soaked robes, then to the diary in his hand.**

"Little shocked to see her alive?" Regulus wondered aloud "Or were you just shocked someone actually saved you?"

**She drew a great, shuddering gasp and tears began to pour down her face.**

Charlie rolled his eyes, he knew those tears all too well. She always got away with things just because she could cry on qu.

**"AJ — oh, AJ — I tried to tell you at b-breakfast, but I c-couldn't say it in front of Percy — it was me, AJ — but I — I s-swear I d-didn't mean to — R-Riddle made me, he t-took me over — and — how did you kill that — that thing?**

Remus hid a smile "I'm sure you weren't freaked out in the least were you cub?" AJ smiled at her papa, he knew her well.

**W-where's Riddle? The last thing I r-remember is him coming out of the diary —"**

"He was in it the entire time you idiot!" Andy bit out

**" It's all right," said AJ, needing her to stop crying and looking like a kicked puppy she held up the diary, and showed Ginny the fang hole, "Riddle's finished. Look! Him and the basilisk. C'mon, Ginny, let's get out of here —"**

Ted grunted "Never should have been there in the first place."

**"I'm going to be expelled!"**

Snape sneered, she should have been expelled or something along those lines but of course the Headmaster let her off without consequences.

**Ginny wept as AJ helped her awkwardly to her feet. "I've looked forward to coming to Hogwarts ever since B-Bill came and n-now I'll have to leave and — w-what'll Mum and Dad say?"**

Molly pulled Ginny into a tight hug letting her know she was loved no matter what happened.

**Fawkes was waiting for them, hovering in the Chamber entrance. AJ urged Ginny forward; they stepped over the motionless coils of the dead basilisk, through the echoing gloom, and back into the tunnel. AJ heard the stone doors close behind them with a soft hiss. After a few minutes' progress up the dark tunnel, a distant sound of slowly shifting rock reached AJ's ears.**

The golden trio smiled at each other, they would never give up on one another without one hell of a fight.

**"Ron!" AJ yelled, speeding up. "Ginny's okay! I've got her!"**

Bill smiled "That must have made you feel pretty good."

"It did," Ron admitted "I was worried about Ginny but then I found out the truth and it pissed me off."

"We know Ron," Charlie commented "we're going to figure this out at the end of this book."

**She heard Ron give a strangled cheer, and they turned the next bend to see his eager face staring through the sizable gap he had managed to make in the rock fall.**

**"Ginny!" Ron thrust an arm through the gap in the rock to pull her through first. "You're alive! I don't believe it! What happened? How — what — where did that bird come from?"**

AJ grinned "I wasn' sure which one you wanted me to answer first."

**Fawkes had swooped through the gap after Ginny.**

**"He's Dumbledore's," said AJ, squeezing through herself.**

Dumbledore smiled at the thought of Fawkes, he was a good bird and always knew when he needed help.

**"How come you've got a sword?" said Ron, gaping at the glittering weapon in AJ's hand.**

Hermione snickered "It was just lying in the chamber and she thought it would look nice on her wall."

**"I'll explain when we get out of here," said AJ with a sideways glance at Ginny, who was crying harder than ever.**

**"But —"**

**"Later," AJ said shortly. She didn't think it was a good idea to tell Ron yet who'd been opening the Chamber, not in front of Ginny, anyway. "Where's Lockhart?"**

"Who cares?" Kingsley asked "It's not like anything good came out of him teaching for a year."

Tonks laughed "He didn't teach, he terrorized his students."

**"Back there," said Ron, still looking puzzled but jerking his head up the tunnel toward the pipe. "He's in a bad way. Come and see."**

Ron grinned in anticipation at what was to come.

**Led by Fawkes, whose wide scarlet wings emitted a soft golden glow in the darkness, they walked all the way back to the mouth of the pipe. Gilderoy Lockhart was sitting there, humming placidly to himself.**

**"His memory's gone," said Ron. "The Memory Charm backfired. Hit him instead of us. Hasn't got a clue who he is, or where he is, or who we are. I told him to come and wait here. He's a danger to himself."**

No one could hold back their laughter at the situation, he got what he deserved that's for sure.

**Lockhart peered good-naturedly up at them all.**

**"Hello," he said. "Odd sort of place, this, isn't it? Do you live here?"**

"Well of course they do!" Bill said outraged

Andy smiled "Where else would they live? It just needs some cleaning up and it'll be good to go for company."

**"No," said Ron, raising his eyebrows at AJ. AJ bent down and looked up the long, dark pipe.**

**"Have you thought how we're going to get back up this?" She said to Ron.**

Regulus groaned "Do you have to climb up the pipes or something? Because I'm pretty sure that's not possible."

**Ron shook his head, but Fawkes the phoenix had swooped past AJ and was now fluttering in front of her, his beady eyes bright in the dark. He was waving his long golden tail feathers. AJ looked uncertainly at him.**

"He does seem like he would be frail." Ted stated "But the amount of weight they can carry is amazing."

**"He looks like he wants you to grab hold…" said Ron, looking perplexed. "But you're much too heavy for a bird to pull up there —"**

**"Fawkes," said AJ, "isn't an ordinary bird." She turned quickly to the others. "We've got to hold on to each other. Ginny, grab Ron's hand. Professor Lockhart —"**

Snape huffed, she remained respectful to that jackass but when it came to him getting respect was like going to a muggle dentist and getting a tooth ripped out. She was such a pain in his ass.

**"She means you," said Ron sharply to Lockhart.**

**"You hold Ginny's other hand —"**

"Always the one to give the orders." Chuckled Hermione

AJ grinned "Well no one else seems to understand what it means to give orders or follow them for that matter Mio."

**AJ tucked the sword and the Sorting Hat into her belt, Ron took hold of the back of AJ's robes, and AJ reached out and took hold of Fawkes's strangely hot tail feathers.**

"The bird does burst into flames," Tonks said smirking "that may have to do with the tail being hot."

**An extraordinary lightness seemed to spread through his whole body and the next second, in a rush of wings, they were flying upward through the pipe. AJ could hear Lockhart dangling below her, saying, "Amazing! Amazing! This is just like magic!" **

Andy laughed "I think I like him now, he seems to be pretty cool now that he has no memory of what an asshole he really is."

**The chill air was whipping through AJ's hair, and before she'd stopped enjoying the ride, it was over — all four of them were hitting the wet floor of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, and as Lockhart straightened his hat, the sink that hid the pipe was sliding back into place. Myrtle goggled at them.**

Remus snorted "She thought you died I'm sure. She seems like the person who would take the saying "misery loves company" literally."

**"You're alive," she said blankly to AJ.**

"Now there's a welcome home I would want." Sirius said through laughter

**"There's no need to sound so disappointed," she said grimly, wiping flecks of blood and slime off her face.**

Charlie wrinkled his nose "Just go take a shower punk, save the story for the following day."

**"Oh, well… I'd just been thinking… if you had died, you'd have been welcome to share my toilet," said Myrtle, blushing silver.**

"I told you cub!" Remus laughed "She's a nutcase for a ghost!"

**"Urgh!" said Ron as they left the bathroom for the dark, deserted corridor outside. "AJ! I think Myrtle's grown fond of you! You've got competition, Dean!"**

"Thanks again for the reminder jerkoff." AJ said in a fake angry tone

**But tears were still flooding silently down Ginny's face.**

No one could feel sorry for her, she did this all to herself.

**"Where now?" said Ron, with an anxious look at Ginny. AJ pointed. Fawkes was leading the way, glowing gold along the corridor. They strode after him, and moments later, found themselves outside Professor McGonagall's office.**

Bill shook his head "The hospital wing would have worked out fine too I'm sure."

**AJ knocked and pushed the door open.**

Ginny handed the book to Bill who took it without even glancing at his sister in fear of committing murder.

**Dobby's Reward…**


	41. Dobby's Reward

Andy looked at a grinning AJ "Dobby? The crazy house elf that caused just as many problems as Ginny?"

"The very same but Dobby caused his problems to prevent worse things happening."

**For a moment there was silence as AJ, Ron, Ginny, and Lockhart stood in the doorway, covered in muck and slime and (in AJ's case) blood.**

"That's the first clue they needed to be in the hospital wing rather than retelling their experience." Ted stated with annoyance

**Then there was a scream. "Ginny!"**

**It was Mrs. Weasley, who had been sitting crying in front of the fire. She leapt to her feet, closely followed by Mr. Weasley, and both of them flung themselves on their daughter.**

"How could we not?" huffed Molly "She's our baby and we were told she was taken into the chamber for some unknown reason."

Bill glared "The reason was her own fault! She was losing her memory and putting secrets into a diary that talks back!" Hermione gripped Bills hand in silent support

**AJ, however, was looking past them. Professor Dumbledore was standing by the mantelpiece, beaming,**

"Wait a minute," growled Remus "you were there the entire time?"

Dumbledore smiled grimly "I had just gotten back when Mr. and Mrs. Weasley appeared. If I had known where they were I would have gone down into the chamber."

**next to Professor McGonagall, who was taking great, steadying gasps, clutching her chest. Fawkes went whooshing past AJ's ear and settled on Dumbledore's shoulder, just as AJ found herself and Ron being swept into Mrs. Weasley's tight embrace.**

"That must have sucked for you." Snickered Hermione

AJ glared "I don't like being touched and she insisted on hugging me."

**"You saved her! You saved her! How did you do it?"**

"You didn't tell us the whole story mate." Ron stated annoyed

**"I think we'd all like to know that," said Professor McGonagall weakly.**

**Mrs. Weasley let go of AJ, who hesitated for a moment,**

Charlie kissed her "You hate talking about what you've been through and doing it in front of an audience always makes you more uncomfortable."

**then walked over to the desk and laid upon it the Sorting Hat, the ruby-encrusted sword, and what remained of Riddle's diary. Then she started telling them everything.**

AJ grinned "More like what I thought you should know."

**For nearly a quarter of an hour she spoke into the rapt silence: She told them about hearing the disembodied voice, how Hermione had finally realized that she was hearing a basilisk in the pipes;**

"Why did it take so long for you to explain everything?" Hermione wondered

Ron snorted "Mom kept interrupting her and Ginny kept breaking down in uncontrollable sobs."

**how she and Ron had followed the spiders into the forest that Aragog had told them where the last victim of the basilisk had died; how she had guessed that Moaning Myrtle had been the victim, and that the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets might be in her bathroom…**

"How you figured that all out is beyond me." Kingsley complimented "You were only given one word and a series of riddles, you're brilliant kid."

**"Very well," Professor McGonagall prompted her as she paused, "so you found out where the entrance was — breaking a hundred school rules into pieces along the way, I might add — but how on earth did you all get out of there alive, Potter?"**

"Sheer dumb luck." Snape muttered under his breath

**So AJ, her voice now growing hoarse from all this talking, told them about Fawkes's timely arrival and about the Sorting Hat giving her the sword. But then she faltered. She had so far avoided mentioning Riddle's diary — or Ginny.**

"Don't try and protect her sweets, she caused this on her own." Regulus bit out

**She was standing with her head against Mrs. Weasley's shoulder, and tears were still coursing silently down her cheeks. What if they expelled her? She did deserve it thought AJ, but Riddle's diary didn't work anymore. Instinctively, AJ looked at Dumbledore, who smiled faintly, the firelight glancing off his half-moon spectacles.**

"This means she's going to get off with no punishment." Hermione growled "After everything she did she gets nothing for all she did."

**"What interests me most," said Dumbledore gently, "is how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, when my sources tell me he is currently in hiding in the forests of Albania."**

"Not anymore." AJ grumbled

**Confusion swept through AJ…she was the reason people were petrified and she wasn't going to see some sort of punishment? This was turning out to be a bad movie that just wouldn't end.**

"Trust me AJ," growled Bill "we feel the exact same way."

**"W-what's that?" said Mr. Weasley in a stunned voice. "You-Know-Who? En-enchant Ginny? But Ginny's not… Ginny hasn't been… has she?"**

"We didn't want to believe it." Molly admitted "It's hard to know your child was possessed."

Sirius glared "It's hard to know your child almost died trying to save another student that put their self in danger knowing full well what was going on!"

**"It was this diary," said AJ quickly, picking it up and showing it to Dumbledore. "Riddle wrote it when he was sixteen…"**

"I still don't understand how that happened." Tonks admitted

Kingsley sighed "It sounds like something I read before but I can't think of where."

**Dumbledore took the diary from AJ and peered keenly down his long, crooked nose at its burnt and soggy pages.**

**"Brilliant," he said softly. "Of course, he was probably the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen."**

Ted dropped his head back "You sound like some crazed fan! What is wrong with you?"

**He turned around to the Weasleys, who were looking utterly bewildered.**

**"Very few people know that Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle. I taught him myself, fifty years ago, at Hogwarts. He disappeared after leaving the school… traveled far and wide… sank so deeply into the Dark Arts, consorted with the very worst of our kind, underwent so many dangerous, magical transformations, that when he resurfaced as Lord Voldemort, he was barely recognizable. Hardly anyone connected Lord Voldemort with the clever, handsome boy who was once Head Boy here."**

"Was he really that good?" Andy wondered

AJ shifted "He was handsome and I know how easy it would have been for people to fall for his innocent look with his handsome face and intelligence."

**"But, Ginny," said Mrs. Weasley. "What's our Ginny got to do with — with — him?"**

Ginny smiled at her mom; at least she realized it wasn't her fault.

**"His d-diary" Ginny sobbed. "I've b-been writing in it, and he's been w-writing back all year —"**

Charlie snarled "Moron, complete and utter moron. I can't believe you actually did that!"

"I know you're pissed Charlie," Regulus stated "but we can all talk about this after this book is over, only one chapter left."

**"Ginny!" said Mr. Weasley, flabbergasted. "Haven't I taught you anything? What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain? Why didn't you show the diary to me, or your mother? A suspicious object like that, it was clearly full of Dark Magic!'**

"At least someone is showing common sense!" Remus yelled "He should have waited until they were in private but he had the right the scold his child for something so stupid."

**"I d-didn't know," sobbed Ginny. "I found it inside one of the books Mum got me. I th-thought someone had just left it in there and forgotten about it —"**

"Brilliant excuse by the way," sighed Ron "you could have at least tried to take responsibility for your actions like an adult."

**"Miss Weasley should go up to the hospital wing right away," Dumbledore interrupted in a firm voice.**

Andy rolled her eyes "She should have already been in the hospital wing instead of coming up with horrible excuses."

**"This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment. Older and wiser wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort." He strode over to the door and opened it. "Bed rest and perhaps a large, steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up," he added, twinkling kindly down at her. "You will find that Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She's just giving out Mandrake juice — I daresay the basilisk's victims will be waking up any moment."**

"We are having such a long talk after this." Growled Sirius "I hope you don't have plans old man."

Ted nodded "No punishment, you've got to be kidding me! That was the stupidest thing you've ever done."

**"So Hermione's okay!" said Ron brightly.**

"Little excited over that?" Hermione snickered

Ron blushed "You're my friend; of course I wanted you okay."

**"There has been no lasting harm done, Ginny," said Dumbledore. Mrs. Weasley led Ginny out, and Mr. Weasley followed, still looking deeply shaken.**

Remus nodded in agreement, he would have been the same way if something happened to AJ…he couldn't bear the thought of her being harmed in some way like that.

**"You know, Minerva," Professor Dumbledore said thoughtfully to Professor McGonagall, "I think all this merits a good feast. Might I ask you to go and alert the kitchens?"**

"A feast?" yelled Charlie "After everything that just happened you put on a feast? How in the hell did you become headmaster?"

**"Right," said Professor McGonagall crisply, also moving to the door. "I'll leave you to deal with Potter and Weasley, shall I?"**

"You punish them and there will be hell to pay." Tonks muttered

**"Certainly," said Dumbledore. She left, and AJ and Ron gazed uncertainly at Dumbledore. What exactly had Professor McGonagall meant, deal with them? Surely they weren't about to be punished? Ginny caused more problems than they did on a good day.**

"You aren't going to be punished sweets, you did nothing wrong." Regulus assured "If you get into trouble for saving another student I will personal make Dumbledore's life a living hell."

**"I seem to remember telling you both that I would have to expel you if you broke any more school rules," said Dumbledore.**

**Ron opened his mouth in horror.**

Hermione couldn't imagine school without her two best friends, they completed each other.

**"Which goes to show that the best of us must sometimes eat our words," Dumbledore went on, smiling. "You will both receive Special Awards for Services to the School and — let me see — yes, I think two hundred points apiece for Gryffindor."**

Snape groaned, he would never admit it out loud but they deserved the awards and the points, they had done more than most would ever hope to do.

**Ron went as brightly pink as Lockhart's valentine flowers and closed his mouth again.**

AJ snickered at her friends disgruntled look, he was so easy to embarrass.

**"But one of us seems to be keeping mightily quiet about his part in this dangerous adventure," Dumbledore added. "Why so modest, Gilderoy?"**

Andy grinned "He was given a taste of his own medicine which was what he deserved and then some."

**AJ gave a start. She had completely forgotten about Lockhart. She turned and saw that Lockhart was standing in a corner of the room, still wearing his vague smile. When Dumbledore addressed him, Lockhart looked over his shoulder to see who he was talking to.**

**"Professor Dumbledore," Ron said quickly, "there was an accident down in the Chamber of Secrets. Professor Lockhart —"**

"It was done on purpose," Bill grumbled "he should have been thrown in Azkaban after that incident."

Ginny glared "He lost his memory, that's bad enough."

"No actually it's not Ginny." Argued Bill "After everything he did he deserves death!"

**"Am I a professor?" said Lockhart in mild surprise. "Goodness. I expect I was hopeless, was I?"**

"Well yeah," agreed AJ "but who cares now that you're still trying to figure out your name?"

**"He tried to do a Memory Charm and the wand backfired," Ron explained quietly to Dumbledore.**

"Bastard," muttered Remus "I hope he doesn't value his life at all."

**"Dear me," said Dumbledore, shaking his head, his long silver mustache quivering. "Impaled upon your own sword, Gilderoy!"**

"You make it seem like you knew what he was capable of." Snape sneered

Dumbledore sighed "I suspected but I couldn't be positive."

**"Sword?" said Lockhart dimly. "Haven't got a sword. That boy has, though." She pointed at AJ. "She'll lend you one."**

"Dumb ass." Coughed AJ

**"Would you mind taking Professor Lockhart up to the infirmary, too?" Dumbledore said to Ron. "I'd like a few more words with AJ…"**

"You don't always have to look so upset when you want to talk sir." AJ remarked "You make me nervous, like you're about to dish out a death sentence."

**Lockhart ambled out. Ron cast a curious look back at Dumbledore and AJ as he closed the door.**

"I wasn't sure if I should leave you alone." Ron admitted "I didn't want you getting into trouble while Ginny and I got off free."

**Dumbledore crossed to one of the chairs by the fire.**

**"Sit down, AJ," he said, and AJ sat, feeling unaccountably nervous.**

"I'm sorry for making you nervous AJ, that was not my intention." Apologized Dumbledore

**"First of all, AJ, I want to thank you," said Dumbledore, eyes twinkling again. "You must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you."**

"He sounds like a great animal to have around," Sirius said "I know I owe that bird a lot."

**He stroked the phoenix, which had fluttered down onto his knee. AJ grinned awkwardly as Dumbledore watched him.**

**"And so you met Tom Riddle," said Dumbledore thoughtfully. "I imagine he was most interested in you…"**

"Of course he was interested in AJ," Kingsley groaned "he's the reason her life is a living hell."

**Suddenly, something that was nagging at AJ came tumbling out of her mouth.**

Remus sighed "I hate that you're thinking that you and Riddle have a connection of some sort. But I love that you're finally opening up to someone cub, it's good for you to let it out."

**But she fell silent, a lurking doubt resurfacing in her mind.**

**"Professor," she started again after a moment. "The Sorting Hat told me I'd have done well in Slytherin.**

Snape huffed "You would have Black, but you have too much idiotic courage in your blood."

**Everyone thought I was Slytherins heir for a while… because I can speak Parseltongue…"**

Ted glared "That's only because they're idiots and don't have common sense."

"It's not an evil gift," Andy continued "people just use the gift to do evil instead of doing something good."

**"You can speak Parseltongue, AJ," said Dumbledore calmly, "because Lord Voldemort — who is the last remaining ancestor of Salazar Slytherin — can speak Parseltongue. Unless I'm much mistaken, he transferred some of his own powers to you the night he gave you that scar. Not something he intended to do, I'm sure…"**

"Now I'm sure that will make her feels loads better." Charlie snarled

Bill frowned "You make it seem as if she a piece of Voldemort inside her."

**"Voldemort put a bit of himself in me?" AJ said, thunderstruck.**

"You better have a good explanation." Growled Regulus

**"It certainly seems so."**

Regulus snorted "That's what I meant by a good explanation too."

**"So I should be in Slytherin," AJ said, looking desperately into Dumbledore's face. "The Sorting Hat could see Slytherins power in me, and it —"**

"We put too much stock in what a talking hat says." AJ said

Hermione grinned "But it is the wizarding world so anything goes."

**"Put you in Gryffindor," said Dumbledore calmly. "Listen to me, AJ. You happen to have many qualities Salazar Slytherin prized in his hand-picked students. His own very rare gift, Parseltongue — resourcefulness — determination — a certain disregard for rules, "he added, his mustache quivering again. "Yet the Sorting Hat placed you in Gryffindor. You know why that was. Think."**

"He pretty much wanted all the qualities that are in the Gryffindor house but slightly different." Kingsley observed

Andy smirked "Maybe he secretly wanted to be the founder of a house like Gryffindor."

**"It only put me in Gryffindor," said AJ in a defeated voice, "because I asked not to go in Slytherin…" **

Sirius smiled "I think that's the point pup, Riddle would never ask to be in a different house because he didn't have an ounce of empathy in his entire being."

"He really didn't belong in any house if you think about it," Remus commented "he just wanted to learn magic to harm people not do any good or anything of the sort."

**"Exactly, "said Dumbledore, beaming once more. "This makes you very different from Tom Riddle. It is our choices, AJ, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." AJ sat motionless in his chair, stunned. "If you want proof, AJ, that you belong in Gryffindor, I suggest you look more closely at this."**

Everyone moved forward in anticipation

**Dumbledore reached across to Professor McGonagall's desk, picked up the blood-stained silver sword, and handed it to AJ. Dully, AJ turned it over, the rubies blazing in the firelight. And then she saw the name engraved just below the hilt. Godric Gryffindor.**

Bill looked wide eyed "Wow…that's just wow."

**"Only a true Gryffindor could have pulled that out of the hat, AJ," said Dumbledore simply.**

"I don't know if that's true Sir," Hermione stated "I can't see Godric discriminating against someone that needed help."

**For a minute, neither of them spoke. Then Dumbledore pulled open one of the drawers in Professor McGonagall's desk and took out a quill and a bottle of ink.**

**"What you need, AJ, is some food and sleep. I suggest you go down to the feast, while I write to Azkaban —we need our gamekeeper back.**

"A trip to the hospital wing would work too!" Andy shouted

Ted nodded "She was seriously injured and you're sending her to a damn feast!"

**And I must draft an advertisement for the Daily Prophet, too," he added thoughtfully. "We'll need a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher…**

"Next year you get a good teacher I hear," winked Regulus "too bad he couldn't defeat the curse."

AJ grinned "Best teacher we've ever had."

**Dear me, we do seem to run through them, don't we?"**

**AJ got up and crossed to the door. She had just reached for the handle, however, when the door burst open so violently that it bounced back off the wall.**

Charlie muttered "What in hell could happen now? Who barges into the headmaster's office anyhow?"

**Lucius Malfoy stood there, fury in his handsome face. And cowering behind his legs, heavily wrapped in bandages, was Dobby.**

"Handsome face?" Ron asked scowling

AJ rolled her eyes "He is handsome, don't get me wrong he is a little crazy but that doesn't take away from his looks."

**"Good evening, Lucius," said Dumbledore pleasantly.**

**Mr. Malfoy almost knocked AJ over as he swept into the room. Dobby went scurrying in after him, crouching at the hem of his cloak, a look of abject terror on his face.**

AJ shook her head at Hermione, now wasn't the time to listen to the rights house elves had but didn't even want.

**The elf was carrying a stained rag with which he was attempting to finish cleaning Mr. Malfoy's shoes. Apparently Mr. Malfoy had set out in a great hurry, for not only were his shoes half-polished, but his usually sleek hair was disheveled.**

Charlie eyed his girlfriend "Should I be worried about you leaving me for Lord Malfoy?"

"No love," smiled AJ "you're the only man for me I promise."

**Ignoring the elf bobbing apologetically around his ankles, he fixed his cold baby blue eyes upon Dumbledore.**

Andy sighed sadly at the reminder of brother-in-law, she remembered a time when he wasn't a heartless bastard. She wondered if her godson even remembered all her and Ted did for him when he was a child and his parents would go on missions.

**"So!" he said "You've come back. The governors suspended you, but you still saw fit to return to Hogwarts."**

"Of course he's fit to be at Hogwarts," growled Regulus "the dangers passed now."

**"Well, you see, Lucius," said Dumbledore, smiling serenely, "the other eleven governors contacted me today. It was something like being caught in a hailstorm of owls, to tell the truth. They'd heard that Arthur Weasley's daughter had been killed and wanted me back here at once. They seemed to think I was the best man for the job after all. Very strange tales they told me, too… Several of them seemed to think that you had threatened to curse their families if they didn't agree to suspend me in the first place."**

"I somehow doubt he would really follow through on those threats," Tonks mumbled to Kingsley "he can be a bastard but there is more to him than meets the eye."

**Mr. Malfoy went even paler than usual, but his eyes were still slits of fury.**

**"So — have you stopped the attacks yet?" he sneered. "Have you caught the culprit?"**

"He didn't," Remus stated calmly "a thirteen year old did!"

**"We have," said Dumbledore, with a smile.**

"No need to take the credit for yourself." AJ snarked

**"Well?" said Mr. Malfoy sharply. "Who is it?"**

**"The same person as last time, Lucius," said Dumbledore. "But this time, Lord Voldemort was acting through somebody else. By means of this diary."**

Kingsley huffed "We still have no idea how something like that comes to be anyhow."

**He held up the small black book with the large hole through the center, watching Mr. Malfoy closely.**

"You sound as if you suspected him of it." Sirius said offhandedly "One would think to bring it to others attention but what good would that do right?"

**AJ, however, was watching Dobby. The elf was doing something very odd. His great eyes fixed meaningfully on AJ, he kept pointing at the diary, then at Mr. Malfoy, and then hitting himself hard on the head with his fist.**

Hermione fell into Bills embrace, she hated how house elves were treated but Dobby more so than the others.

**"I see…" said Mr. Malfoy slowly to Dumbledore.**

**"A clever plan," said Dumbledore in a level voice, still staring Mr. Malfoy straight in the eye. "Because if AJ here —"**

Ron shook his head "Why would you drag AJ into it now? Lord Malfoy is probably going to kill her because of this now!"

"He won't kill me." AJ snickered at the thought. "He has more important things to worry about than me ruining his plans."

**Mr. Malfoy shot AJ a swift, sharp look who just smiled sweetly "and his friend Ron hadn't discovered this book, why — Ginny Weasley might have taken all the blame. No one would ever have been able to prove she hadn't acted of her own free will…"**

"You need to learn to leave your students out of this Albus," Regulus muttered "he didn't need to know who was behind demise of a sixteen year old Riddle."

**Mr. Malfoy said nothing. His face was suddenly masklike.**

**"And imagine," Dumbledore went on, "what might have happened then… The Weasleys are one of our most prominent pure-blood families. Imagine the effect on Arthur Weasley and his Muggle Protection Act, if his own daughter was discovered attacking and — killing Muggle-borns… Very fortunate the diary was discovered, and Riddle's memories wiped from it. Who knows what the consequences might have been otherwise…"**

"I can't believe he would place the diary in her basket in broad daylight," Bill remarked "it just seems so sloppy."

**Mr. Malfoy forced himself to speak.**

**"Very fortunate," he said stiffly but AJ saw the hidden emotion in his eyes.**

Tonks raised a brow "Which was?"

"He has a son, he maybe a death eater or whatever but he does have a son who he loves very much. If anything were to happen to his baby he wouldn't be able to handle it. He felt remorse for Ginny. I know it." AJ said with conviction

**And still, behind his back, Dobby was pointing, first to the diary, then to Lucius Malfoy, then punching himself in the head. And AJ suddenly understood. She nodded at Dobby, and Dobby backed into a corner, now twisting his ears in punishment.**

"Don't piss him off punk, that's the last thing you need." Charlie mumbled into AJ's pink hair

**"Don't you want to know how Ginny got hold of that diary, Mr. Malfoy?" said AJ.**

Kingsley smirked "Nah I don't think he cares either way. He did what he did and his plan was shot to shit."

**Lucius Malfoy rounded on her giving her now bright purple hair a confused look.**

**"How should I know how the stupid little girl got hold of it?" he said.**

Ted snickered "Well no offence but that does sum up her actions pretty well."

"It does not!" Molly screeched "She did nothing wrong!"

**"Because you gave it to her," said AJ. "In Flourish and Blotts. You picked up her old Transfiguration book and slipped the diary inside it, didn't you?"**

AJ shifted, she wasn't sure if it was Lord Malfoy or not to be honest.

**She saw Mr. Malfoy's white hands clench and unclench.**

"He used to do that a lot when Siri would call him Lucy," laughed Regulus "but he wouldn't hold back on punching him in the face."

**"Prove it," he hissed.**

Noticing AJ's thoughtful look Andy said "I don't know Luscious, you may have been set up for all we know."

**Oh, no one will be able to do that," said Dumbledore, smiling at AJ. "Not now that Riddle has vanished from the book. On the other hand, I would advise you, Lucius, not to go giving out any more of Lord Voldemort's old school things. If any more of them find their way into innocent hands, I think Arthur Weasley, for one, will make sure they are traced back to you…"**

Hermione laughed "How many other things of Voldemort's could be lying around?"

**Lucius Malfoy stood for a moment, and AJ distinctly saw his right hand twitch as though he was longing to reach for his wand. Instead, he turned to his house-elf. "We're going, Dobby!"**

"He pulls off the bastard act a little too well," Regulus muttered to Andy

**He wrenched open the door and as the elf came hurrying up to him, he kicked him right through it. They could hear Dobby squealing with pain all the way along the corridor. **

Bill grunted "No need to take out your anger on the poor elf, take it out on a wall or Filch."

**AJ stood for a moment, thinking hard. Then it came to her — "Professor Dumbledore," she said excitedly. "Can I give that diary back to Mr. Malfoy, please?"**

Dumbledore smiled "I saw the wheels in your head my dear, I knew you had plan but I didn't realize how brilliant it was."

**"Certainly, AJ," said Dumbledore calmly. "But hurry. The feast, remember…"**

"You're letting her go to an angry Luscious Malfoy alone?" Ron asked shocked

Sirius grinned "AJ can handle him and I know Dumbledore would be watching out for any danger."

**AJ grabbed the diary and dashed out of the office. She could hear Dobby's squeals of pain receding around the corner. Quickly, wondering if this plan could possibly work, AJ took off one of her shoes, pulled off her slimy, filthy sock, and stuffed the diary into it.**

Ted looked at AJ "I have no idea what you're up to but I'm sure it'll be brilliant."

**Then she ran down the dark corridor. She caught up with them at the top of the stairs.**

Andy shifted nervously, her brother-in-law wasn't known for his patients, but with children he was different. Then again how far was he willing to go for an act?

**"Mr. Malfoy," she gasped, skidding to a halt, "I've got something for you —" And she forced the smelly sock into Lucius Malfoy's hand.**

"Okay," Charlie said "pissing him off is one way to go I suppose."

**"What the —?" Mr. Malfoy ripped the sock off the diary, threw it aside, then looked furiously from the ruined book to AJ. "You'll meet the same sticky end as your parent's one of these days, AJ Potter," he said softly. "They were meddlesome fools, too."**

Remus growled "That was a low blow even for him! He and I are going to have some words in the near future."

**He turned to go. "Come, Dobby. I said, come." But Dobby didn't move. He was holding up AJ's disgusting, slimy sock, and looking at it as though it were a priceless treasure.**

**"Master has given a sock," said the elf in wonderment. "Master gave it to Dobby."**

Everyone was applauding and cheering for AJ who was just smiling at her family, for once she was truly content where she was in life.

**"What's that?" spat Mr. Malfoy. "What did you say?"**

**"Got a sock," said Dobby in disbelief. "Master threw it, and Dobby caught it, and Dobby — Dobby is free."**

Tonks grinned "You're lucky, most elves would see that as punishment of the ultimate degree."

"Yeah but he wasn't being treated like most elves are," Kingsley reminded "he's free now and that's all that matters."

**Lucius Malfoy stood frozen, staring at the elf then he lunged at AJ.**

**"You've lost me my servant, girl!"**

**But Dobby shouted, "You shall not harm Alessandra Potter!" There was a loud bang, and Mr. Malfoy was thrown backward. He crashed down the stairs, three at a time, landing in a crumpled heap on the landing below.**

"I would have paid a lot of money to see that," Sirius said grinning "he deserved a little more but I'll take what I can get."

**He got up, his face livid, and pulled out his wand, but Dobby raised a long, threatening finger. "You shall go now," he said fiercely, pointing down at Mr. Malfoy. "You shall not touch Alessandra Potter. You shall go now."**

Ted smiled "It's almost as if he sees you as his new master."

"He pretty much does," AJ admitted "he's gotten better at interfering in my life."

**The elf's ugly brown face split suddenly into a wide, toothy smile.**

**"I've just got one question, Dobby," said AJ as Dobby pulled on AJ's sock with shaking hands.**

All the women looked disgusted while the guys were cracking up at their faces.

**"You told me all this had nothing to do with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, remember? Well —"**

"How could we forget?" Regulus groaned "It was confusing in the beginning and it's still confusing!"

**"It was a clue, sir," said Dobby, his eyes widening, as though this was obvious. "Was giving you a clue. The Dark Lord, before he changed his name, could be freely named, you see?"**

Regulus rolled his eyes "Still doesn't make sense Dobby!"

**"Right," said AJ weakly. "Well, I'd better go. There's a feast, and my friend Hermione should be awake by now…"**

Hermione and AJ shared grins, life was better when they were together.

**Dobby threw his arms around Harry's middle and hugged her.**

**"Alessandra Potter is greater by far than Dobby knew!" he sobbed. "Farewell, Alessandra Potter!"**

Ron snickered "He makes it seem like it was a forever type of thing."

**And with a final loud crack, Dobby disappeared. AJ had been to several Hogwarts feasts, but never one quite like this. Everybody was in their pajamas, and the celebration lasted all night. Harry didn't know whether the best bit was Hermione running toward him, screaming "You solved it! You solved it!" **

Hermione blushed "I was just excited they figured it out with such a cryptic message."

**or Justin hurrying over from the Hufflepuff table to wring his hand and apologize endlessly for suspecting her, or Hagrid turning up at half past three, cuffing AJ and Ron so hard on the shoulders that they were knocked into their plates of trifle, or her and Ron's four hundred points for Gryffindor securing the House Cup for the second year running, or Professor McGonagall standing up to tell them all that the exams had been canceled as a school treat or Dumbledore announcing that, unfortunately, Professor Lockhart would be unable to return next year, owing to the fact that he needed to go away and get his memory back. Quite a few of the teachers joined in the cheering that greeted this news.**

"We never had feasts like that," Sirius grumbled "ours were proper so to speak."

Remus smiled "True, but we had fun after the feasts padfoot if you recall correctly."

**"Shame," said Ron, helping himself to a jam doughnut. "He has starting to grow on me."**

"I still didn't trust him," AJ admitted "he was slimly then and he's still slimy."

**The rest of the final term passed in a haze of blazing sunshine. Hogwarts was back to normal with only a few, small differences — Defense Against the Dark Arts classes were canceled ("but we've had plenty of practice at that anyway," Ron told a disgruntled Hermione) and Lucius Malfoy had been sacked as a school governor.**

Snape snorted, the man didn't care he was fired. He was actually relieved when they notified him.

**Draco was no longer strutting around the school as though he owned the place. On the contrary, he looked resentful and sulky. On the other hand, Ginny Weasley was perfectly happy again.**

"Of course she was," Bill muttered "she pulled a lot of stunts and didn't even receive a reprimand!"

**They were almost at King's Cross when Harry remembered something.**

**"Ginny – what did you see Percy doing, that he didn't want you to tell anyone?"**

Ginny snickered again at the thought of her older brother's discomfort.

**"Oh, that," said Ginny, giggling. "Well — Percy's got a girlfriend." **

Regulus burst out laughed "Go Percy!"

**Fred dropped a stack of books on George's head. "What?"**

**"It's that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater," said Ginny. **

Ted frowned "That must have been hard for him, the poor girl was petrified."

**"That's who he was writing to all last summer. He's been meeting her all over the school in secret. I walked in on them kissing in an empty classroom one day. He was so upset when she was — you know — attacked. You won't tease him, will you?" she added anxiously.**

Charlie laughed "The twins tease? Never Ginny, they wouldn't even think of doing something like that."

**"Wouldn't dream of it," said Fred, who was looking like his birthday had come early.**

**"Definitely not," said George, sniggering.**

Andy smiled "Somehow I don't believe them."

"It comes with being related to Sirius momma." Tonks stated with a grin

**The Hogwarts Express slowed and finally stopped. AJ pulled out his quill and a bit of parchment and turned to Ron and Hermione.**

AJ snorted "Dumb move AJ, dumb move."

**"This is called a telephone number," she told Ron, scribbling it twice, tearing the parchment in two, and handing it to them. "I told your dad how to use a telephone last summer — he'll know. Call me at the Dursleys', okay? I can't stand another two months with only Dudley to talk to…"**

Kingsley sighed "This doesn't end well does it?"

"No not really." Ron admitted with a blush."

**"Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward the enchanted barrier. "When they hear what you did this year?"**

Hermione groaned "I was trying to be nice! Stop looking at me like that."

**"Proud?" said AJ. "Are you crazy? All those times I could've died, and I didn't manage it? They'll be furious…"**

Charlie growled "I would love nothing more than to kill those jackasses."

**And together they walked back through the gateway to the Muggle world.**

Molly got up, "I'm going to start dinner and then we can all talk."


	42. A Break

Once again dinner was a very tense and awkward. The only sounds that could be heard around the room were the clinking of silverware and chewing. Ginny didn't understand why everyone was so pissed, it happened years ago and it wasn't like she didn't suffer. That whole year she felt like an outsider, no one knew what she went through! The book didn't even give and accurate account on how she felt being possessed.

Sirius was the first to break the silence, he turn his stormy blue grey eyes on the headmaster "Want to explain to us why Ginny got off scot-free after she knew damn well something was wrong? After she caused so much panic? Come on Dumbledore I want to know why and I want to know why now!"

Everyone flinched at the tone Sirius had taken, never before had he yelled like that. Dumbledore cleared his throat "I didn't see why she should be punished for something that was out of her hands. She was being possessed and wasn't aware of it Sirius, she was a small child. She did nothing to warrant a punishment."

"This reminds me of an incident in sixth year when I was student," Sirius stated "I endangered another students like and received a year worth of detention, I was band from quidditch and I couldn't go to Hogsmead till the following year. I don't see how the two are different. Please explain this headmaster, I'm losing my patients."

Dumbledore sighed "The circumstances were different Sirius she was being possessed-"

"She knew all along what she was doing!" Charlie yelled interrupting Dumbledore "I love my sister but she knew all along that her memory was slipping and her diary was talking back! I want to see some damn punishment headmaster! You can't ignore this!" AJ held onto Charlie's hand the whole time in silent support knowing that he needed to get this off his chest.

Snape hated what he was about to do, he really did "I agree with the mutt and the dragon boy. Ms. Weasley was well aware of what she was doing and didn't go to a teacher or anyone for that matter for help. AJ was almost killed trying to save her which could have been avoided had Ms. Weasley gone to an adult."

"I don't see how it's my daughters fault that AJ was injured saving Ginny." Huffed Molly "She didn't ask for help and AJ went willingly knowing full well what could happen if she went down there without a teacher."

Remus growled lowly "You did not just say that. She was good as dead had AJ not gone down there! She was losing her memory and all she did was try and hide it! This was not my daughters fault and don't you dare blame her for a damn thing that happened."

"If I don't see some punishment," Sirius started "I think it's best if AJ went to a different wizarding school." The room fell into a shocked silence, they all knew Sirius would go to great lengths to protect his daughter and this wasn't even the worse that he could dish out.

Andy spoke up "I don't think that would be a bad idea to be completely honest, obviously Hogwarts has gone to hell in a hand basket these past few years and she should be at a safer school."

"I hear Romania has a few nice wizarding schools." Joked AJ with a smile

Sirius grinned at his daughter "I bet they do cub but I don't think so. I'm being completely honest with you Albus; I will take AJ out of that school if you don't do something about this."

"I understand gentlemen," Dumbledore muttered "I will think about it and get back to you tomorrow during lunch. Now if you'll excuse me I need to get some sleep and think things over." With that Dumbledore went upstairs with a heavy heart deciding on how to punish a young girl who honestly did deserve it.

Bill looked around the room "Well that went well."

"It really did," laughed Hermione "but she does deserve what she gets."

Ginny glared "I do not deserve to be punished!" Without another word to anyone Molly and Ginny got up and went to one of the guest rooms on the first floor.

"Thank Merlin something is going to be done about those two," Ted muttered "who doesn't get into trouble for something like that?"

Andy nodded "Dora would never get off scot-free after a year like that. Being the cause of people being petrified and not even getting into trouble is such bullshit. I can't believe it."

"Well it is getting late," Regulus mumbled with a yawn "we should probably get to bed so we can read the next book in the morning." Everyone agreed while AJ stayed with her dad and papa for a little heart to heart.

***kitchen***

AJ grinned at her parents "Crazy book right? Who would have thought a snake could cause so much trouble."

"Pup, we love you more than life in itself." Sirius said while hugging his daughter "Please don't ever pull stunts like that again. We couldn't live with you being gone from our lives completely. We know it was in the past but hearing about it now is making us a little on edge."

Remus nodded "You have to be careful this year cub, the death eaters are joining the ranks again and if Voldemort even gets half of his supporters back we're in for one hell of a battle. We just want you safe so we're going to do everything we can to prevent you from being put in any unnecessary danger."

"I know," AJ said contently "I won't be doing anything too crazy these next couple years because I now have a family that I love and I want to be able to be a family for a long time." The family of three sat contently for a while before AJ got up "I should head on up, I love you both."

***upstairs***

AJ walked quietly into Charlie and Bills room hoping that Charlie wasn't asleep. Charlie grinned at the love of his life while she got under the covers and cuddled close to him.

"I love you Charlie, I hope you know that." AJ mumbled

Charlie kissed her head "Of course I know that punk, I love you too. Nothing will ever pull us apart. Promise punk." AJ knew that Charlie was promising more than just a few months of happiness; he was promising her a lifetime of love. That was all she needed and she knew she was enough for him.

***SEX SCENE AHEAD***

Charlie kissed AJ softly at first, then the kisses turned more heated more forceful. Charlie quickly undressed before turning all his attention to the beautiful blue haired women in front of him. Charlie slowly took off shirt while kissing every piece of her perfectly toned arms. He kissed every scar her arms held silently praying to whatever God that would listen to please take her pain and suffering away. Charlie turned his attention to her jean covered legs, he slowly removed them relishing in the soft whines and whimpers he could elicit from his lover. Charlie loved her legs; they were long, tan and perfectly toned from years of quidditch. Like her arms they had scars which he kissed and nipped at them. When he was satisfied with the attention he gave to both legs he kissed up her stomach and unclasped her bra. He looked down at his lover with lust filled eyes, he loved her more than anything, he didn't care what she looked like but if he was completely honest he loved looking at her naked body. Her breast were perfect along with her stomach, he couldn't get enough of her. Once AJ whispered his name in the sexy growl plea she had he knew it was time to stop teasing and make love to her. Once he sunk his length into that little piece of heaven only moans and whimpers were heard in the room.

***end of sex scene***

AJ woke up to the shower cutting off; Charlie came into the room with just a towel which AJ knew was the sexiest sight in the entire world.

"I wanted us to shower together but I don't think we have enough time for our showers. We need to get back to the reading punk." Charlie said getting dressed

AJ snickered "I know what you mean love, I'll be down in ten minutes tops." AJ jumped into the warm shower loving the feeling of the warm water on her tense muscles. She wasn't looking forward to this book, she didn't want her dad to hate her when he heard all the nasty thoughts she had of him before she knew he was innocent. Once she was clean AJ cut off the shower and wrapped a towel around her and got out.

"Hey Mio," AJ greeted noticing her friend sitting on the toilet waiting for her "what's up? You look sick to your stomach yet excited about it."

Hermione rolled her eyes "Thanks, love you too. I have to tell you something and it's huge! Like really huge."

"Tell me," AJ said while brushing her teeth "you know you can trust me."

"I have a crush." Hermione took a deep breath "Oh Bill."

AJ grinned after rinsing her mouth out and heading into the bedroom to get dressed quickly "I know Mio. You two have been all puppy love since we started the reading. I was just waiting for you to admit your feelings. I'm happy for you doll, Bill is a good man and I know he likes you too. The love radiating off you two is going to make someone sick one of these days. You should tell him during the lunch break. Now hair?"

"Thanks AJ!" Hermione said hugging her best friend tightly "Long dark purple hair, it'll look cute against the white shirt you've got on. Let's get downstairs before the drama starts without us." Both girls laughed running down the stairs and into the kitchen grabbing some eggs and bacon before the reading. After breakfast everyone went into the library to read,

Ted grabbed the book "**AJ Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 1: Owl Post**


	43. Owl Post

**AJ Potter was a highly unusual girl in many ways.**

Charlie kissed AJ "Of course she is, but it's one of the many reasons why I love her."

**For one thing, she hated the summer holidays more than any other time of year.**

"I would too," groaned Andy "that place you were forced to live in is pure hell. I doubt even Voldemort would send people there to be tortured."

**For another, she really wanted to do her homework but was forced to do it in secret, in the dead of night.**

Sirius glared "Stupid muggles, they don't know what they're in for when I get my hands on them."

"They'll learn not to mess with our daughter soon padfoot." Smiled Remus

**And she also happened to be a witch. It was nearly midnight, and she was lying on her stomach in bed, the blankets drawn right over her head like a tent, a flashlight in one hand and a large leather-bound book (A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot)**

"I really like her work," commented Hermione "she has a very interesting writing style."

Ron rolled his eyes "You need to read less and have more fun Hermione."

**propped open against the pillow. AJ moved the tip of her eagle-feather quill down the page, frowning as she looked for something that would help her write her essay, "Witch Burning in the Fourteenth Century Was Completely Pointless discuss."**

"I had to do that same essay when I was a third year." Regulus remarked "It was the most boring essay I ever had to do…then again Binns did assign it."

**The quill paused at the top of a likely-looking paragraph. AJ pulled her neon green hair in a messy bun, moved her flashlight closer to the book, and read: Non-magic people (more commonly known as Muggles) were particularly afraid of magic in medieval times, but not very good at recognizing it.**

"They still don't see what's right in front of them." Regulus muttered "They're blind when it comes to magic."

"Roald Dahl once said ""Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." I guess he was right." AJ grinned at her uncles shocked face

**On the rare occasion that they did catch a real witch or wizard, burning had no effect whatsoever. The witch or wizard would perform a basic Flame Freezing Charm and then pretend to shriek with pain while enjoying a gentle, tickling sensation. Indeed, Wendelin the Weird enjoyed being burned so much that she allowed herself to be caught no less than forty-seven times in various disguises.**

Bill shivered "Having the word weird in her name fits her personality perfectly."

**AJ put her quill between her teeth and reached underneath her pillow for her ink bottle and a roll of parchment. Slowly and very carefully she unscrewed the ink bottle, dipped her quill into it, and began to write, pausing every now and then to listen,**

"You need to become and auror kid." Kingsley stated "We need more aurors like you."

Tonks snorted "Then maybe we wouldn't be screwed when it came to fighting in this war."

**because it any of the Dursleys heard the scratching of her quill on their way to the bathroom, she'd probably find herself locked in the cupboard under the stairs for the rest of the summer and given more than just a daily beating.**

"Killing them would be too easy," growled Ron "they need to be tortured or something for all they put you through."

**The Dursley family of number four, Privet Drive, was the reason that AJ never enjoyed her summer holidays. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and their son, Dudley, were AJ's only living relatives.**

Ted grinned "But they aren't your family hun, you've got us and you can tell those bastards to screw without being worried of what they might do to you."

**They were Muggles, and they had a very medieval attitude toward magic.**

Snape narrowed his eyes, he hated that he had so much in common with AJ. Wait. When did he start referring to her as AJ?

**AJ's dead parents, who had been a witch and wizard themselves, were never mentioned under the Dursleys' roof. For years, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had hoped that if they kept AJ as downtrodden as possible, they would be able to squash the magic out of her.**

Snape sneered "They certainly tried and failed."

"It is a very bad idea to take such drastic measures in "removing" magic from a child. It's very dangerous." Dumbledore said with a faraway look

**To their fury, they had been unsuccessful. These days they lived in terror of anyone finding out that AJ had spent most of the last two years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.**

"Like it's a terrible crime to be at the finest wizarding school in all of England." Tonks muttered angrily

**The most they could do, however, was to lock away AJ's spell books, wand, cauldron, and broomstick at the start of the summer break, and forbid her to talk to the neighbors.**

"Did you even want to talk to them?" Hermione asked "Like I know it would be nice to have someone to talk to but would you really sink that low?

AJ laughed loudly "Hell no Mio. The neighbors are all stuck up prudes, I would much rather talk to Hedwig or myself if I got really desperate."

**This separation from her spell books had been a real problem for AJ, because her teachers at Hogwarts had given her a lot of holiday work. One of the essays, a particularly nasty one about shrinking potions, was for AJ's least favourite teacher, Professor Snape, who would be delighted to have an excuse to give AJ detention for a month. **

Bill snorted "Detention for a month sounds about right when it comes to AJ not getting in an essay."

"I would not give her a month of detentions." Snape muttered

**AJ had therefore seized her chance in the first week of the holidays. While Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley had gone out into the front garden to admire Uncle Vernon's new company car (in very loud voices, so that the rest of the street would notice it too), **

"I would move away," Ted laughed "or tell him to shut up because I don't care about is new car."

Charlie grinned "We should move on their street and show them how obnoxious they can really be."

**As long as she didn't leave spots of ink on the sheets, the Dursleys need never know that she was studying magic by night. AJ was particularly keen to avoid trouble with her aunt and uncle at the moment, as they were already in an especially bad mood with her, all because she'd received a telephone call from a fellow wizard one week into the school vacation.**

AJ glared at Ron "Seriously? I'm still confused on how hard it was to make a phone call."

"Well I am a wizard AJ!" Ron snapped "We don't use telephones!"

"No shit Sherlock," AJ snapped back "it's called common sense and you obviously are severely lacking in that department."

**Ron Weasley, who was one of AJ's best friends at Hogwarts, came from a whole family of wizards. ****This meant that she knew a lot of things AJ didn't, but had never used a telephone before. Most unluckily, it had been Uncle Vernon who had answered the call. **

Tonks groaned "Your dad could have helped you with the phone call I'm sure. He does work in the Muggle department."

"Lacking in common sense sweetheart." Andy stage whispered

**"Vernon Dursley speaking." **

**AJ, who happened to be in the room at the time, froze as she heard Ron's voice answer. **

Hermione shook her head "I should have been the one to make the phone call, it would have saved you a lot of pain I'm sure."

"They would have still gotten mad she had people calling her I'm sure." Bill mumbled hugging Hermione closer

**"HELLO? HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? I - WANT - TO - TALK - TO – AJ - POTTER!" Ron was yelling so loudly that Uncle Vernon jumped and held the receiver a foot away from his ear, staring at it with an expression of mingled fury and alarm.**

"Are you insane?" shouted Sirius "You're going to get my daughter killed one of these days!"

Molly glared "He didn't know how to use a telephone Sirius! It was his first time!"

"It's not sex Molly!" Sirius bit out "He could have asked AJ how to make calls before they left school."

**"WHO IS THIS?" he roared in the direction of the mouthpiece. "WHO ARE YOU?" **

**"RON - WEASLEY!" Ron bellowed back,**

Charlie snorted "Great it's a pissing contest between dumb and dumber. This is going to end real well."

**as though he and Uncle Vernon were speaking from opposite ends of a football field. "I'M - A - FRIEND - OF – AJ's - FROM - SCHOOL -"**

"Somehow I doubt that is going to make matters better." Sighed Andy

Kingsley groaned "It's going to piss him off that someone from the "freak" school knows where they live."

**Uncle Vernon's small eyes swiveled around to AJ, who was rooted to the spot. **

**"THERE IS NO AJ POTTER HERE!" he roared, now holding the receiver at arm's length, as though frightened it might explode. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT SCHOOL YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT! NEVER CONTACT ME AGAIN! DON'T YOU COME NEAR MY FAMILY!" And he threw the receiver back onto the telephone as if dropping a poisonous spider.**

Ron shuddered while the room glared daggers at the clueless teenager.

**The fight that had followed had been one of the worst ever. **

**"HOW DARE YOU GIVE THIS NUMBER TO PEOPLE LIKE - PEOPLE LIKE YOU!" Uncle Vernon had roared, spraying AJ with spit. **

Regulus wrinkled his nose "That is the most disgusting muggle I have ever heard about."

"He has no idea what manners are or common decency." Ted muttered "He needs to be locked up for his own health."

**Ron obviously realized that he'd gotten AJ into trouble, because he hadn't called again. AJ's other best friend from Hogwarts, Hermione Granger, hadn't been in touch either. AJ suspected that Ron had warned Hermione not to call,**

"No he didn't tell me that at all!" Hermione glared "You told me that her uncle was a mean man and you didn't want me getting yelled at!"

Ron grinned "Well it's true, I just left out some minor details."

**which was a pity, because Hermione, the cleverest witch in AJ's year, had Muggle parents, knew perfectly well how to use a telephone, and would probably have had enough sense not to say that she went to Hogwarts.**

"Now go with me on this," Tonks started "if someone were to call the house and ask for you in a total normal way how would Pig and Horse react?"

AJ smiled "They would tell them I didn't exist and then beat the shit out of me for existing."

**So AJ had had no word from any of her wizarding friends for five long weeks,**

"How I don't kill myself is beyond me." Muttered AJ feeling a sharp pain throughout her scar. At hearing what his niece said Ted made a mental note to talk to her after this reading, he didn't want her to do something drastic because of those bastards

**and this summer was turning out to be almost as bad as the last one. There was just one very small improvement - after swearing that she wouldn't use her to send letters to any of his friends, AJ had been allowed to let his owl, Hedwig, out at night.**

Charlie let out a relieved sigh, Hedwig was a beautiful creature much like AJ and didn't deserve to be locked up all summer long.

**Uncle Vernon had given in because of the racket Hedwig made if she was locked in her cage all the time. AJ finished writing about Wendelin the Weird and paused to listen again. The silence in the dark house was broken only by the distant, grunting snores of his enormous cousin, Dudley.**

Snape made a face, they needed to put that child on a diet and then put him in military school to learn some obedience.

**It must be very late, AJ thought. Her eyes were itching with tiredness and her body was still throbbing from a punishment. She would finish this essay tomorrow night... **

Andy smiled "Good, you don't want to overwork yourself. Tomorrow night the essay won't be as tedious because you've had time to relax your mind."

"I still don't understand the point of homework over summer vacation," huffed Ron "it's not like anyone really pays attention to what they're working on."

**AJ's stomach gave a funny jolt. She had been fourteen years old, without realizing it, for a whole hour. Yet another unusual thing about AJ was how little she looked forward to her birthdays.**

"That changes this year cub." Promised Remus

Regulus smirked "This year you're getting spoiled beyond belief, we'll teach you the importance of a birthday."

**She had never received a birthday card in her life. The Dursleys had completely ignored her last two birthdays, and she had no reason to suppose they would remember this one. **

"Does it still bother you that they don't celebrate it?" Kingsley

AJ shook her head "It never really bothered me before, birthdays are just another day to me."

**AJ walked across the dark room, past Hedwig's large, empty cage, to the open window. She leaned on the sill, the cool night air pleasant on her face after a long time under the blankets. Hedwig had been absent for two nights now. AJ wasn't worried about her: she'd been gone this long before. But she hoped she'd be back soon - she was the only living creature in this house who didn't flinch at the sight of her.**

"I love your owl, she has such a personality." Grinned Hermione

**AJ, though still rather small and skinny for her age, had grown a few inches over the last year. Her hair was long and black when she was around her family but when it was just her she played with the color and style. Her eyes were bright green, and on her forehead, clearly visible through her bangs, was a thin scar, shaped like a bolt of lightning. Of all the unusual things about AJ, this scar was the most extraordinary of all.**

"It's extraordinary," AJ growled "it's a pain in the ass and it never stops hurting anymore because some sick bastard has it in his mind that he has to kill me."

Sirius glared at Dumbledore, AJ needed to know why her scar was hurting if she didn't she would never take her upcoming lessons seriously.

**It was not, as the Dursleys had pretended for eleven years, a souvenir of the car crash that had killed AJ's parents, because Lily and James Potter had not died in a car crash.**

Everyone glared at the book, no one should lie to a child about how their parents died, it wasn't right and they weren't going to get away with it.

**They had been murdered, murdered by the most feared Dark wizard for a hundred years, Lord Voldemort. AJ had escaped from the same attack with nothing more than a scar on her forehead, **

Tonks rolled her eyes "Having to go over this every single book is getting really annoying. I think we get it by now."

**where Voldemort's curse, instead of killing her, had rebounded upon its originator. Barely alive, Voldemort had fled... But AJ had come face-to-face with him at Hogwarts. Remembering their last meeting as she stood at the dark window, AJ had to admit she was lucky even to have reached her fourteenth birthday.**

"No one should feel like that at such a young age." Sniffed Hermione

Bill kissed the top of her head "AJ's a tough cookie, she'll never let them or anyone break her."

**She scanned the starry sky for a sign of Hedwig, perhaps soaring back to her with a dead mouse dangling from her beak, expecting praise. Gazing absently over the rooftops, it was a few seconds before AJ realized what she was seeing. Silhouetted against the golden moon, and growing larger every moment, was a large, strangely lopsided creature, and it was flapping in AJ's direction.**

Ron smiled "Looks like you're getting a nighttime visitor."

"Figure that all out on your own Ron?" snickered Charlie "You're on your way to becoming head boy."

**She stood quite still, watching it sink lower and lower. For a split second she hesitated, her hand on the window latch, wondering whether to slam it shut. But then the bizarre creature soared over one of the street lamps of Privet Drive, and AJ, realizing what it was, leapt aside.** **Through the window soared three owls, two of them holding up the third, which appeared to be unconscious. **

Ginny winced "Poor owl, he doesn't seem like he's got much life left in him."

**They landed with a soft flump on AJ's bed, and the middle owl, which was large and gray, keeled right over and lay motionless. There was a large package tied to its legs. AJ recognized the unconscious owl at once - his name was Errol, and he belonged to the Weasley family.**

Kingsley smiled "That must have made you feel good, knowing your friends were thinking of you on your birthday."

"You guys really are great friends," Andy complimented "I'm really happy you three have each other during such horrible times."

**AJ dashed to the bed, untied the cords around Errol's legs, took off the parcel, and then carried Errol to Hedwig's cage. Errol opened one bleary eye, gave a feeble hoot of thanks, and began to gulp some water.**

"No more using that owl!" Charlie shouted "He's obviously getting too old to take such long trips and with a package no less!"

**AJ turned back to the remaining owls. One of them, the large snowy female, was her own Hedwig. She, too, was carrying a parcel and looked extremely pleased with herself. She gave AJ an affectionate nip with her beak as she removed her burden, then flew across the room to join Errol. **

AJ smirked "They don't actually get along, Hedwig is very territorial when it comes to me."

"That's how a familiar is sweets," smiled Regulus "Hedwig will always protect you to the best of her ability and if she can't she'll get another witch or wizard to help."

**AJ didn't recognize the third owl, a handsome tawny one, but she knew at once where it had come from, because in addition to a third package, it was carrying a letter bearing the Hogwarts crest.**

The golden trio shared smiles; third year was an eventful year for sure.

**When AJ relieved this owl of its burden, it ruffled its feathers importantly, stretched its wings, and took off through the window into the night. AJ sat down on her bed and grabbed Errol's package, ripped off the brown paper, and discovered a present wrapped in gold, and her first ever birthday card. **

Sirius and Remus fought hard to hold back tears; they wouldn't let their daughter see them break down. It just wasn't fair that the universe kept screwing AJ over every chance it got.

**Fingers trembling slightly, he opened the envelope. Two pieces of paper fell out - a letter and a newspaper clipping. The clipping had clearly come out of the wizarding newspaper, the Daily Prophet, because the people in the black-and-white picture were moving. AJ picked up the clipping, smoothed it out, and read: **

_**MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE SCOOPS GRAND PRIZE **_

_**Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry of Magic, has won the annual Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw. **_

"Finally the ministry does something good!" Ted cheered

Andy smiled "That must have helped when it came to finances for a little while."

_**A delighted Mr. Weasley told the Daily Prophet, "We will be spending the gold on a summer holiday in Egypt, where our eldest son, Bill, works as a curse breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank." The Weasley family will be spending a month in Egypt, returning for the start of the new school year at Hogwarts, which five of the Weasley children currently attend.**_

"You guys really shouldn't have spent it all on coming to see me," sighed Bill "I could have come home for a week or so."

**AJ scanned the moving photograph, and a grin spread across her face as she saw all nine of the Weasleys waving furiously at her, standing in front of a large pyramid.**

"We should go to Egypt next summer," grinned AJ "you'd look hot in a bikini hot stuff."

Hermione blushed "Shut up AJ before I hurt you."

**Plump little Mrs. Weasley; tall, balding Mr. Weasley; six sons; and one daughter, all (though the black-and-white picture didn't show it) with flaming-red hair. Right in the middle of the picture was Ron, tall and gangling, with his pet rat, Scabbers,**

Ron tensed; he hated how much trouble that rat had caused his bestfriend and her family.

**on his shoulder and his arm around his little sister, Ginny. AJ couldn't think of anyone who deserved to win a large pile of gold more than the Weasleys, who were very nice and extremely poor.**

Ginny blushed while the other Weasleys smiled at AJ, she was very kind and never looked down on them just because of their money situation.

**She picked up Ron's letter and unfolded it. **

_**Dear AJ, **_

_**Happy birthday! **_

_**Look, I'm really sorry about that telephone call. I hope the Muggles didn't give you a hard time. I asked Dad, and he reckons I shouldn't have shouted. **_

"Well yeah Ron," snorted Kingsley "that's called not being a moron."

_**It's amazing here in Egypt. Bill's taken us around all the tombs and you wouldn't believe the curses those old Egyptian wizards put on them. Mum wouldn't let Ginny come in the last one.**_

"Why not?" Tonks asked curiously

Ginny scowled "Because of the curse and something about me not being old enough or whatever."

_**There were all these mutant skeletons in there, of Muggles who'd broken in and grown extra heads and stuff. I couldn't believe it when Dad won the Daily Prophet Draw. Seven hundred galleons! Most of it's gone on this trip, but they're going to buy me a new wand for next year.**_

"Should have gotten one the previous year but who cares about safety or anything like that." Muttered Bill

Hermione smiled "If he had a proper wand Merlin only knows what could have happened with Lockhart."

**AJ remembered only too well the occasion when Ron's old wand had snapped. It had happened when the car the two of them had been flying to Hogwarts had crashed into a tree on the school grounds.**

Sirius laughed "That was awesome even if you don't think so."

"You're the only parent who would laugh about something like that Siri." Regulus grinned

_**We'll be back about a week before term starts and we'll be going up to London to get my wand and our new books. Any chance of meeting you there? Don't let the Muggles get you down! Try and come to London,**_

_**Ron **_

_**P.S. Percy's Head Boy. He got the letter last week.**_

"Was there any surprise that he got it?" AJ deadpanned

Ron snorted "The only one it shocked was himself and that was a fake reaction."

**AJ glanced back at the photograph. Percy, who was in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, was looking particularly smug. He had pinned his Head Boy badge to the fez perched jauntily on top of his neat hair,**

"He even takes a picture like a pompous jerk," Charlie muttered "I can't believe we're related."

Remus sighed "Can't pick your family dragon boy, in times of war it's easier to keep those at arm's length rather than keep them close." AJ pulled her orange hair into a messy bun ignoring the pointed look her papa was sending her

**his horn-rimmed glasses flashing in the Egyptian sun. AJ now turned to her present and unwrapped it. Inside was what looked like a miniature glass spinning top.**

"Those are actually a really good thing to have," smiled Ted "I had one in school."

Regulus scowled "They go off too often for my like…they were innocent pranks or just white lies."

**There was another note from Ron beneath it. **

_**AJ- this is a Pocket Sneakoscope. If there's someone untrustworthy around, it's supposed to light up and spin. Bill says it's rubbish sold for wizard tourists and isn't reliable, because it kept lighting up at dinner last night. But he didn't realize Fred and George had put beetles in his soup.**_

Andy laughed loudly "I wish I was there to have witnessed that! Dinner with the twins must be a hoot."

"More like a disaster," muttered Molly

_**Bye - Ron **_

**AJ put the Pocket Sneakoscope on her bedside table, where it stood quite still, balanced on its point, reflecting the luminous hands of her clock. She looked at it happily for a few seconds, then picked up the parcel Hedwig had brought. Inside this, too, there was a wrapped present, a card, and a letter, this time from Hermione. **

Sirius grinned "This year you won't have to receive your presents by mail, we'll have a huge party."

"We could even make it a holiday if you want kid," Kingsley smirked at the death glare "just a thought, nothing is for sure."

_**Dear AJ, **_

_**Ron wrote to me and told me about his phone call to your Uncle Vernon. I do hope you're all right. I'm on holiday in France at the moment and I didn't know how I was going to send this to you - what if they'd opened it at customs?**_

"No more phone calls," Tonks shuddered "ever."

Ron blushed "I said sorry, I really didn't know how to handle a phone call!"

"That is obvious Weasley." Snape deadpanned

_**but then Hedwig turned up! I think she wanted to make sure you got something for your birthday for a change.**_

Sirius and Remus glared darkly at the book while AJ shrugged it off. Birthdays weren't a big deal to her, she would rather not celebrate them.

_**I bought your present by owl-order; there was an advertisement in the Daily Prophet (I've been getting it delivered; it's so good to keep up with what's going on in the wizarding world). Did you see that picture of Ron and his family a week ago? I bet he's learning loads. I'm really jealous - the ancient Egyptian wizards were fascinating.**_**.**

Bill grinned "I'd love to have you come to Egypt for a visit, it's really fascinating."

"Dragons are so much cooler than old scroll on walls." Muttered Charlie with a half grin

_**There's some interesting local history of witchcraft here, too. I've rewritten my whole History of Magic essay to include some of the things I've found out, I hope it's not too long - it's two rolls of parchment more than Professor Binns asked for.**_

Andy smiled "I somehow doubt he reads them, we used to add random words in our essays and he would never mark them or anything."

_**Ron says he's going to be in London in the last week of the holidays. Can you make it? Will your aunt and uncle let you come? I really hope you can. If not, I'll see you on the Hogwarts Express on September first!**_

_**Love from Hermione **_

_**P.S. Ron says Percy's Head Boy. I'll bet Percy's really pleased Ron doesn't seem too happy about it.**_

AJ rolled her purple eyes "Of course he wasn't happy, who wants to listen to that ass brag all summer long on how he can control the younger ones now."

"He sounds delightful when he accomplishes something," grinned Tonks "maybe we should invite him to the reading so we can congratulate him on all this."

**AJ laughed as she put Hermione's letter aside and picked up her present. It was very heavy. Knowing Hermione, she was sure it would be a large book full of very difficult spells –**

"Would you have minded that?" Ted asked with a smile

Regulus snorted "Our niece is very smart Teddy, she probably already knows all them."

**but it wasn't. Her heart gave a huge bound as she ripped back the paper and saw a sleek black leather case, with silver words stamped across it, reading Broomstick Servicing Kit. **

**"Wow, Hermione!" AJ whispered, unzipping the case to look inside.**

Sirius smiled "That's a really awesome gift Mio; they just started making those when we graduated school."

"Back then only the professionals used them or could afford them," Remus said

**There was a large jar of Fleetwood's High-Finish Handle Polish, a pair of gleaming silver Tall-Twig Clippers, a tiny brass compass to clip on your broom for long journeys, and a Handbook of Do-It-Yourself Broomcare.**

Charlie snorted "Like you need help with Broomcare, you've always managed to make me-"

"Listen dragon boy," Regulus bit out "I'm not above kicking your ass in front of everyone." AJ and Hermione snickered at the blushing dragon handler

**Apart from her friends, the thing that AJ missed most about Hogwarts was Quidditch, the most popular sport in the magical world - highly dangerous, very exciting, and played on broomsticks. AJ happened to be a very good Quidditch player;**

"Good?" scoffed Ron "You're the best player at Hogwarts."

**she had been the youngest person in a century to be picked for one of the Hogwarts House teams. One of AJ's most prized possessions was her Nimbus Two Thousand racing broom. AJ put the leather case aside and picked up her last parcel. She recognized the untidy scrawl on the brown paper at once: this was from Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper.**

"I'm really happy you're receiving gifts this year cub," Remus stated "but with Hagrid's gift make sure you're careful."

**She tore off the top layer of paper and glimpsed something green and leathery, but before she could unwrap it properly, the parcel gave a strange quiver, and whatever was inside it snapped loudly - as though it had jaws.**

Kingsley groaned "I have a feeling I know what that is, if it is what I think it is you have my sympathy kiddo."

"Oh it wasn't that bad once I learned how to open the little darling." Smirked AJ

**AJ froze. She knew that Hagrid would never send her anything dangerous on purpose, but then, Hagrid didn't have a normal person's view of what was dangerous.**

"Well no," snorted Hermione "but neither do you booboo."

AJ grinned "What's life without a little adventure doll? It's so boring without getting into a little mischief."

**Hagrid had been known to befriend giant spiders, buy vicious, three-headed dogs from men in pubs, and sneak illegal dragon eggs into his cabin.**

Ron shuddered at the mention of spiders while Molly glared darkly at the book.

**AJ poked the parcel nervously. It snapped loudly again. AJ reached for the lamp on her bedside table, gripped it firmly in one hand, and raised it over her head, ready to strike. Then she seized the rest of the wrapping paper in his other hand and pulled. And out fell - a book. **

**AJ just had time to register its handsome green cover, emblazoned with the golden title **_**The Monster Book of Monsters**_**,**

Tonks shook her head "I hated that book! I always got bit by the damn thing!"

"I remember all the letters we got sent to us stating you were yet again kicked out of that class for being disrupting." Andy reminisced with a smile

**before it flipped onto its edge and scuttled sideways along the bed like some weird crab. **

**"Ah shit," AJ muttered.**

Regulus burst out laughing "I love your reactions sweets! Don't ever change, you're amazing."

Snape rolled his eyes but the action was forced, he hated to admit but she was rather funny when it came to her reactions.

**The book toppled off the bed with a loud clunk and shuffled rapidly across the room. AJ followed it stealthily. The book was hiding in the dark space under her desk. Praying that the Dursleys were still fast asleep, AJ got down on her hands and knees and reached toward it. **

Tonks winced "Don't do it!"

**"Ouch!"**

"Trust me," AJ muttered "I learned my lesson after that."

**The book snapped shut on her hand and then flapped past her, still scuttling on its covers.** **AJ scrambled around, threw herself forward, and managed to flatten it. Uncle Vernon gave a loud, sleepy grunt in the room next door.**

Charlie rolled his eyes "How is he sleeping through this? If someone were to open fire in the house I'm sure he would still manage to get a good night's sleep."

"We should try that sometime," Bill whispered "it could be fun to watch him panic."

**Hedwig and Errol watched interestedly as AJ clamped the struggling book tightly in her arms, hurried to her chest of drawers, and pulled out a belt, which she buckled tightly around it. The Monster Book shuddered angrily, but could no longer flap and snap, so AJ threw it down on the bed and reached for Hagrid's card. **

_**Dear AJ, Happy Birthday! Think you might find this useful for next year. Won't say no more here. Tell you when I see you. Hope the Muggles are treating you right. All the best, Hagrid**_

Ron glared "Of course they treating her right, what kind of sick bastards harm an innocent person."

"They'll get there's Ron," promised Remus "trust me we'll make a day of it."

**It struck AJ as ominous that Hagrid thought a biting book would come in useful, but she put Hagrid's card up next to Ron's and Hermione's, grinning more broadly than ever. Now there was only the letter from Hogwarts left. Noticing that it was rather thicker than usual, AJ slit open the envelope, pulled out the first page of parchment within, and read: **

_**Dear Ms. Potter, **_

_**Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross station, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o'clock. **_

"Well that's different than any other year," laughed Kingsley "I'm glad they informed you of the time change."

Hermione snickered "Maybe they were reminding her because of what happened last year."

_**Third years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade on certain weekends. **_

_**Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign. **_

Ron, Hermione and AJ all shared a grin at the thought of what was to come.

_**A list of books for next year is enclosed. **_

_**Yours sincerely, **_

_**Professor M. McGonagall Deputy Headmistress **_

Andy snorted "That's the same letter we received our third year, they should really change it up a bit."

**AJ pulled out the Hogsmeade permission form and looked at it, no longer grinning. It would be wonderful to visit Hogsmeade on weekends; she knew it was an entirely wizarding village, and she had never set foot there. But how on earth was she going to persuade Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia to sign the form?**

"You could blackmail them," Kingsley suggested

Ted looked thoughtful "Yeah but what dirt could she have on them that would actually make them want to do something for her?"

**She looked over at the alarm clock. It was now two o'clock in the morning.**

Sirius grimaced "Try to get some sleep pup, you'll need it for dealing with that family."

"I did get a few hours of sleep daddy," smiled AJ "but I'm a night owl."

**Deciding that she'd worry about the Hogsmeade form when she woke up, AJ got back into bed and reached up to cross off another day on the chart she'd made for herself, counting down the days left until her return to Hogwarts. **

Remus shook his head "You shouldn't be that excited to get away from your family cub, it's just natural."

**Then she took her hair out of the ponytail, eyes open, facing her three birthday cards. Extremely unusual though she was, at that moment AJ Potter felt just like everyone else - glad, for the first time in her life, that it was her birthday.**

"I'm just glad you were happy for a little while during your stay in hell punk." Charlie kissed AJ lightly

Ted passed the book to his daughters awaiting hands, Tonks grinned **"Aunt Marge's Big Mistake…**

**AN: I'm always up for suggestions and I always appreciate reviews :) I will update soon! To answer two questions...the twins and Arthur will be back by next book! They're up to something which will be explained later. Another thing, the reason why I goof with AJ's name is becasue when I write these out I asked an author if I could copy and paste the books words they already typed up into my story. I try to get the name changes but sometimes I slip up. Sorry and I'll try to catch them more often.**


	44. Aunt Marge's Big Mistake

**AN: I am very sorry for when I mess AJ's name up! I really try to catch it every time but sometimes it just slips through. I asked authors before if I could copy the actual book text they already typed up and use it, but sometimes I missed a name change. Since it seems to really bother people and for some reason they don't want to wait till the final book for me to go back and make corrections, I'll do it now so I'm not sure when the next update will be. Sorry! Read and Review :)**

"Who's Aunt Marge?" Regulus wanted to know

AJ grinned "Oh ya know, just another family member whom I love dearly."

**AJ went down to breakfast the next morning to find the three Dursleys already sitting around the kitchen table.**

"They let you sleep?" Hermione asked shocked

"It's a sign of the apocalypse if these asses are being nice." Bill muttered angrily

**They were watching a brand-new television, a welcome-home-for-the-summer present for Dudley,**

Kingsley shook his head "He went to school! His mother and father probably saw him every weekend!"

"They just wanted an excuse to spoil him rotten," scoffed Tonks "who knows the temper tantrum he must of thrown to get it."

**who had been complaining loudly about the long walk between the fridge and the television in the living room.**

Ron snorted "I would hate to see the women who ends up with him, she'll be a slave."

"Every man grows up to marry his own mother." Ted said with a grin "It's a muggle saying."

**Dudley had spent most of the summer in the kitchen, his piggy little eyes fixed on the screen and his five chins wobbling as he ate continually.**

Andy looked disgusted "He needs to seek medical attention for his weight, that can't be good for his heart."

"I'm sure he's seen doctors before," Sirius went on with a nod from AJ "they obviously don't care what his health is like because he's perfect to them."

**AJ sat down between Dudley and Uncle Vernon, a large, beefy man with very little neck and a lot of moustache. Far from wishing AJ a happy birthday, none of the Dursleys made any sign that they had noticed AJ enter the room, but AJ was far too used to this to care.**

"I don't like that you're used to being neglected, it's your birthday you're supposed to be having the best day of the year next to Christmas." Charlie said with a frown

AJ smiled "It's cool, birthdays aren't a big deal and I don't need a reminder that I'm aging."

**She helped herself to a piece of toast and then looked up at the reporter on the television, who was halfway through a report on an escaped convict: **

**"... The public is warned that Black is armed and extremely dangerous.**

Regulus snickered "Yeah he's dangerous alright, you should lock your children away while you can."

"You're hilarious Reggie," Sirius said with a glare "I'll kick your ass later for that remark smarty."

**A special hot line has been set up, and any sighting of Black should be reported immediately." **

**"No need to tell us he's no good," snorted Uncle Vernon, staring over the top of his newspaper at the prisoner. "Look at the state of him, the filthy layabout! Look at his hair!" **

Remus kissed Sirius "You're hair looks good now love, no need to pout."

**He shot a nasty look sideways at AJ, whose untidy hair had always been a source of great annoyance to Uncle Vernon. Compared to the man on the television, however, whose gaunt face was surrounded by a matted, elbow-length tangle, AJ felt very well groomed indeed.**

AJ turned her long hair light blue with blonde highlights "My hair is just fine thank you."

"You need to do that in front of them," laughed Ted "it would make a dull day much more entertaining."

**The reporter had reappeared. "The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will announce today -" **

**"Hang on!" barked Uncle Vernon, staring furiously at the reporter. "You didn't tell us where that maniac's escaped from! What use is that? Lunatic could be coming up the street right now!"**

"Were you on the street that early?" Bill questioned

Sirius shook his head "No I wasn't there till midafternoon, I hadn't gone into my animagus form in such a long time it was weird to be padfoot again."

**Aunt Petunia, who was bony and horse-faced, whipped around and peered intently out of the kitchen window. AJ knew Aunt Petunia would simply love to be the one to call the hot line number. She was the nosiest woman in the world and spent most of her life spying on the boring, law-abiding neighbors.**

"She's a horrible woman," Andy snarked "who cares what the neighbors are doing as long as it isn't affecting her?"

**"When will they learn," said Uncle Vernon, pounding the table with his large purple fist, "that hanging's the only way to deal with these people?"**

"Good," Regulus stated "we can hang him without anyone giving a fuck."

**"Very true," said Aunt Petunia, who was still squinting into next door's runner beans. **

**Uncle Vernon drained his teacup, glanced at his watch, and added, "I'd better be off in a minute, Petunia. Marge's train gets in at ten." **

Bill rolled his eyes "Don't hurry; not having to deal with another family member of yours would be no problem."

"You have no idea what AJ had to put up with Bill." Hermione whispered

**AJ, whose thoughts had been upstairs with the Broomstick Servicing Kit, was brought back to earth with an unpleasant bump.**

**"Aunt Marge?" she blurted out. "Sh - she's not coming here, is she?" **

Ron snorted "Of course she is AJ; you can't have a peaceful day on your birthday."

"Well maybe she can't come," Ted suggested hopefully

**Aunt Marge was Uncle Vernon's sister. Even though she was not a blood relative of AJ's (whose mother had been Aunt Petunia's sister), she had been forced to call her "Aunt" all her life.**

AJ grinned "Thank God that's over with; I always had sick feeling in the pit of my stomach having to call her anything associated with a family feel."

"She's not family," Andy stated calmly "I'm your aunt not that thing."

**Aunt Marge lived in the country, in a house with a large garden, where she bred bulldogs. She didn't often stay at Privet Drive, because she couldn't bear to leave her precious dogs, but each of her visits stood out horribly vividly in AJ's mind.**

Snape's heart constricted much to his annoyance at the thought of the abuse she faced with a women Vernon.

**At Dudley's fifth birthday party, Aunt Margo had whacked AJ around the shins with her walking stick to stop her from beating Dudley at musical statues.**

"Now that's great," Charlie snarled out "teach him that he will always win and losing isn't a part of life. Really a great family that lot is"

**A few years later, she had turned up at Christmas with a computerized robot for Dudley and a box of dog biscuits for AJ.**

Sirius sent a disgusted look towards the book; he had tried them as padfoot and would rather kiss Voldemort than eat those "treats" again.

**On her last visit, the year before AJ started at Hogwarts, AJ had accidentally trodden on the tail of her favourite dog. Ripper had chased AJ out into the garden and up a tree, and Aunt Marge had refused to call him off until past midnight.**

"How did the neighbors not call the police!" yelled Kingsley "They live in a very tightknit neighborhood, the barking should have alerted them something was wrong!"

AJ shrugged "The dog wasn't barking, he was just growling lowly and baring his teeth whenever I made a move. The neighbors had no idea what was going on."

**The memory of this incident still brought tears of laughter to Dudley's eyes.**

Tonks scowled "Of course he would laugh over that, it's fucking hilarious that an innocent child was stuck in a tree all night!"

**"Marge'll be here for a week," Uncle Vernon snarled, "and while we're on the subject" - he pointed a fat finger threateningly at AJ- "we need to get a few things straight before I go and collect her." **

Hermione smirked "Please Vernon, you have nothing to be afraid of. AJ would never do anything to give Marge the idea that she has magical abilities."

"Yeah that sounds so convincing babe." Smirked Bill

**Dudley smirked and withdrew his gaze from the television. Watching AJ being bullied by Uncle Vernon was Dudley's favourite form of entertainment.**

Sirius bit his lip "It's going to very entertaining when he gets sent to a detention center for all he's done."

"Maybe then he'll realize that bullying isn't right and cause serious harm to a person's confidence and their emotions." Remus leaned into Sirius silently praying that AJ wouldn't suffer lasting affects because of the Dursleys

**"Secondly," said Uncle Vernon, acting as though he had not heard AJ's reply, "as Marge doesn't know anything about your abnormality, I don't want any - any funny stuff while she's here. You behave yourself, got me?" **

**"I will if she does," said AJ through gritted teeth.**

Snape rubbed his temple tiredly "You have too much of your mother and father in you, you're going to wind up in trouble someday."

"I'm always in trouble professor," grinned AJ "its fun."

**"And thirdly," said Uncle Vernon, his mean little eyes now slits in his great purple face, "we've told Marge you attend St. Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Youth." **

**"What?" AJ yelled.**

"It would be more believable if you were talking about your own son." Regulus bit out

Andy sneered "Of course he wouldn't say that about his perfect son, he would never do anything to belong in a place like that."

**"And you'll be sticking to that story, girl, or there'll be trouble," spat Uncle Vernon. **

**AJ sat there, white-faced and furious, staring at Uncle Vernon, hardly able to believe it. Aunt Marge coming for a weeklong visit - it was the worst birthday present the Dursleys had ever given her, including that pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks. **

Ted shuddered "That doesn't count as a birthday present hun, that's just disturbing."

"Why give her good birthday gift?" Ron wanted to know "It would make her happy which in turn would make Dudley miserable and they can't have that."

**"Well, Petunia," said Uncle Vernon, getting heavily to his feet, "I'll be off to the station, then. Want to come along for the ride, Dudders?" **

**"No," said Dudley, whose attention had returned to the television now that Uncle Vernon had finished threatening AJ. **

Hermione rolled her eyes "Attention span of a goldfish."

"I'd rather he not have any attention on me." AJ said with her head on Charlie's broad chest

**"Duddy's got to make himself smart for his auntie," said Aunt Petunia, smoothing Dudley's thick blond hair. "Mummy's bought him a lovely new bow tie."**

"To choke himself with?" Regulus asked with a smile

Bill laughed loudly "Hope so Reggie, I doubt we could get that lucky though."

**Abandoning his toast, he got quickly to his feet and followed Uncle Vernon to the front door. Uncle Vernon was pulling on his car coat. **

"What's a car coat?" Ron asked

Tonks smiled "He's just being an egotistical jackass and show that he has money to blow on fancy things."

**"I'm not taking you," he snarled as he turned to see AJ watching him.**

**"Like I wanted to come," said AJ coldly. "I want to ask you something."**

Andy tensed "I somehow doubt he'll take this very well, you asking for something is probably on his list of most hated things."

"Surprisingly he took it very well," smirked AJ "you just have to ask the question just the right way."

**Uncle Vernon eyed her suspiciously. **

**"Third years at Hog - at my school are allowed to visit the village sometimes," said AJ.**

"Good don't remind him you're a witch," muttered Kingsley "you don't want him to have a heart attack before you get the permission slipped signed."

**"So?" snapped Uncle Vernon, taking his car keys from a hook next to the door. **

**"I need you to sign the permission form," said AJ in a rush.**

"Why else would she prolong talking to you?" Charlie asked if talking to a dim child

Remus shrugged "Remember dragon boy, he's a model citizen and AJ should feel honored to talk to him."

**"And why should I do that?" sneered Uncle Vernon. **

**"Well," said AJ, with a hint of mischief in her voice, "it'll be hard work, pretending to Aunt Marge I go to that St. Whatsits -"**

Sirius let out his famous laugh "Baby you are a marauder through and through, your papa and I couldn't be prouder!"

Molly shook her head; AJ was being very rude by bribing her uncle over something as silly as a trip to a wizarding village.

**"St. Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Youth!" bellowed Uncle Vernon, and AJ was pleased to hear a definite note of panic in Uncle Vernon's voice.**

"You're very close to giving the walrus an aneurism," laughed Ted "just keep doing what you're doing and maybe he'll just drop one day."

**"Exactly," said AJ, looking calmly up into Uncle Vernon's large, purple face. "It's a lot to remember. I'll have to make it sound convincing, won't I? What if I accidentally let something slip?"**

Snape closed his eyes and silently said a prayer for his sanity; she would be the death of him if she turned into her fathers.

**"You'll get the stuffing knocked out of you, won't you?" roared Uncle Vernon, advancing on AJ with his fist raised.**

Hermione snarled "He better not touch you! You didn't do anything and he's acting as if you threatened his very life."

"Chill Mio," AJ said calmly "he didn't touch me and even if he did it wouldn't be something I'm not used to."

**But AJ stood her ground. "Knocking the stuffing out of me won't make Aunt Marge forget what I could tell her," she said with a grin. Uncle Vernon stopped, his fist still raised, his face an ugly puce. "But if you sign my permission form," AJ went on with a sweet voice, "I swear I'll remember where I'm supposed to go to school, and I'll act like a Mug - like I'm normal and everything."**

Kingsley smirked "That's a tough order to fill kiddo, even in a room filled with abnormality as he calls it, you still stand out."

"She was born to stand out that's why." Charlie smiled into the kiss AJ had laid on his awaiting lips

**AJ could tell that Uncle Vernon was thinking it over, even if his teeth were bared and a vein was throbbing in his temple. "Right," he snapped finally. "I shall monitor your behavior carefully during Marge's visit. If, at the end of it, you've toed the line and kept to the story, I'll sign your ruddy form."**

"Too bad it didn't end that way," Ron said with sympathy

AJ glared at her friend "I don't need your sympathy Ron, the year turned out fine for me."

"Sure it did dork," snorted Hermione "it was a really uneventful year."

**He wheeled around, pulled open the front door, and slammed it so hard that one of the little panes of glass at the top fell out. AJ didn't return to the kitchen. She went back upstairs to her bedroom. If she was going to act like a real Muggle, she'd better start now.**

Andy grinned "After being in the wizarding world for a long period of time, it is hard to reinvent yourself into be a regular person again."

"Wouldn't exactly call that group regular Andy," Regulus said with a smirk

**Slowly and sadly she gathered up all her presents and her birthday cards and hid them under the loose floorboard with her homework. Then she went to Hedwig's cage. Errol seemed to have recovered; she and Hedwig were both asleep, heads under their wings.** **AJ sighed, then poked them both awake.**

AJ scowled "They make it seem like I poked them with a sharp stick."

**"Hedwig," she said gloomily, "you're going to have to clear off for a week. Go with Errol. Ron'll look after you. I'll write him a note, explaining. And don't look at me like that" - Hedwig's large amber eyes were reproachful -**

Sirius grinned "Your owl has your personality pup, it's fun to watch the two of you interact."

**"it's not my fault. It's the only way I'll be allowed to visit Hogsmeade with Ron and Hermione."**

Snape shook his head "You managed just fine if I recall correctly."

**Ten minutes later, Errol and Hedwig (who had a note to Ron bound to her leg) soared out of the window and out of sight. AJ, now feeling thoroughly miserable, put the empty cage away inside the wardrobe. But AJ didn't have long to brood. In next to no time, Aunt Petunia was shrieking up the stairs for AJ to come down and get ready to welcome their guest. **

Tonks looked up "Anyone else getting the sense of foreboding?"

"This entire book is giving people the sense of foreboding Dora," Ted stated "hopefully nothing too drastic comes of this chapter."

**"Do something about your hair!" Aunt Petunia snapped as she reached the hall. **

**AJ couldn't see the point of taking her hair out of the messy bun. Aunt Marge loved criticizing her, so the untidier she looked, the happier she would be.**

Kingsley pinched the bridge of his nose "That entire family is alike, now I know most family members have similarities but this is ridiculous."

"You're right Kings," nodded Remus "it's almost as if it's a cult, none of them have their own faults and they all agree with whatever Vernon says or does."

**All too soon, there was a crunch of gravel outside as Uncle Vernon's car pulled back into the driveway, then the clunk of the car doors and footsteps on the garden path.**

**"Get the door!" Aunt Petunia hissed at AJ.**

"Oh for the love of Merlin," shouted Charlie "she's not incompetent! She knows to answer the door when company is coming."

Bill shrugged "Why miss a perfectly good opportunity to get her aggression out on AJ before her sister-in-law comes inside and she has to hide her annoyances."

**A feeling of great gloom in her stomach, AJ pulled the door open. On the threshold stood Aunt Marge. She was very like Uncle Vernon: large, beefy, and purple- faced, she even had a moustache, though not as bushy as his.**

The men all looked a little green, while AJ and Tonks changed their hair simultaneously to a dull green shade.

**In one hand she held an enormous suitcase, and tucked under the other was an old and evil-tempered bulldog.**

**"Where's my Dudders?" roared Aunt Marge. "Where's my neffy-poo?" **

"Poor kid," Ron said without sympathy "he's never going to receive a normal nickname."

Hermione smiled "Too bad, he's such a great guy and doesn't deserve all the hardships he faces throughout the course of his life."

**Dudley came waddling down the hall, his blond hair plastered flat to his fat head, a bow tie just visible under his many chins. Aunt Marge thrust the suitcase into AJ's stomach, knocking the wind out of her, seized Dudley in a tight one-armed hug, and planted a large kiss on his cheek.**

Regulus shuddered "Feeling kind of sorry for the jackass right now."

"Don't Uncle Reggie," stated AJ "trust me he's not being nice out of the respect for a family member."

**AJ knew perfectly well that Dudley only put up with Aunt Marge's hugs because he was well paid for it, and sure enough, when they broke apart, Dudley had a crisp twenty-pound note clutched in his fat fist.**

"I'm assuming that's not normal?" Ron asked

"No it's not Ronald," sighed Hermione "you don't pay people to be nice to others; it's just not how the real world works."

**"Petunia!" shouted Aunt Marge, striding past AJ as though she was a hat stand. **

**Aunt Marge and Aunt Petunia kissed, or rather; Aunt Marge bumped her large jaw against Aunt Petunia's bony cheekbone. **

No one could contain their laughter at the thought of that happening.

**Uncle Vernon now came in, smiling jovially as he shut the door. **

**"Tea, Marge?" he said. "And what will Ripper take?" **

Sirius shook his head "Hmm well maybe water in a dish? I know what a crazy concept."

"I'll keep that in mind when you turn into padfoot daddy." AJ laughed at the outraged look her dad was sporting

**"Ripper can have some tea out of my saucer," said Aunt Marge as they all proceeded into the kitchen, leaving AJ alone in the hall with the suitcase. **

**But AJ wasn't complaining; any excuse not to be with Aunt Marge was fine by her, so she began to heave the case upstairs into the spare bedroom, taking as long as she could.**

Tonks sighed "No don't take your time, if you waste too much time they can just have you come back down before you're a safe distance away."

"Antarctica isn't a safe distance away dear." Andy replied with a false calm voice

**By the time she got back to the kitchen, Aunt Marge had been supplied with tea and fruitcake, and Ripper was lapping noisily in the corner. AJ saw Aunt Petunia wince slightly as specks of tea and drool flecked her clean floor. Aunt Petunia hated animals.**

Remus grinned "I'm almost one hundred percent positive that the feelings are mutual Tunie."

"Did you ever have to deal with her professor?" Hermione wanted to know

Remus hid a wince "Yes Hermione, Sirius, James and I would visit Lily during the summer. She wasn't as bad as she is now personality wise, but I suppose Vernon has the power to really change ones personality. You can call me Remus; as I'm no longer a professor."

**"Who's looking after the other dogs, Marge?" Uncle Vernon asked. **

**"Oh, I've got Colonel Fubster managing them," boomed Aunt Marge. "He's retired now, good for him to have something to do. But I couldn't leave poor old Ripper. He pines if he's away from me."**

"That's disturbing on a few different levels," Kingsley remarked with a green tint to his face "I don't want to know how a dog pines for a women like that."

**Ripper began to growl again as AJ sat down. This directed Aunt Marge's attention to AJ for the first time.**

Tonks grimaced at the thought of what was to come.

**"So!" she barked. "Still here, are you?"**

"No," Bill stated mockingly "you didn't notice her when you chucked your suitcase at her for no damn reason?"

**"Yes," said AJ.**

Regulus smirked "Sorry sweets, but I'm pretty sure that was a rhetorical question."

**"Don't you say yes' in that ungrateful tone," Aunt Marge growled. "It's damn good of Vernon and Petunia to keep you. Wouldn't have done it myself. You'd have gone straight to an orphanage if you'd been dumped on my doorstep."**

"And that's why they made it illegal for a women like you to reproduce." Ted snarked "Something we thank God for every day."

**AJ was bursting to say that she'd rather live in an orphanage than with the Dursleys, but the thought of the Hogsmeade form stopped her. She forced her face into a painful smile. **

**"Don't you smirk at me!" boomed Aunt Marge. "I can see you haven't improved since I last saw you. I hoped school would knock some manners into you."**

Ron looked outraged "AJ's manners? She has manners; your nephie-poo on the other hand could use a good smack upside the head for his lack of manners!"

**She took a large gulp of tea, wiped her moustache, and said, "Where is it that you send her, again, Vernon?" **

**"St. Brutus's," said Uncle Vernon promptly. "It's a first-rate institution for hopeless cases."**

"Sounds like a fine institution," Tonks muttered "maybe you lot should spend some time there before we send you off the Azkaban." Kingsley reached for his partners hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze; he knew how protective Tonks was towards her friends and family.

**"I see," said Aunt Marge. "Do they use the cane at St. Brutus's, boy?" she barked across the table. **

**"Uh -" **

**Uncle Vernon nodded curtly behind Aunt Marge's back. **

Charlie scowled holding AJ a little tighter "Even lying about you going to a school where corporal punishment is acceptable is ridiculous. Of course she's going to be ecstatic at the thought of you being harmed in any way."

**"Yes," said AJ. Then, feeling she might as well do the thing properly, she added, "all the time." **

"Which isn't even a lie," Andy said angrily "they abuse you day in and day out without any consequences."

Ted kissed his wife's head "Dora and Kingsley will bring all this information to Amelia and they'll be going to court on the charges of child abuse. They won't get away with this darling, we won't let them."

**"Excellent," said Aunt Marge. "I won't have this namby-pamby, wishy-washy nonsense about not hitting people who deserve it. A good thrashing is what's needed in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred. Have you been beaten often?" **

Hermione glared "Of course she is, your brother and sister-in-law do it all the time without a second thought."

**"Oh, yeah," said AJ, "loads of times." **

AJ rolled her eyes at the looks of anger "It's not that big of deal, it's over and done with. We can only fix our futures not our pasts."

"We know punk," Charlie said softly "but we're family and when people harm our family we have the right to get angry and want to inflict bodily harm."

**Aunt Marge narrowed her eyes.** **"I still don't like your tone, girl," she said. "If you can speak of your beatings in that casual way, they clearly aren't hitting you hard enough. Petunia, I'd write if I were you. Make it clear that you approve the use of extreme force in this girl's case."**

Remus snarled "Will she ever shut up! Abusing a child is never right and will be right no matter the circumstances!"

"I can't believe muggles think this way," Bill ground out "I know not all muggles do, but this bitch gives muggles a bad name."

**Perhaps Uncle Vernon was worried that AJ might forget their bargain; in any case, he changed the subject abruptly. **

**"Heard the news this morning, Marge? What about that escaped prisoner, eh?"**

Regulus smirked "Look at that Siri, you're official the topic of discussion at the Dursleys tea time!"

"Oh I've never been happier," grumbled Sirius "I'd rather they leave me and my escaping ways out of their mouths."

**As Aunt Marge started to make herself at home, AJ caught herself thinking almost longingly of life at number four without her. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia usually encouraged AJ to stay out of their way, which AJ was only too happy to do.**

Andy couldn't help but grin "I can understand that feeling, I never saw eye to eye with my parents so when they told me to leave the room I was also happy for their kindness."

**Aunt Marge, on the other hand, wanted AJ under her eye at all times, so that she could boom out suggestions for her improvement.**

AJ smirked "Can't improve perfection."

"Take it down notch spunk." Snorted Hermione

**She delighted in comparing AJ with Dudley, and took huge pleasure in buying Dudley expensive presents while glaring at AJ, as though daring her to ask why she hadn't got a present too. She also kept throwing out dark hints about what made AJ such an unsatisfactory person.**

"As much as I would love for this crazy bitch to list off all the reasons why my niece isn't a good person," Ted stated with hatred "I don't really want to kill her before she goes to trial and receives the dementors kiss."

**"You mustn't blame yourself for the way the girl's turned out, Vernon," she said over lunch on the third day. "If there's something rotten on the inside, there's nothing anyone can do about it." **

**AJ tried to concentrate on her food, but her hands shook and her face was starting to burn with anger.**

Snape looked mildly surprised that she could contain her anger for three days; he wouldn't have lasted more than three minutes.

**Remember the form, she told himself Think about Hogsmeade. Don't say anything. Don't rise.**

"That's good;" complimented Bill "keep telling yourself what the prize is after you finish this hellish game."

**Aunt Marge reached for her glass of wine. "It's one of the basic rules of breeding," she said. "You see it all the time with dogs. If there's something wrong with the bitch, there'll be something wrong with the pup -" **

The silence in the room was defining, AJ gave everyone a sweet smile "Don't worry, I handled it pretty well if I do say so myself."

"I have no doubt you handled it kid," Kingsley grinned tightly "but we'd rather you not get into trouble with the walrus or the ministry."

**At that moment, the wineglass Aunt Marge was holding exploded in her hand. Shards of glass flew in every direction and Aunt Marge sputtered and blinked, her great ruddy face dripping.**

Dumbledore spoke for the first time "That's very powerful magic you possess my dear, most young witches or wizards aren't able to do wandless magic unless trained to do so. You're a natural it seems."

**"Marge!" squealed Aunt Petunia. "Marge, are you all right?" **

**"Not to worry," grunted Aunt Marge, mopping her face with her napkin. "Must have squeezed it too hard. Did the same thing at Colonel Fubster's the other day. No need to fuss, Petunia, I have a very firm grip..."**

"I always find it comical how muggles cover up witnessing magic," smiled Hermione "they really aren't all that observant."

Ted smiled "My father was like that growing up; he would come up with a hundred and one different excuses as to why odd things happened around me."

**But Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were both looking at AJ suspiciously, so she decided she'd better skip dessert and escape from the table as soon as she could.**

Charlie sighed "Good, get out of there as soon as possible punk."

**Outside in the hall, she leaned against the wall, breathing deeply. It had been a long time since she'd lost control and made something explode. She couldn't afford to let it happen again. The Hogsmeade form wasn't the only thing at stake - if she carried on like that, she'd be in trouble with the Ministry of Magic.**

Regulus looked shocked "Why wouldn't her record be wiped clean when it was Dobby that dumped the pudding on her uncle's boss?"

"Dobby copied her magical signature," Dumbledore stated with a frown "we have no way of proving her innocents on that count."

**AJ was still an underage witch, and she was forbidden by wizard law to do magic outside school. Her record wasn't exactly clean either. Only last summer she'd gotten an official warning that had stated quite clearly that if the Ministry got wind of any more magic in Privet Drive, AJ would face expulsion from Hogwarts.**

Hermione and Ron shared scared looks; the thought of Hogwarts without AJ was bizarre.

AJ laughed at her friends "Don't worry guys; I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. I'm like a life sentence with no hope for parole."

**She heard the Dursleys leaving the table and hurried upstairs out of the way. AJ got through the next three days by forcing herself to think about her Handbook of Do-It-Yourself Broomcare whenever Aunt Marge started on her. This worked quite well, though it seemed to give her a glazed look, because Aunt Marge started voicing the opinion that she was mentally subnormal.**

Sirius looked outraged "First she calls my daughter a horrible person, then she proceeds to tell her how her mother was a bitch, now she's saying she's mentally challenged? How in the hell does she get away with this and not feel an ounce of remorse?"

"There has to be something in the water," Remus muttered holding onto Sirius like a lifeline "I would hate to see how those two were raised."

**At last, at long last, the final evening of Marge's stay arrived. Aunt Petunia cooked a fancy dinner and Uncle Vernon uncorked several bottles of wine. They got all the way through the soup and the salmon without a single mention of AJ's faults;**

Andy looked shocked "How much wine could three adults possibly consume with two minors in the house?"

"I somehow doubt they were worried about anything other than drowning out whatever horrible thing AJ was supposedly doing at that moment." Regulus muttered angrily

**during the lemon meringue pie, Uncle Vernon bored them with a long talk about Grunnings, his drill-making company; then Aunt Petunia made coffee and Uncle Vernon brought out a bottle of brandy. **

Ron looked longingly to the kitchen in hopes of having lunch sooner than planned.

**"Can I tempt you, Marge?" Aunt Marge had already had quite a lot of wine. Her huge face was very red. **

Bill scowled "Nice, we can add her being an alcoholic to the list of reasons why she shouldn't be anywhere near AJ."

**"Just a small one, then," she chuckled. "A bit more than that... and a bit more... that's the ticket." **

"Then why say a small one?" scowled Kingsley "Just say you want a large drink because you're an alcoholic and can't stop at just one."

AJ snorted "Admitting is the hardest step towards recovery; she enjoys being intoxicated too much to want to stop."

**Dudley was eating his fourth slice of pie. Aunt Petunia was sipping coffee with her little finger sticking out. AJ really wanted to disappear into her bedroom, but she met Uncle Vernon's angry little eyes and knew she would have to sit it out.**

"I still don't understand why though," Charlie said with distain "just let her leave the room before something worse happens and the bitch finds out AJ could turn her into a beaver without a second thought."

Tonks nodded her head "Having AJ in the room isn't serving a purpose other than making Marge angry and Petunia nervous. Horrible people."

**"Aah," said Aunt Marge, smacking her lips and putting the empty brandy glass back down. "Excellent nosh, Petunia. It's normally just a fry-up for me of an evening, with twelve dogs to look after..." She burped richly and patted her great tweed stomach. **

Hermione groaned "That is just disgusting, why in the world would she ever act like that."

**"Pardon me. But I do like to see a healthy-sized boy," she went on, winking at Dudley. **

Kingsley laughed "If he's healthy sized, I'd hate to see what she has to say about the rest of us."

**"You'll be a proper-sized man, Dudders, like your father. Yes, I'll have a spot more brandy, Vernon...Now, this one here -" She jerked her head at AJ, who felt her stomach clench. **

**The Handbook, she thought quickly.**

AJ bit her nail out of habit "I don't know why I even bothered, it's not like tuning her out is the easiest task ever.

**"This one's got a mean, runty look about her. You get that with dogs. I had Colonel Fubster drown one last year. Ratty little thing it was- Weak. Underbred." **

Charlie looked horrified at the thought "How could she do such a thing? The animal is a defenseless creature who did nothing wrong!" Bill reached over and put a supporting hand on his younger brother's shoulder in silent support, Charlie wouldn't let Bill get a word in even if he tried.

"**AJ was reading page twelve of her book in her mind: A Charm to Cure Reluctant Reversers." It all comes down to blood, as I was saying the other day. Bad blood will out. Now, I'm saying nothing against your family, Petunia" she patted Aunt Petunia's bony hand with her shovel-like one "but your sister was a bad egg. They turn up in the best families. Then she ran off with a wastrel and here's the result right in front of us."**

Snape looked murderous "She didn't even know Lily; she needs to keep her mouth shut!"

**AJ was staring at his plate, a funny ringing in her ears.** **Grasp your broom firmly by the tail, she thought. But she couldn't focus what came next. Aunt Marge's voice seemed to be boring into her like one of Uncle Vernon's drills. **

Remus and Sirius growled lowly, they were always overprotective of AJ but this treatment was ridiculous.

**"This Potter," said Aunt Marge loudly, seizing the brandy bottle and splashing more into her glass and over the tablecloth, "you never told me what he did?" **

"He was working his way up to being a team leader for the Aurors while Lily was working as my protégé at St. Mungo's!" snapped Andy angrily

Ted nodded his head "On top of that they were order members! They were excellent people!"

**Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were looking extremely tense. Dudley had even looked up from his pie to gape at his parents. **

**"He - didn't work," said Uncle Vernon, with half a glance at AJ. "Unemployed." **

Regulus shook his head in anger, he remembered James and Lily very well, they were there for his brother when he had no one that was something he would be eternally grateful for.

**"As I expected!" said Aunt Marge, taking a huge swig of brandy and wiping her chin on her sleeve. "A no-account, good-for-nothing, lazy scrounger who -" **

**"He was not," said AJ suddenly. The table went very quiet. AJ was shaking all over. She had never felt so angry in her life. **

Tonks gave a small smile "You're a daddy's girl for sure, just another thing we have in common."

"I'm sure if my parents were still alive I would gravitate more towards my dad than my mom, it's just how I am." AJ said with a smile

**"MORE BRANDY!" yelled Uncle Vernon, who had gone very white. ** **He emptied the bottle into Aunt Marge's glass. **

Ron sneered "Brilliant idea, just add more fuel to the fire you jerk."

"Good use on the muggle saying!" Hermione said with a watery grin

**"You, girl," he snarled at AJ. "Go to bed, go on -" **

**"No, Vernon," hiccupped Aunt Marge, holding up a hand, her tiny bloodshot eyes fixed on AJ's. "Go on, girl, go on. Proud of your parents, are you? **

AJ's hair went red "Your damn right I am, they died for me and that's something anyone would be proud of."

**They go and get themselves killed in a car crash (drunk, I expect) -"**

**"'They didn't die in a car crash!" said AJ, who found herself on her feet.**

Snape silently counted to fifty because ten just wasn't working, he wanted nothing more than to hex this muggle into oblivion.

**"They died in a car crash, you nasty little liar, and left you to be a burden on their decent, hardworking relatives!" screamed Aunt Marge, swelling with fury. "You are an insolent, ungrateful little -" **

"Ungrateful?" scoffed Sirius "My daughter is not ungrateful you pain in the ass!"

**But Aunt Marge suddenly stopped speaking. For a moment, it looked as though words had failed her. She seemed to be swelling with inexpressible anger - but the swelling didn't stop.**

Remus smiled "Good for you cub! She deserves a hell of a lot more than that but I'll take what I can get at this point."

**Her great red face started to expand, her tiny eyes bulged, and her mouth stretched too tightly for speech - next second, several buttons had just burst from her tweed jacket and pinged off the walls - she was inflating like a monstrous balloon, her stomach bursting free of her tweed waistband, each of her fingers blowing up like a salami –**

No one could or wanted to contain their laughter, maybe this chapter wasn't so bad after all.

**"MARGE!" yelled Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia together as Aunt Marge's whole body began to rise off her chair toward the ceiling. **

**She was entirely round, now, like a vast life buoy with piggy eyes, and her hands and feet stuck out weirdly as she drifted up into the air, making apoplectic popping noises. Ripper came skidding into the room, barking madly.**

"Surprisingly enough, Ripper turns out to be a very good dog." AJ stated with a smirk

**"NOOOOOOO!" Uncle Vernon seized one of Marge's feet and tried to pull her down again, but was almost lifted from the floor himself. **

**A second later, Ripper leapt forward and sank his teeth into Uncle Vernon's leg.**

Regulus fist pumped in victory "Hell yea that's a good dog! He needs to be given a steak dinner for that one!"

"Animals are amazing creatures," Charlie said with a broad smile "they know when people aren't good at heart."

**AJ tore from the dining room before anyone could stop her, heading for the cupboard under the stairs. The cupboard door burst magically open as she reached it.**

Snape and Dumbledore shared a look; AJ would need extra lessons soon if her wandless magic was starting up when she was just fourteen.

**In seconds, she had heaved her trunk to the front door. She sprinted upstairs and threw herself under the bed, wrenching up the loose floorboard, and grabbed the pillowcase full of his books and birthday presents. She wriggled out, seized Hedwig's empty cage, and dashed back downstairs to her trunk, just as Uncle Vernon burst out of the dining room, her trouser leg in bloody tatters. **

Ted wiped a tear away "I would pay big bucks to see what he looked like at that moment!"

"Probably a crazed lunatic," Ron said through laughter

**"COME BACK IN HERE!" he bellowed. "COME BACK AND PUT HER RIGHT!" **

"Even if she could, she wouldn't." huffed Kingsley

Tonks nodded "It's too brilliant to fix, damn ministry had to get her back to normal though."

**But a reckless rage had come over AJ. She kicked her trunk open, pulled out her wand, and pointed it at Uncle Vernon.**

Hermione shuddered "I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of the temper you had that night, your scary when you let the anger take over."

**"She deserved it," AJ said, breathing very fast. "She deserved what she got. You keep away from me." She fumbled behind him for the latch on the door. "I'm going," AJ said. "I've had enough." **

"Just be safe," Charlie mumbled with a smile "I love you too much to see or hear you get hurt."

AJ gave him a loving kiss, "I love you Char, nothing bad happened while I was alone outside."

**And in the next moment, she was out in the dark, quiet street, heaving her heavy trunk behind her, Hedwig's cage under her arm.**

Tonks passed the book to an annoyed looking Snape "It's your turn professor, I'm sure this chapter will be fun to read."

Snape rolled his eyes **"The Knight Bus…"**


	45. The Knight Bus

"Is the knight bus fun?" Ron asked eagerly

Bill shook his head "Merlin no! It's the one thing that magic can't seem to improve."

**AJ was several streets away before she collapsed onto a low wall in Magnolia Crescent, panting from the effort of dragging her trunk. She sat quite still, anger still surging through her, listening to the frantic thumping of her heart. But after ten minutes alone in the dark street, a new emotion overtook her: panic.**

"It's completely understandable," Andy stated "anyone who doesn't panic at that age would be crazy."

**Whichever way she looked at it, she had never been in a worse fix.**

Hermione chuckled "Right babe, nothing worse has ever happened in your life."

"Listen pookie," AJ jokingly snapped "plenty of shitty things have happened to me but nothing to the point of where I thought I was homeless."

**She was stranded, quite alone, in the dark Muggle world, with absolutely nowhere to go. And the worst of it was, she had just done serious magic, which meant that she was almost certainly expelled from Hogwarts.**

"It wasn't your fault though," Tonks griped "it's not like you can prevent accidental magic! That's why they call it accidental!"

Ted smiled "We know it was accidental Dora, but the problem is that the ministry believes that once a witch or wizard begins at Hogwarts they are in control of their magic and should no longer have any flare ups like AJ has."

**She had broken the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry so badly; she was surprised Ministry of Magic representatives weren't swooping down on her where she sat.**

Remus patted AJ's leg that was resting on his and Sirius's laps "They normal send a letter first and then they come to the home and snap your wand if the magic in question was bad to that degree."

**AJ shivered and looked up and down Magnolia Crescent. What, was going to happen to her? Would she only be expelled or would they give her a trial first?**

"Why would you go to trial first before being expelled?" Bill asked curiously

"In the muggle world when you commit a crime at a school you're given a trial to try and prove your innocence." Sirius said with a sarcastic smile "They believe you're innocent till proven guilty, now only if the wizarding world believed that."

**She thought of Ron and Hermione, and her heart sank even lower. AJ was sure that, criminal or not, Ron and Hermione would want to help her now, but they were both abroad, and with Hedwig gone, she had no means of contacting them. She didn't have any Muggle money, either.**

Charlie groaned "You really are up a creek without a paddle, if you hadn't contacted the knight bus you would have been screwed."

"You forget that I'm the girl who lived," AJ smirked "I always find a way to land on my feet."

**There was a little wizard gold in the money bag at the bottom of her trunk, but the rest of the fortune her parents had left her was stored in a vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank in London. She'd never be able to drag her trunk all the way to London. Unless...**

Snape yet again said a silent prayer; Merlin only knows what she would think to do.

**She looked down at her wand, which she was still clutching in her hand. If she was already expelled (her heart was now thumping painfully fast), a bit more magic couldn't hurt. She had the Invisibility Cloak she had inherited from her father - what if she bewitched the trunk to make it feather-light, tied it to her broomstick, covered herself in the cloak, and flew to London? Then she could get the rest of her money out of her vault and live on the streets evidently she thought sarcastically.**

"Besides your idea of living on the streets," Kingsley said with laughter "it's not a bad idea. But just for the record if you're already in trouble for use of magic it's not a good idea to do more magic."

**It was a horrible prospect, but she couldn't sit on this wall forever, or she'd find herself trying to explain to Muggle police why she was out in the dead of night with a trunkful of spell books and a broomstick.**

"Even a clueless muggle would find that odd." Murmured Regulus nervously

**AJ opened her trunk again and pushed the contents aside, looking for the Invisibility Cloak - but before she had found it; she straightened up suddenly, looking around her once more. A funny prickling on the back of her neck had made AJ feel he was being watched,**

Remus gave his daughter a huge grin "You have amazing senses, fully grown witches and wizards sometimes can't feel they're being watched."

"You're really talented," Ted complimented his niece who was looking anywhere but at him "you should be proud of yourself kiddo."

**but the street appeared to be deserted, and no lights shone from any of the large square houses. She bent over her trunk again, but almost immediately stood up once more, her hand clenched on her wand. She had sensed rather than heard it:**

Andy looked a little scared "It's not something bad right? Nothing like a murderer or a pedophile?"

"I assure you Aunt Andy; it was nothing scary or remotely close to being a murderer or a pedophile." AJ said with a little laugh

**someone or something was standing in the narrow gap between the garage and the fence behind her. AJ squinted at the black alleyway.** **If only it would move, then she'd know whether it was just a stray cat or - something else.**

Tonks laughed loudly at her cousins face "I bet it was a stray alright, just not a cute little kitty cat."

"I'm an adorable fluffy dog," Sirius said indigently "everyone should be as lucky to have an animagus like padfoot!"

**"**_**Lumos**_**," AJ muttered, and a light appeared at the end of her wand, almost dazzling her. She held it high over her head, and the pebble-dashed walls of number two suddenly sparkled; the garage door gleamed, and between them AJ saw, quite distinctly, the hulking outline of something very big, with wide, gleaming eyes.**

"I can see why you would be a little scared," admitted Charlie "being alone at night and seeing a stray animal is never a good thing."

**AJ stepped backward. Her legs hit her trunk and she tripped. Her wand flew out of her hand as she flung out an arm to break her fall, and she landed, hard, in the gutter – **

Regulus glared at Sirius "Nice job Siri! You scared the shit out of the poor girl and she ended up getting hurt! Smooth move man."

"It's not like I did it on purpose!" Sirius bit out "How in the hell was I supposed to know AJ was going to throw out a lumos and see me!?" before the two brothers could keep bickering Snape continued reading with his deadpan voice,

**There was a deafening BANG, and AJ threw up her hands to shield her eyes against a sudden blinding light - With a shout, she rolled back onto the pavement, just in time.**

"You didn't get hurt did you?" Hermione asked with a slight grin

AJ smirked "Takes a lot more than the knight bus to hurt me, even if it is Ernie driving."

**A second later, a gigantic pair of wheels and headlights screeched to a halt exactly where AJ had just been lying. They belonged, as AJ saw when she raised her head, to a triple-decker, violently purple bus, which had appeared out of thin air. Gold lettering over the wind shield spelled The Knight Bus.**

"It sounds really cool," Bill remarked "but the ride itself is a bitch and makes you want never want to eat again."

Ted rolled his eyes "The only people who willingly ride the bus are crazy people and people that actually want to hear what Stan has to say."

**A second later, a gigantic pair of wheels and headlights screeched to a halt exactly where AJ had just been lying. They belonged, as AJ saw when she raised her head, to a triple-decker, violently purple bus, which had appeared out of thin air. Gold lettering over the wind shield spelled The Knight Bus.** **For a split second, AJ wondered if she had a concussion from her fall.**

"That's entirely possible," grinned Andy "but no such luck, you just have to deal with Stan."

**Then a conductor in a purple uniform leapt out of the bus and began to speak loudly to the night. "Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this eve -"**

"He was an idiot as a child," muttered Snape "something's never change I see."

Kingsley shuddered "I babysat Stan when he was little, the trouble that child caused was ridiculous! I swear if his parents turned to the bottle I wouldn't have held it against them."

**The conductor stopped abruptly. He had just caught sight of AJ, who was still sitting on the ground. AJ snatched up her wand again and scrambled to her feet. Close up, she saw that Stan Shunpike was only a few years older than she was, eighteen or nineteen at most, with large, protruding ears and quite a few pimples.**

Remus chuckled "He must take after his father, he was in our year. Dom was a good guy, a little flirtatious with anything that moved but a good guy."

**"What were you doin' down there?" said Stan, dropping his professional manner. **

**"Fell over," said AJ. **

**"'Choo fall over for?" sniggered Stan. **.

Ron laughed, Stan sounded like a fun guy to be around.

**"I didn't do it on purpose," said AJ, annoyed.**

**One of the knees in her jeans was torn, and the hand she had thrown out to break her fall was bleeding.**

"I'll buy you a new pair of jeans pup," smiled Sirius

AJ shook her head "It's fine daddy, I don't need you to be another pair, the ones I have are fine." Judging by the twinkle in her dad's eye, she would be getting a new wardrobe this Christmas season.

**She suddenly remembered why she had fallen over and turned around quickly to stare at the alleyway between the garage and fence. The Knight Bus's headlamps were flooding it with light, and it was empty. **

**"'Choo lookin' at?" said Stan.**

Hermione grimaced "Does he really talk like that?"

"Yes." Snape muttered shortly

**"There was a big black thing," said AJ, pointing uncertainly into the gap. "Like a dog... but massive..." **

**She looked a-round at Stan, whose mouth was slightly open.**

Charlie glared "He probably hasn't had female interaction in I don't know how long and to top it all off you're very pretty, he doesn't know what to do with himself. Pervert."

"I somehow doubt you have anything to worry about dear," Andy said gently "AJ isn't going to leave you for Stan…that would be a sign of insanity and I'd like to think my niece is of sound mind."

**With a feeling of unease, AJ saw Stan's eyes move from her boobs to the scar on AJ's forehead. **

"Well it looks like Stan needs his ass kicked sometime in the near future." Muttered Sirius

**"Woss that on your 'ead?" said Stan abruptly. **

**"Nothing," said AJ quickly, flattening her bangs over her scar.**

AJ snorted "I don't know why I even bother; it's always the first thing they look at it."

"Well it's better than having them gapping at your boobs cub," Remus ground out "society has absolutely no common decency anymore. Stan is exhibit "A" evidently."

**If the Ministry of Magic was looking for her, she didn't want to make it too easy for them. **

**"Woss your name?" Stan persisted. **

**"Hermione Granger," said AJ with confidence **

Ted smirked "That actually wasn't a bad idea; the Ministry doesn't keep tabs on muggle borns that are still minors."

"I agree," Kingsley said with a nod "but next time try coming up with a random name or even have a couple names off hand with fake information that you can sprout off about at the drop of a hat."

**"So - so this bus," she went on quickly, hoping to distract Stan, "did you say it goes anywhere?" **

**"Yep," said Stan proudly, "anywhere you like, long's it's on land. Can't do nuffink underwater. 'Ere," he said, looking suspicious again, "You did flag us down, dincha? Stuck out your wand 'and, dincha?"**

Tonks bit her lip from laughing "He's a real winner, I hope to Merlin he has a huge wedding that we can all attend."

"Oh so do I," Ron said with false hope "it would sure be the wedding of the century. Maybe even Fudge could go and impress us with his amazing new ideas for the wizarding world."

**"Yes," said AJ with concern for his mental health. "Listen, how much would it be to get to London?" **

**"Eleven Sickles," said Stan, "but for fifteen you get 'or chocolate, and for fifteen you get an 'ot water bottle an' a toofbrush in the color of your choice."**

"Do not get the hot chocolate!" Sirius shouted "Do not get any sort of liquid that man offers you."

Bill smirked "You make him sound like the candy man or something."

"Unless you want to wear your drink, you'll listen to me smartass." Sirius stated seriously

**AJ rummaged once more in her trunk, extracted her money bag, and shoved some gold into Stan's hand. She and Stan then lifted her trunk, with Hedwig's cage balanced on top, up the steps of the bus. There were no seats; instead, half a dozen brass bedsteads stood beside the curtained windows.**

Regulus saw Hermione look of longing "I'll make sure you get a ride on the Knight Bus, we'll even make sure that Ernie isn't driving so you don't lose the past fifteen meals you had eaten beforehand." He promised the now smiling girl

**Candles were burning in brackets beside each bed, illuminating the wood-paneled walls. A tiny wizard in a nightcap at the rear of the bus muttered, "Not now, thanks, I'm pickling some slugs" and rolled over in his sleep.**

"We've had to arrest him a few times for indecent exposure." Tonks said with a shiver

Kingsley scowled "No Tonks, you've always let me handle the arresting of that creeper."

**"You 'ave this one," Stan whispered, shoving AJ's trunk under the bed right behind the driver, who was sitting in an armchair in front of the steering wheel. "This is our driver, Ernie Prang. This is Hermione Granger, Ern. "**

Charlie shook his head "It looks like something's never change no matter how badly they need to."

"It can't be safe to ride on that thing." Mumbled Ron

**Ernie Prang, an elderly wizard wearing very thick glasses, nodded to AJ, who nervously flattened her bangs again and sat down on her bed. **

**"Take 'er away, Ern," said Stan, sitting down in the armchair next to Ernie's. **

"That's not creepy at all I'm sure." Ted said with a smirk

AJ raised an eye brow "He wasn't that bad when he wasn't talking or ogling my boobs."

"So he was creepy the entire ride?" Ted let out a laugh at his nieces glare

**There was another tremendous BANG, and the next moment AJ found herself flat on her bed, thrown backward by the speed of the Knight Bus. Pulling herself up, AJ stared out of the dark window and saw that they were now bowling along a completely different street. Stan was watching AJ's stunned face with great enjoyment.**

"Yeah I'm sure that was what he was watching in enjoyment." Charlie muttered angrily

**"This is where we was before you flagged us down," he said. "Where are we, Ern? Somewhere in Wales?" **

**"Ar," said Ernie. **

Remus rubbed his temples tiredly, just reading about this conversation was enough to drive him to down a bottle of fire whisky without thinking twice.

**"How come the Muggles don't hear the bus?" said AJ. **

**"Them!" said Stan contemptuously. "Don' listen properly, do they? Don' look properly either. Never notice nuffink, they don'." **

Bill kissed Hermiones head; he knew how annoyed she could get when it came to muggles.

**"Best go wake up Madam Marsh, Stan," said Ern. "We'll be in Abergavenny in a minute." Stan passed AJ's bed and disappeared up a narrow wooden staircase. AJ was still looking out of the window, feeling increasingly nervous. Ernie didn't seem to have mastered the use of a steering wheel. **

"Lack of hands will do that to a person sweets," Regulus said with humor "he's been driving that bus for I don't know how long, he's gotta have some sort of idea on how to drive it by now."

**The Knight Bus kept mounting the pavement, but it didn't hit anything; lines of lampposts, mailboxes, and trash cans jumped out of its way as it approached and back into position once it had passed.**

Andy looked sick "I went on the knight bus once and I got terribly sick, anything that moves too fast gets my stomach turning."

"I'm not even on the damn bus and I feel like I'm going to get sick," Sirius mumbled

**Stan came back downstairs, followed by a faintly green witch wrapped in a travelling cloak.**

**"'Ere you go, Madam Marsh," said Stan happily as Ern stamped on the brake and the beds slid a foot or so toward the front of the bus. **

Kingsley groaned "Nice. I'm sure the next time she steps foot on the bus will be when Voldemort starts passing out cookies."

"It's a shame they're such idiots," commented Charlie "it really is a fast way to travel."

**Madam Marsh clamped a handkerchief to her mouth and tottered down the steps. Stan threw her bag out after her and rammed the doors shut;**

Molly looked completely outraged; he really needed a swift slap to his backside. Manners were something she demanded of the younger generation.

**there was another loud BANG, and they were thundering down a narrow country lane, trees leaping out of the way. AJ wouldn't have been able to sleep even if she had been travelling on a bus that didn't keep banging loudly and jumping a hundred miles at a time. Her head was still pounding as she fell back to wondering what was going to happen to her,**

"I'd love to see the reaction to Fudge trying to expel the Girl who Lived or something that wasn't even her fault." Laughed Bill

Hermione grinned "He would lose a lot of supporters on that count."

**and whether the Dursleys had managed to get Aunt Marge off the ceiling yet. Stan had unfurled a copy of the Daily Prophet and was now reading with his tongue between his teeth. **

"It must be a difficult task for him." Snape deadpanned

**A large photograph of a sunken-faced man with long, matted hair blinked slowly at AJ from the front page. He looked strangely familiar. **

**"That man!" AJ said, forgetting her troubles for a moment. "He was on the Muggle news!" **

Sirius grinned "I always wanted to be famous, but somehow I never thought my fame would take off because of something I didn't do."

"You can't have your cake and eat it too Siri," chuckled Regulus "once your cleared we'll make sure to make you famous over something really cool."

**Stanley turned to the front page and chuckled. "Sirius Black," he said, nodding. "'Course 'e was on the Muggle news, Hermione, where you been?"**

AJ snorted "Blowing up my aunt of course, where else would I be you idiot."

**He gave a superior sort of chuckle at the blank look on AJ's face, removed the front page, and handed it to AJ.**

**"You oughta read the papers more, Hermione." **

"For once I agree with the overgrown baboon." Kingsley snickered "But I somehow doubt Vernon would approve of you getting the newspaper by Owl."

**AJ held the paper up to the candlelight and read: **

_**BLACK STILL AT LARGE**_

Remus kissed his husband "Still is and he won't be caught anytime soon."

_**Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today. **_

_**"We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm." **_

_**Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis.**_

"Now I'm not saying that Fudge is smart by any stretch of the imagination," said Charlie "but it is a good idea to alert the muggles when someone dangerous is at large."

Hermione looked over at Charlie "But when he or she is caught how do you explain it to a muggle? What do you say if they question their whereabouts?"

"That's the simple part," Tonks admitted "all we say is that we have sentenced that person to death and we appreciate their time and efforts in helping up capture a fugitive."

_**"Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it-who'd believe him if he did?"**_

"I really hate when he makes sense." Muttered Andy

Ron laughed "Well thank Merlin it doesn't happen often in that case."

_**While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other),**_ _**the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse.**_

Sirius scoffed "Like I would ever kill someone! Let alone thirteen innocent people!"

**AJ looked into the shadowed eyes of Sirius Black, the only part of the sunken face that seemed alive.**

"These descriptions just keep getting better and better." Ted said with a laugh

**AJ had never met a vampire, **'**but he had seen pictures of them in his Defence Against the Dark Arts classes, and Black, with his waxy white skin, looked just like one. But he looked familiar to her, like she knew him in a past life. She searched her memory but only came up with blurry moments with someone that looked vaguely like a young Black. But that couldn't be right could it?**

The room was filled with a shocked silence, only Hermione knew AJ recognized Remus and Sirius upon first meeting them.

Snape was the first to find his voice "You're very gifted, if you're willing I'll teach how to improve your earliest memories if you're willing."

"Of course sir!" exclaimed AJ "That would be amazing! Thank you!"

**"Scary-lookin' fing, inee?" said Stan, who had been watching AJ read.**

**"He murdered thirteen people?" said AJ with doubt, handing the page back to Stan, "with one curse?"**

"I love that you're still in doubt." Stated Kingsley happily

AJ shrugged "Innocent till proven guilty in my book and at that point I had no proof that my dad was guilty."

**"Yep," said Stan, "in front of witnesses an' all. Broad daylight. Big trouble it caused, dinnit, Ern?" **

**"Ar," said Ern darkly. **

Bill narrowed his eyes "I'm still not sure on how you were sentenced without a trial."

"With the reputation that the Blacks have, it wasn't hard for the wizarding world to turn their backs on Sirius." Said Any softly

**Stan swivelled in his armchair, his hands on the back, the better to look at AJ.**

**"Black woz a big supporter of You-Know-'Oo," he said. **

**"What, Voldemort?" said AJ, without thinking.**

Regulus laughed "Rule one when trying to be someone you're not, try to not be so bad ass as your usual self."

**Even Stan's pimples went white; Ern jerked the steering wheel so hard that a whole farmhouse had to jump aside to avoid the bus. "You outta your tree?"**

"In a manner of speaking." Hermione drawled

AJ mock glared "I'm perfectly sane thank you very much sweetheart."

**yelped Stan. "'Choo say 'is name for?" **

**"Sorry," said AJ without sincerity. "Sorry, I forgot -" **

**"Forgot!" said Stan weakly. "Blimey, my 'eart's goin' that fast ..."**

Remus groaned "Sweet Merlin Stan, get over it already. It's not as if she told you he was standing at the next bus stop."

**"So Black was a supporter of You-Know-Who?" AJ prompted.**

**"Yeah," said Stan, still rubbing his chest. "Yeah, that's right. Very close to You-Know-'Oo, they say. Anyway, when little AJ Potter got the better of You-Know-'Oo -" AJ nervously flattened her bangs down again.**

Charlie lightly scratched AJ's back soothingly "Don't worry punk, I doubt Stan will figure out you're you until someone points it out."

"Even then he won't get it completely." Tonks huffed

**"- all You-Know-'Oo's supporters was tracked down, wasn't they, Ern? Most of 'em knew it was all over, wiv You-Know-'Oo gone, and they came quiet. But not Sirius Black. I 'eard he thought 'e'd be second-in-command once You-Know-'Oo 'ad taken over.**

"Does he even have a second in command?" Charlie wondered out loud

Ted laughed without humor "Somehow I doubt that dragon boy; he doesn't seem to be very willingly to let people surpass him in greatness."

**Anyway, they cornered Black in the middle of a street full of Muggles an' Black took out 'is wand and 'e blasted 'alf the street apart, an' a wizard got it, an' so did a dozen Muggles what got in the way. 'Orrible, eh? An' you know what Black did then?" Stan continued in a dramatic whisper. **

Sirius scowled "Just get it over with Stan, you pulling off a dramatic whisper is comical to say the least."

**"What?" said AJ. **

**"Laughed," said Stan. "Jus' stood there an' laughed. An' when reinforcements from the Ministry of Magic got there, I 'e went wiv em quiet as anyfink, still laughing 'is 'ead off.**

"You do that too AJ." Hermione stated offhandedly

AJ glared "Want to rephrase that?"

"I'm just saying that when you're upset or stressed you make jokes, say inappropriate things or laugh a lot." Hermione said hurriedly "It's not a bad thing, it's just how you cope with your emotions."

**'Cos 'e's mad, inee, Ern? Inee mad?" **

**"If he weren't when he went to Azkaban, he will be now," said Ern in his slow voice. "I'd blow meself up before I set foot in that place. Serves him right, mind you ... after what he did..."**

Snape gripped the book a little tighter, he may not like Black but he was innocent and he was seeing that he is a good father and husband.

**"They 'ad a job coverin' it up, din' they, Ern?" Stan said. "'Ole street blown up an' all them Muggles dead. What was it they said ad 'appened, Ern?" **

**"Gas explosion," grunted Ernie.**

Everyone looked sick; those poor muggles never knew what was coming. Damn Peter, he should have been killed that day.

**"An' now 'e's out," said Stan, examining the newspaper picture of Black's gaunt face again. "Never been a breakout from Azkaban before, 'as there, Ern? Beats me 'ow 'e did it. Frightenin', eh? Mind, I don't fancy 'is chances against them Azkaban guards, eh, Ern?" **

**Ernie suddenly shivered. "Talk about summat else, Stan, there's a good lad. Them Azkaban guards give me the collywobbles."**

AJ hugged her dad tightly, he needed to know he wasn't alone in this and he would never go back to that horrible place.

**Stan put the paper away reluctantly, and AJ leaned against the window of the Knight Bus, feeling worse than ever. She couldn't help imagining what Stan might be telling his passengers in a few nights' time.**

**"'Ear about that 'AJ Potter? Blew up 'er aunt! We 'ad 'im 'ere on the Knight Bus, di'n't we, Ern? 'Ee was tryin' I to run for it..."**

"Do not listen to this idiot!" Remus shouted "Just ignore everything that leaves his mouth and you'll be okay."

Regulus nodded his head "He really is a horrible person to get advice from or to hear a story from. Poor guy needs English lessons and a few lessons in comforting a person.

**She, AJ, had broken wizard law just like Sirius Black, even though a part of her felt it was false they still had that in common. Was inflating Aunt Marge bad enough to land herself in Azkaban?** **She didn't understand the wizarding laws very well.**

Sirius kissed his daughters head, "We have a lot in common pup, I promise as long as I live you will never find yourself in Azkaban."

**AJ didn't know anything about the wizard prison, though everyone she'd ever heard speak of it did so in the same fearful tone. Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, had spent two months there only last year. AJ wouldn't soon forget the look of terror on Hagrid's face when he had been told where he was going, and Hagrid was one of the bravest people AJ knew.**

Kingsley sighed "Azkaban is a horrible place; it will really change a person. People like Hagrid and Sirius are lucky they didn't lose their sanity."

**The Knight Bus rolled through the darkness, scattering bushes and wastebaskets, telephone booths and trees, and AJ lay, restless and miserable, on her feather bed. After a while, Stan remembered that AJ had paid for hot chocolate, but poured it all over AJ's pillow when the bus moved abruptly from Anglesea to Aberdeen.**

Ron shut his eyes "He really needs to stop serving drinks on the ride from Hell. It's not like people are dying of thirst with their stomach in their throats."

**One by one, wizards and witches in dressing gowns and slippers descended from the upper floors to leave the bus. They all looked very pleased to go. Finally, AJ was the only passenger left. **

**"Right then, Hermione," said Stan, clapping his hands, "where abouts in London?" **

"Anywhere that's far far away from crazy ass and equally crazy driver." Bill suggested

**"Diagon Alley," said AJ. **

**"Righto," said Stan. "'Old tight, then." **

**BANG.**

Regulus looked confused "Why go to Diagon Alley if you're trying to run from the wizarding world?"

"I needed to get some more money out of my vault and I wanted to leave a letter for Ron in his family vault along with one for Hermione." Stated AJ

**They were thundering along Charing Cross Road. AJ sat up and watched buildings and benches squeezing themselves out of the Knight Bus's way. The sky was getting a little lighter. She would lie low for a couple of hours, go to Gringotts the moment it opened, then set off - where, she didn't know.**

Charlie smirked "You're always welcome in my home in Romania; I would love to show you the dragons."

"We'll do that this summer love," promised AJ "can't wait to be alone with you and see how you interact with dragons."

**Ern slammed on the brakes and the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of a small and shabby- looking pub, the Leaky Cauldron, behind which lay the magical entrance to Diagon Alley. **

**"Thanks," AJ said to Ern. **

"No "thanks" to your future boyfriend?" Bill asked innocently

Charlie scowled "Watch it man, I don't want to kick your ass right now."

**She jumped down the steps and helped Stan lower his trunk and Hedwig's cage onto the pavement. **

**"Well," said AJ. "'Bye then!"**

Andy snorted "Good, get away from him as soon as possible."

**But Stan wasn't paying attention. Still standing in the doorway to the bus he was goggling at the shadowy entrance to the Leaky Cauldron.**

Remus looked to Sirius "You weren't there were you pads? I know how protective of AJ you are and I wouldn't put it past you to make sure she made it okay."

"It wasn't me," Sirius stated with confusion "not a lot of people willingly go to the Leaky Cauldron just to hang out."

**"There you are, AJ," said a voice.**

**Before AJ could turn, she felt a hand on her shoulder. At the same time, Stan shouted, "Blimey! Ern, come 'ere! Come 'ere I" **

"Now how in the hell is a head just going to come over to where you are Stan?" Kingsley said with sarcasm

Snape snorted "Dim child wouldn't last five minutes outside of that bus."

**AJ looked up at the owner of the hand on her shoulder and felt a bucketful of ice cascade into her stomach - she had walked right into Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself.**

Tonks groaned "Terrible luck!"

"Trust me, we know." Joked Ron

**Stan leapt onto the pavement beside them. "What didja call Hermione, Minister?" he said excitedly. **

**Fudge, a portly little man in a long, pinstriped cloak, looked cold and exhausted. "Hermione?" he repeated, frowning. "This is AJ Potter."**

"You have his description down." Smiled Remus "Feel free to take him down a few notches if he gets on your nerves cub, he deserves nothing less."

**"I knew it!" Stan shouted gleefully. "Ern! Ern! Guess 'oo Hermione is, Ern! 'Er's AJ Potter! I can see 'er scar!" **

**"Yes," said Fudge testily, "well, I'm very glad the Knight Bus picked AJ up, but she and I need to step inside the Leaky Cauldron now..." **

"He only cares about his image." Muttered Regulus "He doesn't care if AJ was hurt or if she needed something."

**Fudge increased the pressure on AJ's shoulder, and AJ found herself being steered inside the pub. A stooping figure bearing a lantern appeared through the door behind the bar. It was Tom, the wizened, toothless landlord.**

Hermione grimaced, she was happy her parents weren't here. Being dentist they thought it was their duty to make sure everyone had perfect teeth.

**"You've got her, Minister!" said Tom. "Will you be wanting anything? Beer? Brandy?" **

**"Perhaps a pot of tea," said Fudge, who still hadn't let go of AJ.**

Charlie scowled "She's not going to make a run for it Fudge; you don't have to manhandle her."

"Her track record for running isn't the best," laughed Andy "he's just protecting his own ass."

**There was a loud scraping and puffing from behind them, and Stan and Ern appeared, carrying AJ's trunk and Hedwig's cage and looking around excitedly. **

**"'Ow come you di'n't tell us 'oo you are, eh, Hermione?" said Stan,**

Remus shook his head "So he knows you're AJ but he still calls you Hermione? I suppose we don't have to worry about Voldemort trying to get him to go over to the dark side."

**beaming at AJ, while Ernie's owlish face peered interestedly over Stan's shoulder. **

**"And a private parlor, please, Tom," said Fudge pointedly.**

Kingsley snorted "I'm sure whatever he has to say he's going to tell a thousand people, he couldn't keep a secret to save his miserable life even if he tried."

**"Bye," AJ said without emotion to Stan and Ern as Tom beckoned Fudge toward the passage that led from the bar. **

**"'Bye, Hermione!" called Stan.**

"You're right again Moony!" laughed Sirius "Voldemort would gladly let us keep Stan."

**Fudge marched AJ along the narrow passage after Tom's lantern, and then into a small parlor. Tom clicked his fingers, a fire burst into life in the grate, and he bowed himself out of the room. **

AJ scowled "Don't bow to that jackass; he doesn't deserve your respect."

**"Sit down, AJ," said Fudge, indicating a chair by the fire. **

**AJ sat down, feeling goose bumps rising up her arms despite the glow of the fire. Fudge took off his pinstriped cloak and tossed it aside, then hitched up the trousers of his bottle-green suit and sat down opposite AJ.**

"I'm sure he looked really lovely in that," Bill chuckled "he tries so hard to dress like a muggle."

Hermione looked confused "But why? As the minister of magic doesn't he want to separate himself from muggles?"

"It doesn't matter," Bill stated "he doesn't want to raise their suspicions and have them realize that there really is magic out there."

**"I am Cornelius Fudge, AJ. The Minister of Magic."**

**AJ already knew this, of course; she had seen Fudge once before, but as she had been wearing her father's Invisibility Cloak at the time, Fudge wasn't to know that.**

"Could Fudge confiscate her cloak if he found out about it?" Ron wondered

Snape shook his head "Even the minister can't take that away from her, it's not illegal to own one."

**Tom the innkeeper reappeared, wearing an apron over his nightshirt and bearing a tray of tea and crumpets. He placed the tray on a table between Fudge and AJ and left the parlor, closing the door behind him. **

**"Well, AJ," said Fudge, pouring out tea, "you've had us all in a right flap, I don't mind telling you. Running away from your aunt and uncle's house like that! I'd started to think... but you're safe, and that's what matters."**

Regulus glared "Like Siri would ever harm AJ you bumbling moron! You never had all the facts and you're too stubborn to see what's right in front of you!"

**Fudge buttered himself a crumpet and pushed the plate toward AJ. "Eat, AJ, you look dead on your feet.** **Now then... You will be pleased to hear that we have dealt with the unfortunate blowing-up of Miss Marjorie Dursley. ****Two members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Department were dispatched to Privet Drive a few hours ago. Miss Dursley has been punctured and her memory has been modified. She has no recollection of the incident at all. So that's that and no harm done."** **Fudge smiled at AJ over the rim of his teacup, rather like an uncle surveying a favourite niece.**

"Yeah because that's not creepy at all." Ted muttered

Andy kissed Teds cheek "He just wants to remain in good standing with AJ; he's not trying to be creepy even though he really and truly is."

**AJ, who couldn't believe her ears, opened her mouth to speak, couldn't think of anything to say, and closed it again.**

**"Ah, you're worrying about the reaction of your aunt and uncle?" said Fudge. "Well, I won't deny that they are extremely angry, AJ, but they are prepared to take you back next summer as long as you stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays."**

Tonks scowled "Oh that's terrific, I'm so happy that they agreed to take a FAMILY member back in without putting up much of a fight!"

"He should have realized something was wrong the minute they set those conditions." Muttered Charlie with anger

**AJ unstuck her throat.** **"I always stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays," she said, "and I don't ever want to go back to Privet Drive."**

"Another red flag there Fudgy!" Sirius shouted "When someone would rather stay at school then go home you know you have an issue!"

**"Now, now, I'm sure you'll feel differently once you've calmed down," said Fudge in a worried tone. "They are your family, after all, and I'm sure you are fond of each other - er - very deep down."**

"Nope, I'm pretty sure it's just more hatred." AJ said with a smirk

**It didn't occur to AJ to put Fudge right. She was still waiting to hear what was going to happen to her now. **

**"So all that remains" said Fudge, now buttering himself a second crumpet, "is to decide where you're going to spend the last two weeks of your vacation. I suggest you take a room here at the Leaky Cauldron and -"**

Hermione smacked her head "Now that's a brilliant idea, leave a fourteen year old alone in the Leaky Cauldron."

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself Mio," AJ said with a slight edge "I had been doing it for a few years at that point."

**"Hang on," blurted AJ. "What about my punishment?" **

**Fudge blinked. "Punishment?"**

**"I broke the law!" AJ stated. "The Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry." The way their laws worked were enough to drive her over the edge**

"They really are confusing," admitted Ron "there are so many loopholes and they aren't clear at all."

Remus sighed "It hasn't always been like that, but when Voldemort came to power people weren't sure who they could trust so they put all their trust in the government which did absolutely nothing. Getting the power from them will a tough thing to do and seemingly impossible."

**"Oh, my dear girl, we're not going to punish you for a little thing like that!" cried Fudge, waving his crumpet impatiently. "It was an accident! We don't send people to Azkaban just for blowing up their aunts!"**

Bill sneered "Yeah because she wanted to know why you weren't throwing her in Azkaban."

**But this didn't tally at all with AJ's past dealings with the Ministry of Magic.** **"Last year, I got an official warning just because a house-elf smashed a pudding in my uncle's house!" she told Fudge with anger. "The Ministry of Magic said I'd be expelled from Hogwarts if there was any more magic there!" Unless AJ's eyes were deceiving him, Fudge was suddenly looking awkward.**

"They're not," Snape mumbled "notice too much for your own damn good."

**"Circumstances change, AJ... We have to take into account... in the present climate... Surely you don't want to be expelled?" **

"Of course she does," Charlie held AJ tightly "that's her lifelong goal. To get expelled because someone provoked accidental magic."

**"Of course I don't," said AJ. **

**"Well then, what's all the fuss about?" laughed Fudge. "Now, have a crumpet, AJ, while I go and see if Tom's got a room for you." Fudge strode out of the parlor and AJ stared after him. There was something extremely odd going on.**

"I just want to know how he got elected." Ted wondered "He's horrible at keeping something secretive and he has absolutely no idea how to keep our world under control."

**Why had Fudge been waiting for him at the Leaky Cauldron, if not to punish her for what she'd done? And now AJ came to think of it, surely it wasn't usual for the Minister of Magic himself to get involved in matters of underage magic?**

Snape rolled his eyes, she caught onto things much too quickly.

**Fudge came back, accompanied by Tom the innkeeper.** **"Room eleven's free, AJ," said Fudge. "I think you'll be very comfortable. Just one thing and I'm sure you'll understand... I don't want you wandering off into Muggle London, all right? Keep to Diagon Alley. And you're to be back here before dark each night. Sure you'll understand. Tom will be keeping an eye on you for me." **

Tonks laughed "Tom doesn't pay attention to anything or anyone, you could dance on the bar and he wouldn't even bat an eye. Good plan Fudge."

**"Okay," said AJ slowly, "but why?" **

**"Don't want to lose you again, do we?" said Fudge with a hearty laugh. "No, no... best we know where you are... I mean..." Fudge cleared his throat loudly and picked up his pinstriped cloak. ****"Well, I'll be off, plenty to do, you know... "**

Kingsley smirked "He's a real natural when it comes to getting out of uncomfortable situations. I really hope he's elected again."

"So do I," Regulus said with false hope "he's such a great guy and always makes sure that everyone is punished fairly."

**"Have you had any luck with Black yet?" AJ asked. **

**Fudge's finger slipped on the silver fastenings of his cloak. **

Ron snorted "Nice AJ, I think you hit a nerve."

"Well it sure as hell isn't hard with him," grinned AJ "he gets flustered over everything."

**"What's that? Oh, you've heard - well, no, not yet, but it's only a matter of time. The Azkaban guards have never yet failed... and they are angrier than I've ever seen them." Fudge shuddered slightly.** **"So, I'll say good-bye." **

**He held out his hand and AJ, shaking it, had a sudden idea. She was good at charming people maybe she could use it to her advantage.**

Sirius kissed his daughters head, she was a very charming person and when she pulled the charm on full blast it was hard to say no to what she was asking of you.

**"Minister? Can I ask you something?" AJ asked with her thousand watt smile.**

**"Certainly," said Fudge with a smile. **

Remus smirked "Looks like the famous Potter charm was passed onto you cub, Hogwarts doesn't stand a chance now."

**"Well, third years at Hogwarts are allowed to visit Hogsmeade, but my aunt and uncle didn't sign the permission form. D'you think you could -?" **

**Fudge was looking uncomfortable. "Ah," he said. "No, no, I'm very sorry, AJ, but as I'm not your parent or guardian -" **

Kingsley nodded "Yes but he does have the power to sign a permission slip without people asking too many questions."

"He may not want to show favoritism," stated Bill "if he let AJ go because he signed a permission slip people might wonder what his motive was."

**"But you are the Minister of Magic," said AJ with a grin. "If you gave me permission..."**

**"No, I'm sorry, AJ, but rules are rules," said Fudge flatly.** **"Perhaps you'll be able to visit Hogsmeade next year. In fact, I think it's best if you don't... yes... well, I'll be off Enjoy your stay, AJ."**

Tonks groaned "Now that isn't suspicious at all you idiot!"

"She's going to be really suspicious now and it's fault." Andy muttered under her breath

**And with a last smile and shake of AJ's hand, Fudge left the room. Tom now moved forward, beaming at AJ. **

**"If you'll follow me, Ms. Potter," he said, "I've already taken your things up..." **

**AJ followed Tom up a handsome wooden staircase to a door with a brass number eleven on it, which Tom unlocked and opened for her. Inside was a very comfortable-looking bed, some highly polished oak furniture, a cheerfully crackling fire and, perched on top of the wardrobe – **

Hermione smiled "You get to stay in a nice room at least, that couldn't have been too bad."

"The rooms are all really well decorated," Charlie said "Tom's wife Mary is the one who decorated all the rooms and makes sure they're all spotless before a guest shows up. She takes her job very seriously."

**"Hedwig!" AJ gasped.**

**The snowy owl clicked her beak and fluttered down onto AJ's arm.**

**"Very smart owl you've got there,"**

The majority of the hall nodded in agreement and Harry grinned, she was perfect.

**chuckled Tom. "Arrived about five minutes after you did. If there's anything you need, Ms. Potter, don't hesitate to ask." He gave another bow and left. **

**AJ sat on her bed for a long time, absentmindedly stroking Hedwig. The sky outside the window was changing rapidly from deep, velvety blue to cold, steely gray and then, slowly, to pink shot with gold. AJ could hardly believe that she'd left Privet Drive only a few hours ago, that she wasn't expelled, and that she was now facing two completely Dursley-free weeks. **

Everyone smiled at that, AJ deserved a Dursley-free life. They were all determined to make sure she never had to see them again.

**"It's been a very weird night, Hedwig," she yawned. Without removing her now red and blonde hair from her ponytail she slumped back onto her pillows and fell asleep.**

Molly stood up "I'm going to start a lunch, we all need to eat."

**AN: I live in Manhattan and the storm is expected to hit us tomorrow and Wednesday...thanks for all the reviews and adds! I really appreciate it! I'm always up for suggestions and feel free to PM me with questions. Is there anything people would like to see in the upcoming chapter? Thanks again!**


	46. The Leaky Cauldron

Lunch was filled with laughter and jokes, Sirius and Remus asked AJ how many memories she had of them when she was younger, and she admitted that she thought they were dreams. It was nice for her to be able to open up without worrying about being judged. After they had their fill they all piled into the library eager to see what mischief AJ could get into while alone.

Charlie grabbed the book while wrapping an arm around AJ "**THE LEAKY CAULDRON**…**It took AJ several days to get used to her strange new freedom. Never before had she been able to get up whenever she wanted or eat whatever she fancied.**

Ron looked a little jealous "Must have been nice, just being left alone."

"It was okay," admitted AJ "as much as I like to be alone, I do enjoy being around my friends and immediate family too,"

**She could even go wherever she pleased, as long as it was in Diagon Alley, and as this long cobbled street was packed with the most fascinating wizarding shops in the world, AJ felt no desire to break her word to Fudge and stray back into the Muggle world.**

Snape looked a little shocked; she was more responsible than Potter Senior was at that age.

**AJ ate breakfast each morning in the Leaky Cauldron, where she liked watching the other guests: funny little witches from the country, up for a day's shopping; venerable-looking wizards arguing over the latest article in Transfiguration Today; wild-looking warlocks; raucous dwarfs; and once, what looked suspiciously like a hag, who ordered a plate of raw liver from behind a thick woolen balaclava.**

Ron grimaced while Hermione laughed "My parents eat liver and onions a lot, it's not bad. Then again when we eat it, it's fully cooked."

**After breakfast AJ would go out into the backyard, take out her wand, tap the third brick from the left above the trash bin, and stand back as the archway into Diagon Alley opened in the wall.** **AJ spent the long sunny days exploring the shops and eating under the brightly colored umbrellas outside cafes, where her fellow diners were showing one another their purchases ("It's a lunascope, old boy — no more messing around with moon charts, see?")**

"I wish they had those when I was in school." Bill muttered "Astrology was a difficult class for me and I never liked not being good at a subject."

Tonks smirked "That and potions were my best subjects. I think anyone born into the Black family was destined to be good at astrology though."

**or else discussing the case of Sirius Black ("Personally, I won't let any of the children out alone until he's back in Azkaban"). AJ didn't have to do her homework under the blankets by flashlight anymore; now she could sit in the bright sunshine outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, finishing all her essays with occasional help from Florean Fortescue himself, who, apart from knowing a great deal about medieval witch burnings, gave AJ free sundaes every half an hour.**

"I wasn't aware he actually formed words that didn't revolve around ice cream." Sirius stated with a grin

Ron again looked a little envious, "He has the best ice cream ever, and it's always the perfect consistency against a crunchy cone."

**Once AJ had refilled her money bag with gold Galleons, silver Sickles, and bronze Knuts from her vault at Gringotts, she knew that she had another four years with the Dursleys so she had to spend wisely.**

Remus shuddered "Lets not think about that."

"Don't worry papa," grinned AJ "I won't be going back."

**But the thing that tested AJ's resolution most appeared in her favorite shop, Quality Quidditch Supplies; a week after she'd arrived at the Leaky Cauldron.**

"I really wanted to play Quidditch when I was in school." Mumbled Tonks

Charlie laughed "Yeah but you can barely walk on the ground let alone flying in the air."

**Curious to know what the crowd in the shop was staring at, AJ edged her way inside and squeezed in among the excited witches and wizards until she glimpsed a newly erected podium, on which was mounted the most magnificent broom she had ever seen in his life.**

Hermione snorted "Of course you would get excited over something this silly."

Ron gaped at his friend "Hermione! How could you say that? It's more than just a broom! It's the most amazing piece of equipment in the entire Wizarding world!"

"Seriously?" Hermione snapped, "You need help and lots of it."

**"Just come out - prototype -" a square-jawed wizard was telling his companion.**

**"It's the fastest broom in the world, isn't it, Dad?" squeaked a boy younger than AJ, who was swinging off his father's arm.**

"I remember when the Cobalt broom was popular," stated Ted "it was such a nice broom and thinking back on it, it was actually a good price."

Andy smiled "You and I used to have so much fun before dinner, just flying over the lake. Just the two of us, those were such good times Teddy."

**"Irish International Side's Just put in an order for seven of these beauties!" the proprietor of the shop told the crowd. "And they're favorites for the World Cup!"**

Hermione, AJ and Ron shuddered at the thought of what happened at the world cup this past year.

**A large witch in front of AJ moved, and she was able to read the sign next to the broom:**

_**** THE FIREBOLT ****_

_**THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART PACING BROOM SPORTS A STREAM-LINED, SUPERFINE HANDLE OF ASH, TREATED WITH A DIAMOND-HARD POLISH AND HAND NUMBERED WITH ITS OWN REGISTRATION NUMBER. EACH INDIVIDUALLY SELECTED BIRCH TWIG IN THE BROOM TAIL HAS BEEN HONED TO AERODYNAMIC PERFECTION, GIVING THE FIREBOLT UNSURPASSABLE BALANCE AND PINPOINT PRECISION. THE FIREBOLT HAS AN ACCELERATION OF 150 MILES AN HOUR IN TEN SECONDS AND INCORPORATES AN UNBREAKABLE BRAKING CHARM.**_

AJ kissed her dads cheek "Thanks again daddy, that broom is my favorite."

"No problem pup," Sirius said with a big smile "I'm just happy you love it."

_**PRICE ON REQUEST.**_

**Price on request...AJ didn't like to think how much gold the Firebolt would cost. Usually when the price was not being shown, it was more than the cost of living per year.**

"Nothing is too expensive for you cub," stated Remus

Bill smiled "Remember that Charlie, price doesn't count when it comes to AJ." Charlie glared at his laughing brother

**She had never wanted anything as much in her whole life - but she had never lost a Quidditch match on her Nimbus Two Thousand, and what was the point in emptying her Gringotts vault for the Firebolt, when she had a very good broom already?**

Charlie kissed AJ "You're really wise punk, a lot more than most adults."

**AJ didn't ask for the price, but she returned, almost every day after that, just to look at the Firebolt.** **There were, however, things that AJ needed to buy. She went to the Apothecary to replenish her store of potions ingredients, and as her school robes were now several inches too short in the arm and leg, she visited Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and bought new ones. Most important of all, she had to buy her new schoolbooks, which would include those for her two new subjects, Care of Magical Creatures and Divination.**

"DROP THAT CLASS!" Shouted Kingsley, startling all the occupants "I'm sorry, but that class is the worst and it serves absolutely no purposes."

Tonks grinned at her partner "Don't hold back Kings, let it out baby."

**AJ got a surprise as she looked in at the bookshop window. Instead of the usual display of gold- embossed spell books the size of paving slabs; there was a large iron cage behind the glass that held about a hundred copies of The Monster Book of Monsters.**

"Monster Book of Monsters?" Ron snorted

AJ rolled his eyes "You do realize this has already happened right? We have already been through the book."

**Torn pages were flying everywhere as the books grappled with each other, locked together in furious wrestling matches and snapping aggressively.** **AJ pulled his booklist out of her pocket and consulted it for the first time. The Monster Book of Monsters was listed as the required book for Care of Magical Creatures. Now AJ understood why Hagrid had said it would come in useful. She felt relieved; she had been wondering whether Hagrid wanted help with some terrifying new pet.**

"I wish he would have been our Care for Magical Creatures." Grumbled Bill

Regulus smirked "Our professor was missing a finger and spoke with a thick German accent. Top that curse breaker." Hermione kissed Bills cheek while he glared at the younger Black.

**As AJ entered Flourish and Blotts, the manager came hurrying toward her.**

**"Hogwarts?" he said abruptly. "Come to get your new books?"**

Andy rolled her eyes "Where else would she be going to? Hogwarts is one of the only schools that deals with Diagon Alley for school supplies."

**"Yes," said AJ, "I need -"**

**"Get out of the way," said the manager impatiently, brushing AJ aside.**

"You attract more bees with honey than you do with vinegar." Stated Charlie

AJ shook her head "Flies."

"What?" asked Charlie "What in the hell do flies have to do with honey?"

"They don't like vinegar." AJ explained calmly while her best friend laughed loudly at the exchange.

**He drew on a pair of very thick gloves, picked up a large, knobbly walking stick, and proceeded toward the door of the Monster Books' cage.**

**"Hang on," said AJ quickly, "I've already got one of those."**

**"Have you?" A look of enormous relief spread over the manager's face. "Thank heavens for that. I've been bitten five times already this morning -"**

Regulus snickered "Now that's a big selling point. Caution, book may cause bodily harm and or make you bleed."

"Was the book at least useful?" Remus asked uncertainty

Ron snorted "No! That…that thing was just a pain to carry around and figure out how to open it without losing a limb."

**A loud ripping noise rent the air; two of the Monster Books had seized a third and were pulling it apart.** **"Stop it! Stop it!" cried the manager, poking the walking stick through the bars and knocking the books apart. "I'm never stocking them again, never! It's been bedlam! I thought we'd seen the worst when we bought two hundred copies of the Invisible Book of Invisibility –**

Andy groaned loudly "I hated that book with a passion. It only became visible while you read it and if you misplaced it, you ended up buying another one."

"Your parents complained loudly about the amount of times they had to send you a copy," smirked Sirius "I think it was the only time they would complain about something other than myself."

**cost a fortune, and we never found them...Well... is there anything else I can help you with?"**

**"Yes," said AJ, looking down her booklist, "I need Unfogging the Future by Cassandra Vablatsky."**

Kingsley wrapped an around Tonks while muttering something along the lines of how stupid that class was and how it needed to be banned.

**"Ah, starting Divination, are you?" said the manager, stripping off his gloves and leading AJ into the back of the shop, where there was a corner devoted to fortune telling.**

"They actually have some very interesting reading material in that section," stated Charlie "you just have to know what to look for."

AJ raised a brow "I don't think we are meant to know the future, if you know what's going to happen what's the point of living?"

**A small table was stacked with volumes such as Predicting the Unpredictable: Insulate Yourself Against Shocks and Broken Balls: When Fortunes Turn Foul.** **"Here you are,' said the manager, who had climbed a set of steps to take down a thick, black- bound book. "Unfogging the Future. Very good guide to all your basic fortune-telling methods - palmistry, crystal balls, bird entrails..."**

"It's really odd how such muggle things are in the Wizarding world and we aren't even aware of it." Ted remarked

Tonks gave a little grin "I somehow doubt a lot of wizards are going to embrace the muggle side of our ways. Can you see Malfoy jumping at the chance to be compared to a muggle?"

**But AJ wasn't listening. Her eyes had fallen on another book, which was among a display on a small table: Death Omens. - What to Do When You Know the Worst Is Coming.**

Sirius and Remus shuddered at the thought of their only daughter dying, it hurt too much to even think about.

**"Oh, I wouldn't read that if I were you," said the manager lightly, looking to see what AJ was staring at. "You'll start seeing death omens everywhere. It's enough to frighten anyone to death. "**

Snape snorted, people lived in fear of "what could happen" or "what something means". They forget to actually live while they are preparing for the worst.

**But AJ continued to stare at the front cover of the book; it showed a black dog large as a bear, with gleaming eyes. It looked oddly familiar...**

Sirius grimaced; he hadn't meant to scare her that badly.

**The manager pressed Unfogging the Future into AJ's hands.**

**"Anything else?" he said.**

**"Yes," said AJ, tearing her eyes away from the dogs and dazedly consulting his booklist.** **"I need Intermediate Transfiguration and The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Three."**

Ted smirked "You should be taking more advanced classes, you're a little bit more ahead of the others."

"Maybe you should think about skipping a level kid," agreed Kingsley "it may be better for you in the long run."

**AJ emerged from Flourish and Blotts ten minutes later with her new books under her arms and made her way back to the Leaky Cauldron, hardly noticing where she was going and bumping into several people. She tramped up the stairs to her room, went inside, and tipped her books onto her bed.** **Somebody had been in to tidy; the windows were open and sun was pouring inside. AJ could hear the buses rolling by in the unseen Muggle street behind her and the sound of the invisible crowd below in Diagon Alley.**

Hermione sighed, "You make everything seem so perfect and untouched, it's like you're writing a story book or something."

"Okay, lets town down the dramatics there princess." AJ smirked at her friend's version of the death glare

**She caught sight of herself in the mirror over the basin.** **"It can't have been a death omen," she told his reflection defiantly. "I was panicking when I saw that thing in Magnolia Crescent... t was probably just a stray dog..."**

Sirius huffed "You can stop calling me stray at anytime now pup, I wouldn't mind at all."

"Odd how you don't mind being called a dog though," Regulus said thoughtfully

Sirius gave a half smirk "Shut up Peter Rabbit, I don't make fun of your animagus, you don't make fun of mine."

**She raised her hand automatically and made her bangs longer to cover her scar.**

**"You're fighting a losing battle there, dear," said his mirror in a wheezy voice.**

Tonks glared "The mirror is just jealous of your talents. That's extremely rude!"

"It's also just a mirror that's been enchanted to talk to anyone that stands still longer than five minutes." Ron stated with a raised eyebrow

**As the days slipped by, AJ started looking wherever she went for a sign of Ron or Hermione. Plenty of Hogwarts students were arriving in Diagon Alley now, with the start of term so near. AJ met Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, her fellow Gryffindor's, **

AJ rolled her eyes "Who also can't seem to look at anything other than my boobs when we talk."

"I can talk to them," Charlie, said with a straight face "I'm serious punk, I have no problems talking to them. Or beating the crap of them."

**in Quality Quidditch Supplies, where they too were ogling the Firebolt;** **s****he also ran into the real Neville Longbottom, a round-faced, forgetful boy, outside Flourish and Blotts.** **AJ didn't stop to chat; Neville appeared to have mislaid his booklist and was being told off by his very formidable-looking grandmother.**

Andy sighed sadly "She was very nice when her son was alive, she was one of the healers that took care of me when I was expecting with Tonks. Losing a child changes people, it makes them hard and see all the ugly in the world rather than the good."

"She comes off very serious and a little scary," Ted stated wrapping an arm around his wife "but I'm sure she would do anything for any one of us."

**AJ woke on the last day of the holidays, thinking that she would at least meet Ron and Hermione tomorrow, on the Hogwarts Express.** **She got up, dressed, went for a last look at the Firebolt, and was just wondering where she'd have lunch, when someone yelled her name and she turned.**

AJ smiled at her friends, seeing them in Diagon Alley was the highlight of her entire summer. They would never know how much they meant to her.

**"AJ! AJ!" They were there, both of them, sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour - Ron looking incredibly freckly, Hermione very brown, both waving frantically at her.**

Ron snorted "Wow you have such amazing descriptions of people, it's insane you stayed single for so long."

"Excuse me?" Tonks jumped in defending her new friend "Last time I checked AJ was in a relationship that has been going on for more than a year. How long have you been dating…oh that's right you're still single, good luck with that."

**"Finally!" said Ron, grinning at AJ as she sat down. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you'd left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin's, and -"**

"Just saying all over Diagon Alley would have been fine," Remus stated with smile "you're putting too much information in one long sentence."

**"I got all my school stuff last week," AJ explained. "And how come you knew I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron?"**

**"Dad," said Ron simply.**

Bill shook his head "Dad really needs to learn how to keep something confidential."

"It can get him in to trouble if he gives information out around the people." Agreed Kingsley

**Mr. Weasley, who worked at the Ministry of Magic, would of course have heard the whole story of what had happened to Aunt Marge.**

**"Did you really blow up your aunt, AJ?" said Hermione in a very serious voice.**

Hermione blushed "I was worried about you! You're my best friend…even though I'm starting to wonder why!"

"Who else would put up with you crawling in her bed while she's trying to cuddle with her boyfriend after-" Charlie quickly shut up with one look from Remus, Sirius, Regulus and Ted.

**"I didn't mean to," said AJ, while Ron roared with laughter. "I just - lost control."**

**"It's not funny, Ron," said Hermione sharply.**

Bills shoulders were shaking in silent laughter "I'm sorry, but come on. She blew up her Aunt! Who does that?"

"Laugh it up chuckles," muttered AJ "just wait till you're sleeping and wake up with no hair and no way to get hard on in the near future."

**"Honestly, I'm amazed AJ wasn't expelled."**

**"So am I," admitted AJ. "Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested."** **She looked at Ron. "Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?"**

Tonks shook her head "At the time it wasn't something that anyone but Fudge and a team of Aurors knew about, Arthur found out later that night after Dumbledore told the minister he was trustworthy."

**"Probably 'cause it's you, isn't it?" shrugged Ron, still chuckling. "Famous Alessandra Potter and all that. I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to me if I blew up an aunt.** **Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me.** **Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight too! So you can come to King's Cross-with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!"**

Sirius shook his head "Just hearing old conversations you guys would have confuses the Hell out of me and makes my head hurt."

"You really do bounce from conversation back and forth a lot," Regulus, agreed "maybe you could start having one conversation at a time so people can follow your thought process."

**Hermione nodded, beaming. "Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."**

**"Excellent!" said AJ happily. "So, have you got all your new books and stuff?"**

Kingsley smirked "I don't think that's a valid question kiddo, Hermione probably bought her books in a magazine to avoid having to wait."

"You so did!" seeing the blush creeping on Hermione's face, Ted laughed "It's fine Hermione, my parents were muggle born and didn't take me to Diagon Alley till the last minute so I would start to buy my things from a catalogue."

**"Look at this," said Ron, pulling a long thin box out of a bag and opening it. "Brand-new wand. Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail-hair. And we've got all our books -" He pointed at a large bag under his chair. "What about those Monster Books, eh? The assistant nearly cried when we said we wanted two."**

Andy shuddered "I would too! Those books are evil."

**"What's all that, Hermione?" AJ asked, pointing at not one but three bulging bags in the chair next to her.**

**"Well, I'm taking more new subjects than you, aren't I" said Hermione. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, the Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies -"**

"That's a lot of classes," Remus commented "how did you manage to get them all done and not fail? A lot of those classes overlap each other throughout the day."

**"What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" said Ron, rolling his eyes at AJ. "You're Muggle- born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!"**

"It is really interesting," Sirius, stated "I certainly enjoyed it with a great passion."

AJ snorted "Sure daddy, I'm sure you found it really fascinating and tormenting your parents probably wasn't any fun for you."

**"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the Wizarding point of view," said Hermione earnestly.**

**"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" asked AJ, while Ron sniggered.**

"Try not to burn yourself out," Tonks looked a little worried "third year is a tough year without all those extra classes and try to make time for friends. That's really important."

**Hermione ignored them.** **"I've still got ten Galleons," she said, checking her purse. "It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."**

Kingsley lit up like a Christmas tree "Diagon Alley is the perfect place to get a birthday present, even if it's just for you."

"I hate shopping," Charlie mumbled "it's so damn boring. And it's not like women ever have a NEED, it's always a WANT."

**"How about a nice book?" said Ron innocently.**

**"No, I don't think so," said Hermione composedly.**

**"I really want an owl. I mean, AJ's got Hedwig and you've got Errol -"**

Bill smiled "Having an owl is a really big perk when you have friends that live within the Wizarding world at all times."

"That's true," agreed Regulus "but the upkeep with them can be very expensive and Hermione getting to Diagon Alley every time she needs something for the owl is highly unlikely."

**"I haven't," said Ron. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers." He pulled his pet rat out of his pocket. "And I want to get him checked over," he added, placing Scabbers on the table in front of them. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him."**

Sirius, Remus and the golden trio glared at the book, they wanted nothing more than to kill Peter for the Hell he was causing.

**Scabbers was looking thinner than usual, and there was a definite droop to his whiskers.** **"There's a magical creature shop just over there," said AJ, who knew Diagon Alley better than the creators by now. "You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl."**

"Or you could just let him kill himself and bring his remains to Dumbledore who can tell Fudge to kiss his ass while Peter is carted off to prison where he belongs." AJ ranted with her hair changing dark blue

Tonks grinned, "You go girl! Don't hold your emotions back when it comes to that bastard, he'll get his doll."

**So they paid for their ice cream and crossed the street to the Magical Menagerie. There wasn't much room inside. Every inch of wall was hidden by cages. **

"Organization is a wonderful thing." Molly mumbled to herself silently wondering what was going to happen to Ginny after dinner.

**It was smelly and very noisy because the occupants of these cages were all squeaking, squawking, jabbering, or hissing.** **The witch behind the counter was already advising a wizard on the care of double-ended newts, so AJ, Ron, and Hermione waited, examining the cages. **

"It was interesting to see all the different kinds of animals that the Wizarding world has." Said Hermione "But it was so crowded that day and it smelled really bad."

**A pair of enormous purple toads sat gulping wetly and feasting on dead blowflies. A gigantic tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell was glittering near the window. Poisonous orange snails were oozing slowly up the side of their glass tank,** **and a fat white rabbit kept changing into a silk top hat and back again with a loud popping noise.**

"I really wanted that rabbit," admitted AJ "he was like a small furry version if a magician."

Snape hid a smile, he'd seen the rabbit there before and thought he was rather cute."

**Then there were cats of every color, a noisy cage of ravens, a basket of funny custard-coloured furballs that were humming loudly, and on the counter, a vast cage of sleek black rats that were playing some sort of skipping game using their long, bald tails.**

"I just don't understand the point of a rat, no offence," Kingsley said hoping not to offend the Weasley's "the whole rat thing creeps me out and the fact people keep them as pets is just weird."

Remus nodded "They really don't have much magical ability, they're mainly used by Wizards that need companionship and the rat is their familiar."

**The double-ended newt wizard left, and Ron approached the counter.** **"It's my rat," he told the witch. "He been a bit off-color ever since I brought him back from Egypt."**

**"Bang him on the counter," said the witch,** **pulling a pair of heavy black spectacles out of her pocket. Ron lifted Scabbers out of his inside pocket and placed him next to the cage of his fellow rats, who stopped their skipping tricks and scuffled to the wire for a better look.**

"Now wait a minute," Charlie snapped "how in the Hell didn't she feel the magic rolling off the rat? She should have been able to feel the person inside the animal."

AJ looked surprised "She didn't seem off or anything when she was talking, she seemed like any other wacko I come across in the Wizarding world."

**Like nearly everything Ron owned, Scabbers the rat was second-hand (he had once belonged to Ron's brother Percy) and a bit battered. Next to the glossy rats in the cage, he looked especially woebegone.**

**"Hm," said the witch, picking up Scabbers. "How old is this rat?"**

"That's another sign that's something is wrong." Added Bill "She should be able to tell how old the rat is just by looking at the hair and his tail."

Hermione looked at Bill "I didn't know there was ways to tell how old a magical animal is."

**"Dunno," said Ron. "Quite old. He used to belong to my brother."**

Sirius rolled his eyes "Around thirty-two but he says twenty-eight when asked."

**"What powers does he have?" said the witch, examining Scabbers closely.**

**"Er -"**

"He can sure sleep like a pro," muttered Ron "other than that he sucks, much like everything else I own."

**The truth was that Scabbers had never shown the faintest trace of interesting powers. The witch's eyes moved from Scabbers's tattered left ear to his front paw, which had a toe missing, and tutted loudly.**

Sirius leaned into his husband; he wanted nothing more than to kill that SOB. He deserved it after what he did to his brother and sister-in-law.

**"He's been through the mill, this one," she said.**

**"He was like that when Percy gave him to me," said Ron defensively.**

Hermione rolled her eyes "Why do you get so defensive over everything? It's not like the witch was accusing you of something."

**"An ordinary common or garden rat like this can't be expected to live longer than three years or so," said the witch.**

"I don't understand how no one seemed to notice that the Rat they have had for over ten years isn't aging or ya know getting closer to death." Andy wondered out loud

**"Now, if you were looking for something a bit more hard-wearing, you might like one of these -" She indicated the black rats, which promptly started skipping again.**

**Ron muttered, "Show-offs."**

Ted gave Ron a comical look "Rats are show-offs now? I wondered when they were going to give a comeback after all those years of being exterminated in Muggle homes."

**"Well, if you don't want a replacement, you can try this rat tonic," said the witch, reaching under the counter and bringing out a small red bottle.**

"That's not good," Charlie muttered with a frown "the rat isn't a real rat, so giving him medicine for rats can cause a lot of problems to Peter."

Regulus glared "I'm sorry dragon boy, I seem to be missing the down side to this. Will it kill him? Lets hope so. If not, we write a complaint."

**"Okay," said Ron. "How much - OUCH!" Ron buckled as something huge and orange came soaring from the top of the highest cage, landed on his head, and then propelled itself, spitting madly, at Scabbers.**

**"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!"**

"Sounds like a real sweet cat," Kinsley muttered, "remind me to buy him catnip around Christmas."

**cried the witch, but Scabbers, shot from between her hands like a bar of soap, landed splay-legged on the floor, and then scampered for the door.**

**"Scabbers!" Ron shouted, racing out of the shop after him; AJ followed.**

AJ shrugged at the looks "I was bored and chasing after a cat that's chasing a rat seems to be a once in a lifetime opportunity."

**It took them nearly ten minutes to catch Scabbers, who had taken refuge under a wastepaper bin outside Quality Quidditch Supplies. Ron stuffed the trembling rat back into his pocket and straightened up, massaging his head.** "**What was that?"**

Tonks hid a smile "I'm assuming Hermione's new pet, this year is just full of fun new animals."

**"It was either a very big cat or quite a small tiger," said AJ.**

**"Where's Hermione?"**

**"Probably getting her owl."**

"I wanted an owl but the cat was just too perfect to pass up." Admitted Hermione

**They made their way back up the crowded street to the Magical Menagerie. As they reached it, Hermione came out, but she wasn't carrying an owl. Her arms were clamped tightly around the enormous ginger cat.**

**"You bought that monster?" said Ron, his mouth hanging open.**

Charlie glared "Monster? He's a cat Ron! An innocent animal that was tired of living his life in damn cage!"

**"He's gorgeous, isn't he?" said Hermione, glowing.**

**Beauty was in the eyes of the beholder, thought AJ.** **The cat's ginger fur was thick and fluffy, but it was definitely a bit bowlegged and its face looked grumpy and oddly squashed, as though it had run headlong into a brick wall.**

Regulus laughed loudly "I love the way you described him! He sounds like an amazing animal with true beauty."

**Now that Scabbers was out of sight, however, the cat was purring contentedly in Hermione's arms.**

**"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" said Ron.**

Bill shook his head "There's no reason to be dramatic, the cat was going after a rodent. They're known for doing those sort of things."

**"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" said Hermione.**

"He didn't do anything wrong," smiled AJ "he was just being a cat. He's cool once you get to know him and the both of you set your boundaries."

**"And what about Scabbers?" said Ron, pointing at the lump in his chest pocket. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?"**

Andy snorted "He sleeps his entire life away, I'm sure he's going to be relaxing for a long time at the rate he's going."

**"That reminds me, you forgot your rat tonic," said Hermione, slapping the small red bottle into Ron's hand. "And stop worrying, Crookshanks will be sleeping in my dormitory and Scabbers in yours, what's the problem? Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been in there for ages; no one wanted him."**

**"Wonder why," said Ron sarcastically**

"Okay," stated Ted seeing Charlie was going to snap, "you need to calm down. The cat doesn't have a personal vendetta against your rat, he has a problem with rats in general!"

**as they set off toward the Leaky Cauldron.**

**They found Mr. Weasley sitting in the bar, reading the Daily prophet.** **"AJ!" he said, smiling as he looked up. "How are you?"**

Charlie grinned, "Dad loves you, you're like a daughter to him."

**"Fine, thanks," said AJ as he, Ron, and Hermione joined Mr. Weasley with all their shopping. Mr. Weasley put down his paper, and AJ saw the now familiar picture of Sirius Black staring up at her.** **"They still haven't caught him, then?" she asked.**

**"No," said Mr. Weasley, looking extremely grave. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far."**

Remus elbowed his smug looking husband "It's not something to look proud over padfoot, being on the run from the ministry isn't a positive quest to conquer."

**"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" asked Ron. "It'd be good to get some more money -"**

**"Don't be ridiculous, Ron," said Mr. Weasley, who on closer inspection looked very strained. "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back, you mark my words."**

Ted smirked "Nope, it was my niece and her friends that found Sirius. Good thing it was them and not someone holding a grudge." Snape glared at the man, he didn't have that much of a grudge…anymore.

**At that moment Mrs. Weasley entered the bar, laden with shopping bags and followed by the twins, Fred and George, who were about to start their fifth year at Hogwarts; the newly elected Head Boy, Percy; and the Weasley's' youngest child and only girl, Ginny. Ginny, who had always been very taken with AJ, seemed even more heartily embarrassed than usual when she saw her, perhaps because she had saved her life during their previous year at Hogwarts.** **She went very red and muttered "hello" without looking at her.**

Everyone tensed at hearing Ginny's name, she had yet to come down from the upstairs and no one was sure what she may have been planning or thinking.

**Percy, however, held out his hand solemnly as though he and AJ had never met and said, "Alessandra. How nice to see you."**

**"Hello, Percy," said AJ, trying not to hex him or laugh.**

Tonks scowled "It's no surprise that you don't like your full name, he should call you by your nickname like you prefer."

"He does that with everyone," AJ explained with a small smile "he called Bill, William when we went to the Quidditch game last summer."

**I hope you're well?" said Percy pompously, shaking hands.**

**It was rather like being introduced to the mayor.**

"He's just a jerk." Charlie deadpanned

Bill nodded "Pretty much, he needs an attitude adjustment."

**"Very well, thanks -"**

**"AJ!" said Fred, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply. "Simply splendid to see you, darling girl -"**

"I think the twins were really hitting on me." AJ smirked when she felt Charlie growl lowly and tighten his hold on her; AJ loved jealous sex with Charlie.

**"Marvelous," said George, pushing Fred aside and seizing AJ's hand in turn. "Absolutely beautiful."**

Charlie glared at the book "Jackasses."

"Not sure I like them very much," Regulus mused

**Percy scowled.**

**"That's enough, now," said Mrs. Weasley.**

Snape rolled his eyes; her children were lucky if they would have sex before they turned thirty at the rate of her protectiveness.

**"Mum!" said Fred as though he'd only just spotted her and seizing her hand too. "How really corking to see you -"**

**"I said, that's enough," said Mrs. Weasley,**

Bill scowled "They were just playing around mom, it's not like they were being serious or anything."

**depositing her shopping in an empty chair. "Hello, AJ, dear. I suppose you've heard our exciting news?" She pointed to the brand-new silver badge on Percy's chest.** **"Second Head Boy in the family!" she said, swelling with pride.**

"You really make me uncomfortable when you do that," admitted AJ "whenever you brag about your children you're putting the others down."

Molly turned red "That's-I don't" but she couldn't seem to find away to walk out of that trap unharmed

**"And last," Fred muttered under his breath.**

**"I don't doubt that," said Mrs. Weasley, frowning suddenly. "I notice they haven't made you two prefects."**

Ron shook his head "I could be head boy someday!"

"I think you need to maintain a certain grade point average," Kingsley pointed out "and usually you need to not hate every subject where there's a teacher talking."

**"What do we want to be prefects for?" said George, looking revolted at the very idea. "It'd take all the fun out of life."** **Ginny giggled.**

**"You want to set a better example for your sister!" snapped Mrs. Weasley.**

"You really need to calm down Molly," sighed Sirius "they're just boys trying to lighten a mood. It's not as if they're dropping out of school and running away from home."

Tonks grinned, "I bet they drop out and move away and never tell Molly where they went!" Sirius laughed loudly at his little cousin, she certainly knew how to push Molly

**"How're we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" asked Fred as they dug into a sumptuous chocolate pudding.**

**"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars," said Mr. Weasley.** **Everyone looked up at him.**

Regulus whistled "Damn Siri, you really know how to make an impression on the Wizarding World."

"Nice Reggie," snarked Sirius "pick on the ex felon. You always make me feel loved."

**"Why?" said Percy curiously.**

**"It's because of you, Perce," said George seriously. "And there'll be little flags on the hoods, with HB on them"**

**"- for Humongous Bighead," said Fred.**

Andy laughed, "Now you have to admit that was pretty funny!"

"That is not funny!" snapped Molly "He was Head Boy and that is something anyone would be proud of."

Andy rolled her eyes "Yes that is something to be proud of, but he doesn't have to be a stuck up prick about it!"

**Everyone except Percy and Mrs. Weasley snorted into their pudding.**

No one seemed to be inclined to be polite this time around.

**"Why is the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy asked again, in a dignified voice.**

Remus turned to his daughter "Don't ever call padfoot or myself "father". We aren't in the eighteenth century and I'd rather not think of my daughter as a stuck up prick as your Aunt Andy put it."

"I'll stick with dad and papa," grinned AJ "it's much less annoying."

**"Well, as we haven't got one anymore," said Mr. Weasley, "- and as I work there, they're doing me a favor -" His voice was casual, but AJ couldn't help noticing that Mr. Weasley's ears had gone red, just like Ron's did when he was under Pressure.**

Bill rubbed the back of his neck "Ron, Dad and Ginny all do that. The rest of us laugh uncomfortably or if you're Charlie you'll stutter and say inappropriate things around your girlfriends parents."

"I do not do that!" Charlie yelled, "They are scary and they're my future in-laws! Anyone would be scared!"

**"Good thing, too," said Mrs. Weasley briskly. "Do you realize how much luggage you've all got between you? A nice sight you'd be on the Muggle Underground... You are all packed, aren't you?"**

Tonks smiled sweetly at her mothers pointed look, she didn't like packing, it was hard to pick things you would need to last you until you're parents sent you a care package.

**"Ron hasn't put all his new things in his trunk yet," said Percy, in a long-suffering voice. "He's dumped them on my bed."**

**"You'd better go and pack properly, Ron, because we won't have much time in the morning," Mrs. Weasley called down the table.** **Ron scowled at Percy.**

"Ron was what? Thirteen at the time?" Kingsley asked "I'm pretty sure he can handle packing his own things, especially when he saw his older brothers doing it for years."

Hermione nodded softly "Mrs. Weasley, you have to let your kids grow up eventually."

**After dinner everyone felt very full and sleepy. One by one they made their way upstairs to their rooms to check their things for the next day. Ron and Percy were next door to AJ. She had just closed and locked her own trunk when she heard angry voices through the wall, and went to see what was going on.** **The door of number twelve was ajar and Percy was shouting.**

Ron scowled; he was always picking a fight. He was never satisfied with just talking or letting something go.

**"It was here, on the bedside table, I took it off for polishing."**

**"I haven't touched it, all right?" Ron roared back.**

Regulus held his head "Siri I were never allowed to raise our voices. Our parents believed in using your wands to solve a problem."

"Granddad and Grandma sound like such sweet people." AJ said sweetly eliciting shocked looks from the room

**"What's up?" said AJ.**

**"My Head Boy badge is gone," said Percy, rounding on AJ.**

Tonks narrowed her eyes "That's no way to speak to a lady or act in front of one."

"He obviously doesn't get much interaction around women." Smirked Kingsley

**"So's Scabbers's rat tonic," said Ron, throwing things out of his trunk to look. "I think I might've left it in the bar -"**

**"You're not going anywhere till you've found my badge!" yelled Percy.**

"You sound like a bunch of addicts looking for your next fix." Joked Sirius

Remus snickered "A badge and rat tonic, must need items for the upcoming year…too bad there isn't a charm you could use and your things would magically appear."

**"I'll get Scabbers's stuff, I'm packed," AJ said to Ron, and she went downstairs. AJ was halfway along the passage to the bar, which was now very dark, when she heard another pair of angry voices coming from the parlor.**

Charlie smiled "You always get the dirt before anyone else can even hear about what the dirt is on."

"You should see her when she's really trying to get the dirt." Admitted Hermione "She's like ninja or something."

**A second later, she recognized them as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's'. She hesitated, not wanting them to know she'd heard them arguing, when the sound of her own name made her stop, then move closer to the parlor door.** **"-makes no sense not to tell her," Mr. Weasley was saying heatedly. "AJ's got a right to know. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating AJ like a child. She's fourteen years old and -"**

AJ shook her head in anger; she wasn't a child and hadn't been one in a long time. Even if she was still a minor, they had no right to keep information from her because they were worried about her feelings or because they were worried about scaring her.

**"Arthur, the truth would terrify her!"**

Kingsley snickered "I somehow doubt that very much."

**said Mrs. Weasley shrilly. "Do you really want to send AJ back to school with that hanging over her? For heaven's sake, she's happy not knowing!"**

Remus glared "You don't know AJ as well as you think Molly. Keeping her in the dark is not a good idea, no matter how good your intentions are, it will back fire."

**"I don't want to make her miserable, I want to put her on her guard!" retorted Mr. Weasley. "You know what AJ and Ron are like, wandering off by themselves - they've ended up in the Forbidden Forest twice!** **But AJ mustn't do that this year! When I think what could have happened to her that night she ran away from home! If the Knight Bus hadn't picked her up, I'm prepared to bet she would have been dead before the Ministry found her."**

"Now wait just a goddamn minute!" shouted Charlie "AJ is more than capable when it comes to protecting herself. Or did you conveniently forget what she's been through?"

Ted agreed, "You're acting as if she is made of glass, you all need to step back and realize that AJ at the time was on her own. You and Arthur will never be her parents and pretending to know what's best for her is ridiculous and completely uncalled for."

**"But she's not dead, she's fine, so what's the point..."**

**"Molly, they say Sirius Black's mad, and maybe he is,** **but he was clever enough to escape from Azkaban, and that's supposed to be impossible. It's been three weeks, and no one's seen hide nor hair of him, and I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the Daily Prophet, we're no nearer catching Black than inventing self-spelling wands. The only thing we know for sure is what Black's after."**

Sirius laughed bitterly "I would never harm AJ! Ever! She has been my life since the day she was born and I held her in my arms! Don't ever accuse me of wanting to harm her!"

"I know daddy," smiled AJ sporting orange and black hair "you're my dad and fathers don't hurt their children. I know I'm safe with you and papa."

**"But AJ will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts."**

**"We thought Azkaban was perfectly safe. If Black can break out of Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts."**

Andy sighed "Since when is Azkaban safe? Last time I checked it was the worst place on earth where more innocent people are housed then criminals."

"We meant that is was safe to keep the prisoners where they belonged!" snapped Molly

Regulus snarled, "He is not a prisoner and he didn't belong there! You are a prejudice bitch Molly and you're forever stuck in your own ways!"

**"But no one's really sure that Black's after AJ..."**

**There was a thud on wood, and AJ was sure Mr. Weasley had banged his fist on the table.** **"Molly, how many times do I have to tell you? They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted it kept quiet, but Fudge went out to Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards told Fudge that Blacks been talking in his sleep for a while now. Always the same words: 'she's at Hogwarts.'**

"I'm confused," admitted Bill "how did all that mean that Sirius was after AJ? Yes he said "she's at Hogwarts" but he never said anything specifically."

Remus shifted "Fudge wanted any reason to for the Wizarding World to make him seem like a hero. What better way then protecting the "girl who lived" from a mass murder that was extremely close to her parents?"

**Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants dead. If you ask me, he thinks murdering AJ will bring You-Know-Who back to power. Black lost everything the night AJ stopped You- Know-Who, and he's had thirteen years alone in Azkaban to brood on that..."** **There was a silence. AJ leaned still closer to the door, desperate to hear more.**

Hermione smiled sadly "Sirius did loose everything that night, but it had nothing to do with having Voldemort killed."

"The Wizarding World, is set in there ways Hermione," Andy stated "until the Black name is cleared and proved there are good people in the family, no one will ever give Sirius or any Black the benefit of the doubt."

**"Well, Arthur, you must do what you think is right. But you're forgetting Albus Dumbledore. I don't think anything could hurt AJ at Hogwarts while Dumbledore's headmaster. I suppose he knows about all this?"**

"Is there anything you don't know about?" Ron asked a smiling Dumbledore who was being strangely quiet.

**"Of course he knows. We had to ask him if he minds the Azkaban guards stationing themselves around the entrances to the school grounds. He wasn't happy about it, but he agreed."**

**"Not happy? Why shouldn't he be happy, if they're there to catch Black?"**

Kingsley pinched his nose "It has nothing to do about wanting to catch an innocent man. It has to do with putting innocent students endanger or losing their souls with the dementors around."

**"Dumbledore isn't fond of the Azkaban guards," said Mr. Weasley heavily. "Nor am I, if it comes to that... but when you're dealing with a wizard like Black, you sometimes have to join forces with those you'd rather avoid."**

"They make me sound so fierce," Sirius, muttered "I have no greater powers than anyone else in the world."

**"If they save AJ..."**

**"Then I will never say another word against them," said Mr. Weasley wearily. "It's late, Molly, we'd better go up..."**

Hermione leaned into Bill, "You're extremely lucky AJ! I swear you never get caught when you should."

"Please," scoffed AJ "I'm half ninja, pretty much unstoppable if you ask me."

"And also so modest," joked Hermione "you're a catch alright."

**AJ heard chairs move. As quietly as she could, she hurried down the passage to the bar and out of sight. The parlor door opened, and a few seconds later footsteps told her that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were climbing the stairs. The bottle of rat tonic was lying under the table they had sat at earlier. AJ waited until he heard Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's bedroom door close, then headed back upstairs with the bottle.**

Ron smiled in thanks to his friend, at the time he was really worried about his pet.

**Fred and George were crouching in the shadows on the landing, heaving with laughter as they listened to Percy dismantling his and Ron's room in search of his badge.**

**"We've got it," Fred whispered to AJ.**

**"We've been improving it." The badge now read Bighead Boy.**

No one could contain his or her laughter, it suited Percy well.

**AJ forced a laugh,** **went to give Ron the rat tonic, then shut himself in his room and lay down on his bed.** **So Sirius Black was after her. **

Sirius shook his head while Remus hugged him. He knew this book was going to bring up bad memories but this was just too much to handle. He didn't like that AJ thought he would harm her, he loved her and Remus more than life, they were his world.

**This explained everything.** **Fudge had been lenient with her because she was so relieved to find her alive. He'd made AJ promise to stay in Diagon Alley where there were plenty of wizards to keep an eye on her. And she was sending two Ministry cars to take them all to the station tomorrow, so that the Weasley's could look after AJ until she was on the train. AJ lay listening to the muffled shouting next door and wondered why she didn't feel more scared.**

Ted smiled "You knew in your heart that Sirius would never harm you or anyone else for that matter. Sure he fought in the war along with the rest of us, but he didn't harm innocent people."

**Sirius Black had murdered thirteen people with one curse;** **Mr. and Mrs. Weasley obviously thought AJ would be panic-stricken if she knew the truth.** **But AJ happened to agree wholeheartedly with Mrs. Weasley that the safest place on earth was wherever Albus Dumbledore happened to be. But something still seemed off about this whole situation. AJ recognized Sirius but she still couldn't place his face no matter how hard she tried.**

"That was the most annoying feeling in the world," griped AJ "I knew Sirius but for the life of me I couldn't remember from where."

Regulus smiled "Our memories are odd things, but yours if beyond anything I've ever seen. I can't imagine what you must have been going through."

**"I'm not going to be murdered," AJ said confidently.**

Remus and Sirius shared smiles, she was a determined young women. They knew without a doubt that AJ could handle anything life through at her without even flinching.

**"That's the spirit, dear," said her mirror sleepily.**

Remus grabbed the book before Charlie had a chance to finish the last word, he knew what was happening and wanted to be the one to read that chapter. **"The Dementor…"**

**AN: I'm sorry this chapter took so long! I was just allowed to move back into my apartment, Manhattan was hit pretty hard with the Hurricane. Thank you for all the adds and reviews, it made me work even harder. Once again, AJ is a year older than Harry is in the books. If I made mistakes, I'm sorry I do try to catch them all. Have a very happy holidays! Be safe and I'll be updating soon :)**


	47. The Dementor

**Tom woke AJ the next morning with his usual toothless grin and a cup of black coffee.**

Tonks wrinkled her nose "Coffee? And no sugar or anything?"

"Of course Tonks," laughed AJ "I would never ruin coffees delectable taste with sugar or cream."

**AJ got dressed and was just persuading a disgruntled Hedwig to get back into her cage when Ron banged his way into the room, pulling a sweatshirt over his head and looking irritable.**

"Yeah because that's not rude at all." Muttered Hermione

Ron rolled his eyes "It's AJ, it's not like she would be undressed or doing something."

"Excuse me?" AJ snapped before Hermione could say anything "It's AJ? I am a woman, with women parts Ron. I could have been undressed and you barging into my room without my consent could have had you hexed!"

**"The sooner we get on the train, the better," he said. "At least I can get away from Percy at Hogwarts.** **Now he's accusing me of dripping tea on his photo of Penelope Clearwater. You know," Ron grimaced, "his girlfriend. She's hidden her face under the frame because her nose has gone all blotchy..."**

Sirius grimaced "That is probably the most disgusting conversation you two have had."

"I'm sure as they get older the conversations will get more disturbing," joked Bill "look at who your daughter is dating."

**"I've got something to tell you," AJ began, but Fred and George, who had looked in to congratulate Ron on infuriating Percy again, interrupted them.**

"Of course they would want to congratulate him on something silly and uncalled for." Molly muttered under her breath

**They headed down to breakfast, where Mr. Weasley was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet with a furrowed brow and Mrs. Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny about a love potion she'd made as a young girl. All three of them were rather giggly.**

"I really hope you wouldn't do that." Kingsley said seriously looking at the youngest Weasley who happened to walk into the room.

Ginny rolled her eyes "Of course I wouldn't. Even if I would, it wouldn't have done anything terrible."

"You could be arrested!" shouted an irate Kingsley "Love potions are very much illegal and can cause serious trouble if used the wrong way."

**"What were you saying?" Ron asked AJ as they sat down.**

**"Later," AJ muttered as Percy stormed in.**

Ron blushed "Sorry…I just wanted to know what you had to say, usually you have some really good dirt."

**AJ had no chance to speak to Ron or Hermione in the chaos of leaving; they were too busy heaving all their trunks down the Leaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piling them up near the door, with Hedwig and Hermes, Percy's screech owl, perched on top in their cages. A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heap of trunks, spitting loudly.**

Hermione stifled a laugh "He doesn't like to be caged, he's a free spirit."

"More like an evil ball of fur just waiting to attack it's prey." Regulus muttered looking a little scared.

**"It's all right, Crookshanks," Hermione cooed through the wickerwork. "I'll let you out on the train."**

**"You won't," snapped Ron. "What about poor Scabbers, eh?"**

Charlie snorted "I think you're being overdramatic Ron."

"I was not! That cat was after my pet and Hermione promised to keep it away from Scabbers!" Ron yelled

"Lets not forget who Scabbers really is!" Charlie bit out "He wasn't an actual rat Ron! He was a damn murder who caused your best friends parents deaths!" AJ squeezed Charlie's hand silently thanking him for being there for her.

**He pointed at his chest, where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket.**

**Mr. Weasley, who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars, stuck his head inside.** **"They're here," he said. "AJ, come on."**

Tonks rolled her eyes "Smooth. Real smooth."

"I know right," laughed AJ "I don't know why they didn't just come out and tell me what was really going on."

**Mr. Weasley marched AJ across the short stretch of pavement toward the first of two old- fashioned dark green cars, each of which was driven by a furtive-looking wizard wearing a suit of emerald velvet.** **"In you get, AJ," said Mr. Weasley, glancing up and down the crowded street.** **AJ got into the back of the car and was shortly joined by Hermione, Ron, and, to Ron's disgust, Percy.**

"What in the hell has happened to my family?" Bill muttered

Hermione hugged him "It'll be okay Bill, we'll get through this together."

**The journey to King's Cross-was very uneventful compared with AJ's trip on the Knight Bus.** **The Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary, though AJ noticed that they could slide through gaps that Uncle Vernon's new company car certainly couldn't have managed.**

"I don't think anything is going to compare to your ride on the on the Hell Bus." Smirked Remus

Andy snickered "We should tell Stan and Ernie that we're changing the name whether they like it or not."

**They reached King's Cross-with twenty minutes to spare; the Ministry drivers found them trolleys, unloaded their trunks, touched their hats in salute to Mr. Weasley, and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving line at the traffic lights. Mr. Weasley kept close to AJ's elbow all the way into the station.**

Ted snorted "Really? Why not just hold her hand and tell her nothing bad will ever happen as long as she's near an adult.

**"Right then," he said, glancing around them. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with AJ."**

"For the love of all that is Holy!" shouted Sirius "I thought the plan was for her NOT to know something was up! You're basically screaming 'something's wrong AJ'."

Molly glared "We wanted her safe and this was the best way possible."

**Mr. Weasley strolled toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, pushing AJ's trolley and apparently very interested in the InterCity 125 that had just arrived at platform nine.** **With a meaningful look at AJ, he leaned casually against the barrier.**

Hermione smirked "It was really funny to watch the two of you acting normal. AJ, you looked bored out of your mind and Mr. Weasley looked like he just committed murder and was trying to cover it up."

"So basically they looked like a bunch of idiots trying not to look suspicious but ended up looking suspicious because they're idiots." Laughed Regulus

**AJ rolled her eyes but imitated him. In a moment, they had fallen sideways through the solid metal onto platform nine and three- quarters and looked up to see the Hogwarts Express, a scarlet steam engine, puffing smoke over a platform packed with witches and wizards seeing their children onto the train.** **Percy and Ginny suddenly appeared behind AJ. They were panting and had apparently taken the barrier at a run.**

Ginny scowled "I could have walked through by myself, I was more than capable."

"If you hadn't noticed," huffed Kingsley "everyone was trying to act normal and if you a twelve year old were to walk through on your own, it would throw up a few red flags."

**"Ah, there's Penelope!" said Percy, smoothing his hair and going pink again.** **Ginny caught AJ's eye, and they both turned away to hide their laughter as Percy strode over to a girl with long, curly hair, walking with his chest thrown out so that she couldn't miss his shiny badge.**

"Her hair sounds cute," stated Tonks "other than that I'm not sure."

Remus nodded "A lot of the males in the school found her very attractive, but she was rather shy around anyone that didn't share a dorm with her."

**Once the remaining Weasley's and Hermione had joined them, AJ and Mr. Weasley led the way to the end of the train, past packed compartments, to a carriage that looked quite empty. They loaded the trunks onto it, stowed Hedwig and Crookshanks in the luggage rack, then went back outside to say goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.**

**Mrs. Weasley kissed all her children, then Hermione, and finally AJ. She had to fight the urge to push her away when she gave her an extra hug.**

Molly blushed "I didn't realize you didn't like to be touched. You never said anything before."

"Well I figured that whenever I stiffen and my muscles tense like I'm about to punch you," snapped AJ "you would get the hint to stop trying to hug me."

"**Do take care, won't you AJ?" she said as she straightened up, her eyes oddly bright.** **Then she opened her enormous handbag and said, "I've made you all sandwiches. Here you are, Ron… no, they're not corned beef… Fred? Where's Fred? Here you are dear…"**

Charlie rolled his eyes "Wow. This entire chapter you have all been so subtle, I can't believe anyone would pick up on any weird vibes!"

"It was really weird," admitted Ron "like AJ was dying or something and they were waiting to tell us at the right time."

"**AJ," said Mr. Weasley quietly, "come over here for a moment."** **He jerked his head towards a pillar, and AJ followed him behind it, leaving the others crowded around Mrs. Weasley.**

Andy hid a smile with great difficulty, it sounded like he wanted to hit on the poor girl without having an audience.

"**There's something I've got to tell you before you leave —" said Mr. Weasley in a tense voice.**

"**It's all right, Mr. Weasley," said AJ, "I already know."**

Hermione rolled her eyes and smacked AJ on the back of the head "Seriously? You couldn't have just played along and made them feel like they were good actors?"

"What can I say?" smirked AJ "I love to kill a dream."

"**You know? How could you know?"**

"**I heard you and Mrs. Wesley talking last night," AJ tried to seem remorseful. "Sorry —"**

Kingsley high fived the girl "Very good, always try to seem sorry when it reality you aren't."

"**That's not the way I'd have chosen for you to find out," said Mr. Weasley looking anxious.**

"**No — honestly it's okay. This way, you haven't broken your word to Fudge and I know what's going on."**

"That's good," Bill sounded relieved "at least dad doesn't have to worry about loosing his job over something like this."

Ron looked shocked "I didn't know dad could lose his job over something like that."

"**AJ, you must be scared — "**

"**I'm not," said AJ with a bit of anger.** "_**Really**_**," she added, because Mr. Weasley was looking disbelieving.**

"Why didn't he just take your word for it?" asked Ted

Andy slapped his arm playfully "Hmm maybe because someone was supposedly out for her blood?"

"Yeah," Ted agreed "but it's just another year for these three. Nothing different but a year and a hair color."

"**I'm not trying to be a hero,** **but seriously, Sirius Black can't be worse than Lord Voldemort, can he?"** **Mr. Weasley flinched at the sound of the name, but overlooked it.**

"**AJ, I knew you were, well, made of stronger stuff than Fudge seems to think, and I'm obviously pleased that you're not scared, but —"**

"After what she has already been through, I doubt you're going to find much that she fears." Admitted Regulus

AJ smiled "I have fears Uncle Reggie, but I would not and would never allow them to control my life."

"**Arthur!" called Mrs. Weasley, who was now shepherding the rest onto the train. "Arthur, what are you doing? It's about to go!"**

"**She's coming Molly!" said Mr. Weasley, but he turned back to AJ and kept talking in a lower and more hurried voice, "Listen, I want you to give me your word —"**

Hermione hid a wince "You should never ask someone to promise you something, if they break it, you're left with disappointment on both ends."

" — **that I'll be a good little girl and stay in the castle?" said AJ with malice.**

Kingsley snorted "You can't blame her for being pissed. I'm pissed and it's not even me whose going through this."

"**Not entirely," said Mr. Weasley, who looked more serious than AJ had ever seen him. "AJ, swear to me you won't go **_**looking **_**for Black."**

**AJ narrowed her now brown eyes, "What?"**

Ron gulped "Wow. You're pissed off."

"And she had every right to be pissed!" shouted Sirius "Your father is treating her like an infant, he's putting these thoughts into her head and it's starting to piss me off!"

**There was a loud whistle. Guards were walking along the train, slamming all the doors shut. **"**Promise me, AJ," said Mr. Weasley, talking more quickly still, "that whatever happens —"**

"**Why would I go looking for someone that supposedly wants to kill me?" said AJ blankly.**

Remus nodded his head "Good cub, stick to your convictions and don't let anyone else make you believe something that you don't know for a fact."

"What I want to know," started Charlie "is why you weren't given veritaserum the night of the murders."

Remus snorted angrily before Sirius could respond, "Because according to the Minister there was enough proof against him and Voldemort must have given him powers to fight off the potion."

**They leaned out of the window and waved at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley until the train turned a corner and blocked them from view.**

**"I need to talk to you in private," AJ muttered to Ron and Hermione as the train picked up speed.**

**"Go away, Ginny," said Ron.**

Ginny scowled angrily but kept quiet in fear of adding more punishment even though she knew she didn't deserve it.

**"Oh, that's nice," said Ginny huffily, and she stalked off.**

Andy shrugged "You could have said it a little nicer but no young boy really wants to be around his little sister and his friends."

**AJ, Ron, and Hermione set off down the corridor, looking for an empty compartment, but all were full except for the one at the very end of the train. This had only one occupant, a man sitting fast asleep next to the window.**

"Really?" Ted asked with humor "Pretending to sleep while spying on your daughter. Very nice."

**AJ, Ron, and Hermione checked on the threshold. The Hogwarts Express was usually reserved for students and they had never seen an adult there before, except for the witch who pushed the food cart.** **The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted.**

Bill grinned, "Show some respect young lady! That is your father you're talking about!"

"Shut up you giant ass!" snapped Charlie with a smirk

**"Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron hissed as they sat down and slid the door shut, taking the seats farthest away from the window as to not disturb the occupant.**

**"Professor R. J. Lupin," whispered Hermione at once.**

"How did you know that?" Sirius asked while Hermione just snickered.

**"How d'you know that?"**

**"It's on his case," she replied, pointing at the luggage rack over the man's head, where there was a small, battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string. The name Professor R. J. Lupin was stamped across one corner in peeling letters. The name stirred something in AJ's memory; she knew that name from somewhere.**

AJ smiled at the shocked yet pleased look on her papas face, he was beyond happy that she also remembered him. He and Sirius had spent so much time with AJ when she was just a baby; he had hoped she would remember them.

**"Wonder what he teaches?" said Ron, frowning at Professor Lupin's pallid profile.**

**"That's obvious," whispered Hermione. "There's only one vacancy, isn't there? Defense Against the Dark Arts."**

"I really did love teaching that subject," Remus admitted sadly. Sirius kissed his husband, he hated to hear or see Remus upset and Snape being the cause of the sadness just made him angrier.

**AJ, Ron, and Hermione had already had two Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, both of whom had lasted only one year. There were rumors' that the job was jinxed.**

Dumbledore refused to acknowledge the questioning looks he was gaining, he wasn't sure yet but with a little more research he would know for sure.

**"Well, I hope he's up to it," said Ron doubtfully. "He looks like one good hex would finish him off,** **doesn't he? Anyway..." He turned to AJ. "What were you going to tell us?"**

Andy glared at Ron "One hex would finish him off? I somehow doubt he looked that bad."

**AJ explained all about Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's argument and the warning Mr. Weasley had just given her. When she'd finished, Ron looked thunderstruck, and Hermione had her hands over her mouth.**

Hermione rolled her eyes "I was concerned you ass! You're my friend and I worry about you and you hadn't told me about how you recognized Sirius!"

**She finally lowered them to say, "Sirius Black escaped to come after you? Oh, AJ... you'll have to be really, really careful. Don't go looking for trouble, AJ-"**

**"I don't go looking for trouble," joked AJ. "Trouble usually finds me."**

"It really does seem to be drawn to you kid," agreed Kingsley "you should be proud. Most people would be living in a bubble by now or be six feet under."

Regulus punched him in the arm "That's my niece! Watch what you say!"

**"How thick would AJ have to be, to go looking for a nutter who wants to kill him?" said Ron shakily.** **They were taking the news worse than AJ had expected.**

"You just told them someone was after your blood," Charlie said delicately "any true friend would be upset by that."

**Both Ron and Hermione seemed to be much more frightened of Black than she was. Then again they didn't think he was innocent because of foggy memories.**

**"No one knows how he got out of Azkaban," said Ron uncomfortably. "No one's ever done it before. And he was a top-security prisoner too."**

"That's because no one is as awesome as I am in the art of escaping." Sirius said with a smug grin

Snape rolled his eyes "You should be very proud of your abilities."

**"But they'll catch him, won't they?" said Hermione earnestly. "I mean, they've got all the Muggles looking out for him too..."**

AJ hid a shudder at the thought of her dad being caught; losing her family was her worst nightmare. She wasn't sure what she would do without them now that she had them in her life.

**"What's that noise?" said Ron suddenly.** **A faint, tinny sort of whistle was coming from somewhere. They looked all around the compartment.** **"It's coming from your trunk, AJ," said Ron, standing up and reaching into the luggage rack.**

"That could very well wake up the person you so lovely said could be finished off with one hex." Snickered Bill

**A moment later he had pulled the Pocket Sneakoscope out from between AJ's robes. It was spinning very fast in the palm of Ron's hand and glowing brilliantly.**

**"Is that a Sneakoscope?" said Hermione interestedly, standing up for a better look.**

"They really are cool," admitted Andy "Dora had one as a child but for some reason she ended up giving it away to a younger student."

Tonks blushed deep red "I just…didn't want to play with it anymore."

**"Yeah... mind you, it's a very cheap one," Ron said. "It went haywire just as I was tying it to Errol's leg to send it to AJ."**

**"Were you doing anything untrustworthy at the time?" said Hermione shrewdly.**

"Why did you accuse him right off the bat?" Molly asked sharply

Hermione blinked "Well it detects when someone is being untrustworthy…so obviously someone had to have been doing something wrong and since Ron was sending it, you can draw your own conclusions from there."

**"No! Well... I wasn't supposed to be using Errol. You know he's not really up to long journeys... but how else was I supposed to get AJ's present to her?"**

"Give it to her after her birthday and explain the situations." Snape muttered with hatred

**"Stick it back in the trunk," AJ advised as the Sneakoscope whistled piercingly, "or it'll wake him up." She nodded toward Professor Lupin. Judging by his breathing he was awake but she couldn't be sure.**

Sirius smiled "You're such a good investigator and you don't even know it."

**Ron stuffed the Sneakoscope into a particularly horrible pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks, which deadened the sound, then closed the lid of the trunk on it.** **"We could get it checked in Hogsmeade," said Ron, sitting back down.**

Ron blushed "I'm sorry AJ, I didn't know and you hadn't told us yet."

"Chill out," smiled AJ "you were just excited and you're right, I hadn't told you guys I couldn't go."

**"They sell that sort of thing in Dervish and Banges, magical instruments and stuff. Fred and George told me." **

**"Do you know much about Hogsmeade?" asked Hermione keenly. "I've read it's the only entirely non-Muggle settlement in Britain -"**

Ted grinned "Being muggle born makes going there for the first time even more enjoyable."

"I really enjoyed all the shops and just being able to people watch," admitted Hermione "it was like walking around in a picture book."

**"Yeah, I think it is," said Ron in an offhand sort of way.** **"But that's not why I want to go. I just want to get inside Honey Dukes."**

Remus looked a little dazed, he loved their chocolate yum balls, they were his favorite next the Chocolate Frogs.

**"What's that?" said Hermione.**

**"It's this sweetshop," said Ron, a dreamy look coming over his face, "where they've got everything... Pepper Imps - they make you smoke at the mouth - and great fat Chocoballs full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream, and really excellent sugar quills, which you can suck in class and just look like you're thinking what to write next -"**

Regulus grimaced "You're going to wind up a diabetic by the time your twenty at the rate you're going."

"The sugar quills are good," admitted Kingsley "but they're too sugary to eat all the time. You'll get sick real quick if you eat more than one a week."

**"But Hogsmeade's a very interesting place, isn't it?" Hermione pressed on eagerly. "In Sites of Historical Sorcery it says the inn was the headquarters for the 1612 goblin rebellion, and the Shrieking Shacks supposed to be the most severely haunted building in Britain -"**

Remus waved off the apology he knew was coming from the blushing teen.

**"- and massive sherbet balls that make you levitate a few inches off the ground while you're sucking them,"** **said Ron, who was plainly not listening to a word Hermione was saying.**

Charlie and AJ shared a laugh that was typical Ron and Hermione.

**Hermione looked around at AJ.** **"Won't it be nice to get out of school for a bit and explore Hogsmeade?"**

**"Sure it will," said AJ with sarcasm. "You'll have to tell me when you've found out."**

Snape narrowed his eyes and the grinning girl; he knew she went to that damn Hogsmeade. She was determined to give him a heart attack. He was sure of it.

**"What d'you mean?" said Ron.**

**"I can't go. The Dursleys didn't sign my permission form, and Fudge wouldn't either."**

Tonks laughed loudly "I love that you asked the Minister of Magic to sign it."

**Ron looked horrified.** **"You're not allowed to come? But - no way - McGonagall or someone will give you permission - "**

**AJ gave a hollow laugh. Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor house, was very strict.**

"She seems to have a soft spot for you three though." Smiled Andy

Regulus snickered "Oh yeah judging by their first year, she was a real peach."

"– **or we can ask Fred and George, they know every secret passage out of the castle —"**

Molly bit the inside of her lip to prevent herself from ranting about how dangerous that could be. She would need to talk to the twins about their mischief.

"**Ron!" said Hermione sharply. "I don't think AJ should be sneaking out of the school with Black on the loose —"**

"**Yeah, I expect that's what McGonagall will say when I ask of permission," said AJ with annoyance.**

"Well," Sirius shifted "if there was a murder on the lose I wouldn't want you leaving the castle at all no matter what."

AJ blinked "That's because you're a good parent and you want me safe. What was annoying me was that they were all treating me like a child and I couldn't handle the facts, they aren't my guardians and shouldn't have kept things from me." Remus and Sirius shared meaningful looks, they would tell AJ what she needed to know before it was too late, and losing their daughter over something silly was not on their to-do list.

"**But if we're with her," said Ron spiritedly to Hermione. "Black wouldn't dare —"**

"**Oh, Ron, don't talk rubbish," snapped Hermione. "Black's already murdered a whole bunch of people in the middle of a crowded street, do you really think he's going to worry about attacking AJ just because we're there?"**

"Lets just say Sirius was out for AJ's blood" seeing the look he was getting Ted hurried to finish, " a mass murderer isn't going to be concerned about killing two more people just to get to the one he wants."

Ron blushed deeply "I get it Mr. Tonks, I was being an idiot. We can move on now."

**She was fumbling with the straps of Crookshanks basket as she spoke.**

**"Don't let that thing out!" Ron said, but too late; Crookshanks leapt lightly from the basket, stretched, yawned, and sprang onto Ron's knees; the lump in Ron's pocket trembled and he shoved Crookshanks angrily away.** "**Get out of it!"**

"I don't think letting him out of the basket on the train was the best idea you've ever had Mio." Bill said gently

Hermione frowned "I guess, but keeping him locked up seemed cruel and I didn't want him to think I was like his other owners."

"**Ron, don't!" said Hermione angrily.**

**Ron was about to answer back when Professor Lupin stirred. They watched him apprehensively, but he simply turned his head the other way, mouth slightly open, and slept on.** **AJ grinned to herself, it seemed the new professor had a sense of humor.**

"You'll need a sense of humor when it comes to a job that's cursed." Muttered Charlie "Maybe you could joke your way out of an untimely death."

AJ snickered "Now wait, only one died. Papa had a good chance of making it past the one year mark."

**The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the scenery outside the window became wilder and darker while the clouds overhead thickened overhead. People were chasing backwards and forwards past the door of their compartment. Crookshanks had now settled in an empty seat, his squashed face turned towards Ron, his yellow eyes on Ron's top pocket.**

Tonks threw her arms up "Another red flag! Sweet Merlin how can you people not notice these signs?"

"Maybe because they're not fully trained Aurors and are just teenagers trying to get to school in one piece." Regulus stated calmly with a little eye roll

**At one o'clock the plump witch with the food cart arrived at the compartment door.**

"**D'you think we should wake him up?" Ron asked awkwardly, nodding towards Professor Lupin. "He looks like he could do with some food."**

Remus looked ill at the thought "It takes at least a week for my appetite to return after the full moon. But thank you for trying."

**Hermione approached Professor Lupin cautiously.** "**Er — Professor?" she said. "Excuse me — Professor?"** **He didn't move.**

"That's because he's a true marauder and we never break our character when we are spying." Grinned Sirius

"**Don't worry, dear," said the witch, as she handed a large stack of cauldron cakes. "If he's hungry when he wakes, I'll be up front with the driver."**

"**I suppose he is asleep?" said Ron quietly, as the witch slid the compartment door closed. "I mean — he hasn't died, has he?"**

Andy raised a brow "You thought he was dead?"

"Well not dead," explained Ron "more like a bear when they're hibernating."

"**No, no, he's breathing," whispered Hermione; taking the cauldron cake AJ passed her.**

**He might not be very good company,** **but Professor Lupin's presence in their compartment had its uses.** **Mid-afternoon, just as it had started to rain, blurring the rolling hills outside the window, they heard footsteps outside in the corridor again, and their three least favorite people appeared at the door: Draco Malfoy, flanked by his cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.**

"Just hex the lot of them and get it over with." Muttered Charlie "You know you want to and it's not like anyone besides Snape would care."

Molly looked shocked "Your brother and his friends are not going to hex innocent children! That is uncalled for Charles Weasley!"

**Draco Malfoy and AJ had been enemies ever since they had met on their very first journey to Hogwarts. Malfoy, who had a pale, pointed, sneering face, was in Slytherin house; he played Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team, the same position that AJ played on the Gryffindor team.** **Crabbe and Goyle seemed to exist to do Malfoy's bidding. They were both wide and muscularly; Crabbe was taller, with a pudding-bowl haircut and a very thick neck; Goyle had short, bristly hair and long, gorilla-ish arms.**

AJ grimaced "Just hearing about them makes me want to vomit."

"Do they have girlfriends?" Tonks asked with a grinned

AJ smirked "Malfoy has been getting close to a few Slytherin girls but Crabbe and Goyle are hopelessly single it seems."

**"Well, look who it is," said Malfoy in his usual lazy drawl, pulling open the compartment door. "Potty and the Weasel." Crabbe and Goyle chuckled trollishly. "I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley," said Malfoy. "Did your mother die of shock?"**

Bill shook his head "I'm sick of Malfoy always bringing money into this, we've been over it before, I know that. But seriously, this kid has to come up with more insults."

"Maybe in the years to come he'll become more clever," chuckled Ted "but seeing as the way his parents are I somehow doubt it. Just gotta get used to the horrible insults."

**Ron stood up so quickly he knocked Crookshanks basket to the floor. Professor Lupin gave a snort, it seemed his sleeping act was wearing on him thought AJ. **

"No that's not it sweets," argued Regulus "he's feeling protective of his cub and when that happens it takes a lot for him to calm down."

**"Who's that?" said Malfoy, taking an automatic step backward as he spotted Lupin.**

**"New teacher," said AJ, who got to her feet, too, in case she needed to hold Ron back.** **"What were you saying, Malfoy?"**

"Yeah right," laughed Kingsley "he's too much of a chicken to talk shit in front of a teacher."

**Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed; he wasn't fool enough to pick a fight right under a teacher's nose. "C'mon," he muttered resentfully to Crabbe and Goyle, and they disappeared.**

**AJ and Ron sat down again, Ron massaging his knuckles.** **"I'm not going to take any crap from Malfoy this year," he said angrily. "I mean it. If he makes one more crack about my family, I'm going to get hold of his head and -" Ron made a violent gesture in midair.**

Snape sneered, "Keep your temper under control Weasley. Mr. Malfoy has had years of watching his parents duel and you don't stand a chance."

"I can hold my own against a future death eater." Muttered Ron with a slight blush

**"Ron," hissed Hermione, pointing at Professor Lupin, "be careful..."** **But Professor Lupin was still fast asleep. The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering grey, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks. The train rattled, the rain hammered and roared, but still, Professor Lupin slept.**

"Even if I was asleep," smirked Remus "the rain won't wake me up. I'm a very heavy sleeper."

Regulus rolled his eyes "Lucky you. Sirius snores so damn loud I was surprised you hadn't killed him yet."

**"We must be nearly there," said Ron, leaning forward to look past Professor Lupin at the now completely black window.** **The words had hardly left him when the train started to slow down.**

**"Great," said Ron, getting up and walking carefully past Professor Lupin to try and see outside. "I'm starving. I want to get to the feast..."**

AJ shuddered at the reminder of what was to come. She hated dementors with a passion and having to read about them only fueled her hatred for them.

**"We can't be there yet," said Hermione, checking her watch. "So why're we stopping?"**

Bill tensed "Because Fudge is a jackass and has nothing better to do than torment children and make everyone miserable."

"That year was awful because of the dementors." Hermione admitted "Fudge caused too many problems that year and should never have been in office after that."

**The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows. AJ, who was nearest the door, got up to look into the corridor. All along the carriage, heads were sticking curiously out of their compartments. The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness.**

The entire room dropped in temperature. None of them knew how they survived going up against dementors; they were all lucky to still be alive.

**"'What's going on?" said Ron's voice from behind AJ.**

**"Ouch!" gasped Hermione. "Ron, that was my foot!"**

**AJ felt his way back to his seat.** **"D'you think we've broken down?"**

Sirius put his head in his hands "No pup you didn't break down, that would be the least of your problems."

"It was horrible," admitted AJ into her dads shoulder "I'm sorry you went through that for all those years."

**"Dunno..."** **There was a squeaking sound, and AJ saw the dim black outline of Ron, wiping a patch clean on the window and peering out.** **"There's something moving out there," Ron said. "I think people are coming aboard..."**

"Fucking hell." Growled Ted "This could have been avoided if Fudge didn't think out his ass."

**The compartment door suddenly opened and someone fell painfully over AJ's legs.**

**"Sorry - d'you know what's going on? - Ouch - sorry -"**

Andy tried to smile "People are always just falling into your lap."

**"Hullo, Neville,"** **said AJ, feeling around in the dark and pulling Neville up by his cloak.**

**"AJ? Is that you? What's happening?"**

"Of course they go to you for all the answers." smiled Charlie

AJ grinned, "I'm the smart one after all love, they should always come to me."

**"No idea - sit down -"** **There was a loud hissing and a yelp of pain; Neville had tried to sit on Crookshanks.**

**"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," came Hermione's voice.** **AJ felt her pass her, heard the door slide open again, and then a thud and two loud squeals of pain.**

Hermione glared at Ginny "I still have no idea why you were out of your compartment."

"I was doing the same thing you were!" snapped Ginny

Hermione snorted "Don't lie Ginny, I know why you were out and you were looking for AJ like you do every time things go from bad to worse."

**"Who's that?"**

**"Who's that?"**

**"Ginny?"**

**"Hermione?"**

"Great," snarked Sirius "now that you know who everyone is can you all just sit back down and wait for Moony to keep you all safe!"

Remus hugged Sirius "She's fine padfoot, she wasn't harmed in the way you're thinking. Calm down."

**"What are you doing?"**

**"I was looking for Ron -"**

Regulus huffed "No need to lie Ginny, just say you were looking for the girl-who-lived."

**"Come in and sit down -"**

**"Not here!" said AJ hurriedly. "I'm here!"**

"What the hell?" chuckled Tonks "You really can't get a break when it comes to getting five minutes of peace."

**"Ouch!" said Neville.**

**"Quiet!" said a hoarse voice suddenly. Professor Lupin appeared to have woken up at last.** **AJ could hear movements in her corner. None of them spoke. There was a soft, crackling noise, and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful of flames.**

"Why didn't you just do lumos?" Ron wondered

"He wouldn't have been able to do lumos and the patronus charm at the same time." Hermione answered quickly

**They illuminated his tired, grey face, but his eyes looked alert and wary.** **"Stay where you are," he said in the same hoarse voice, and he got slowly to his feet with his handful of fire held out in front of him.** **But the door slid slowly open before Professor Lupin could reach it.**

No one could think of anything to say, they were all too worried about what was to come. They didn't want to hear about how AJ and her friends once again came close to the end; dementors were nothing to joke about.

**Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in Professor Lupin's hand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. AJ's eyes darted downward, and what she saw made her stomach contract. There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, greyish, slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water. **

Sirius looked sick but he remained strong for his daughter, he swore once he broke out of prison she would never know of the things that haunted him. AJ was far too important to him for her to worry about him, he was her father after all and he was supposed to do all the worrying.

**But it was visible only for a split second. As though the creature beneath the cloak sensed AJ's gaze, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of its black cloak. And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long; slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings.**

"It knew of the horrors in your past," Snape said without his usual hate. "As long as you live, dementors will be drawn to you, there's nothing you can do about it either. I truly am sorry AJ for what you will experience." There was a shocked silence, no one had hears Snape say so much without adding insults or throwing something, it was a little scary.

**An intense cold swept over them all. AJ felt her own breath catch in her chest. The cold went deeper than her skin. It was inside his chest, it was inside her very heart... AJ's eyes rolled up into his head. She couldn't see. She was drowning in cold. There was a rushing in her ears as though of water. She was being dragged downward, the roaring growing louder. And then, from far away, she heard screaming, terrible, terrified, pleading screams.**

Everyone was frozen in place, no one could think of anything to say. They knew of course AJ would not approve of their pity but the thought of her hearing such painful screams was enough for them to cry and scream at the injustice of it all.

**She wanted to help whoever it was, she tried to move her arms, but couldn't... a thick white fog was swirling around her, inside her -**

**"AJ! AJ! Are you all right?" Someone was slapping her face.**

Andy glared at Remus "I wasn't slapping her! I would never slap her Andy and you know it!"

"Aunt Andy it was tapping, I was so cold at that point though the lightest touch caused massive pain." Stated AJ calmly

**"W - what?" AJ opened her eyes; there were lanterns above her, and the floor was shaking - the Hogwarts Express was moving again and the lights had come back on.** **She seemed to have slid out of her seat onto the floor. Ron and Hermione were kneeling next to her, and above them she could see Neville and Professor Lupin watching. AJ knew him, his golden eyes were familiar and he smelled of chocolate and something she couldn't place yet. It made her feel safe and wanted. **

Remus, Sirius and AJ shared smiles; it was nice to feel wanted and safe. Something the three of them had long been denied.

**AJ felt very sick though; when she put up her hand to push her bangs out of her face, she felt cold sweat on her face. Ron and Hermione heaved her back onto her seat.**

"Thought you died." Ron admitted

AJ glared "Thanks Ron, you always know what to say to make me feel better and less embarrassed."

**"Are you okay?" Ron asked nervously.**

**"Yeah," said AJ, looking quickly toward the door. The hooded creature had vanished. "What happened? Where's that - that thing? Who screamed?"**

Charlie held her hand tightly; he just wanted to take all her pain away. He knew it wasn't possible but if he could he would.

**"No one screamed," said Ron, more nervously still.**

**AJ looked around the bright compartment. Ginny and Neville looked back at her, both very pale.** **"But I heard screaming -"**

**A loud snap made them all jump.**

Ted smiled "Good, get some chocolate in your system and forget all about the dementors."

"It seems like they'll need more than just chocolate to forget about what they all just witnessed daddy." Joked Tonks

**Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces.** **"Here," he said to AJ, handing her a particularly large piece. "Eat it. It'll help."**

**AJ took the chocolate but didn't eat it.** **"What was that thing?" she asked Professor Lupin.**

"You really should have eaten it right away dear." Andy said nervously "The chocolate really does help to calm your body down after such a shock."

**"A Dementor," said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate to everyone else. "One of the Dementors of Azkaban." Everyone stared at him. Professor Lupin crumpled up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket. "Eat," he repeated. "It'll help.**

"Over protective." AJ singsong jokingly

Remus mock glared "Sorry cub, I shouldn't have been so worried about my only daughter."

**I need to speak to the driver, excuse me..."**

**He strolled past AJ and disappeared into the corridor. "Are you sure you're okay, AJ?" said Hermione, watching AJ anxiously.**

"Having a nervous break down would be understandable." Said Tonks

Bill smirked "Nah, my money is on AJ staying calm and cool."

**"I don't get it... What happened?" said AJ, wiping more sweat off her face.**

**"Well - that thing - the Dementor - stood there and looked around (I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face) - and you - you - I thought you were having a fit or something," said Ron, who still looked scared. "You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching - "**

Regulus rolled his eyes "Seriously? That's how you explain what happened?"

"Well it was happened." Ron snapped

"True," Regulus agreed "but when your best friend passes out because of a Dementor, you could try to be a little bit more delicate."

**"And Professor Lupin stepped over you, and walked toward the Dementor, and pulled out his wand," said Hermione, "and he said, 'none of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.' But the Dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and it turned around and sort of glided away... "**

Sirius kissed Remus deeply "You're brilliant love." Remus smiled into the kiss

**"It was horrible," said Neville, in a higher voice than usual. "Did YOU feel how cold it got when it came in?"**

**"I felt weird," said Ron, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. "Like I'd never be cheerful again..."**

"Well they are suckers of all things fun and nice." Andy explained

Kingsley nodded "Voldemort wants to control them so he can control everyone around, too bad he doesn't realize that you can't control a mindless creature like them."

**Ginny, who was huddled in her corner looking nearly as bad as AJ felt, gave a small sob; Hermione went over and put a comforting arm around her.**

Hermione narrowed her eyes, she hated that she was trying to be nice to Ginny after what she put AJ through, and on the other hand she knew Ginny had gone through a lot the previous year.

**"But didn't any of you - fall off your seats?" said AJ awkwardly.**

**"No," said Ron, looking anxiously at AJ again. "Ginny was shaking like mad, though..."**

Snape held back a shudder, he didn't agree with Fudge with dementors and seeing the affects it had on students was only fueling his anger towards the bumbling moron.

**AJ didn't understand. She felt weak and shivery, as though she were recovering from a bad bout of flu; she also felt the beginnings of shame. Why had she gone to pieces like that, when no one else had?**

Sirius blew out a long breath "You've been through a lot in a short amount of time for such a young person. I would be worried if the dementors didn't have an affect on you pup."

"But passing out really lowered my badassness." Grinned AJ

**Professor Lupin had come back.** **He paused as he entered, looked around, and said, with a small smile, "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know..."**

**AJ took a bite and to her great surprise felt warmth spread suddenly to the tips of her fingers and toes.**

All the adults let out a sigh of relief; if she kept putting off eating the chocolate she could have gone into a serious shock.

**"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," said Professor Lupin. "Are you all right, AJ?"**

**AJ could here the concern in his voice, but it was more than that of a professor, the longer she stared at him the more she felt foggy memories come to life.**

"I love your memory," sighed Bill "we could really use it in Egypt."

Charlie glared "I don't think so."

**"Fine," She muttered.**

**They didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat.** **It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets.**

"Your mood always seems to be in sink with the weather." Commented Sirius "Kind of getting a little weird now."

Ted through a pillow "Idiot. That's your daughter, she must get her weirdness from you."

**"Firs' years this way!" called a familiar voice.** **AJ, Ron, and Hermione turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake.** **"All right, you three?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd.**

"He probably heard about the Dementor attack and was worried about you." Smiled Regulus

**They waved at him, but had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform.**

"It seems like more and more people come to Hogwarts each year." Commented Hermione

Remus smiled "Surprisingly only a select few witches and wizards are granted acceptance into Hogwarts. Your name is put on the list at your birth."

**AJ, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled, AJ could only assume, by an invisible horse,** **because when they climbed inside and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession.**

"If only." AJ muttered

Andy smiled sadly "I'm sorry you can see them at such a young age dear. A lot of us didn't see them until our sixth and seventh year because of the war."

**The coach smelled faintly of mold and straw.** **AJ felt better since the chocolate, but still weak. Ron and Hermione kept looking at her sideways, as though frightened she might collapse again.**

Hermione smacked Ron's shoulder "I told you to be subtle!"

"You weren't being all that subtle if you recall!" snapped Ron

**As the carriage trundled toward a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, AJ saw two more towering, hooded Dementors, standing guard on either side. A wave of cold sickness threatened to engulf her again; she leaned back into the lumpy seat and closed her eyes until they had passed the gates.**

The female staff shook with fury at having those things near the students.

**The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Hermione was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and Hermione and Ron got out. As AJ stepped down, a drawling delighted voice sounded in her ear.**

Tonks scowled "Just kick him in the balls and show him whose boss."

"Oh that would have been good!" Kingsley looked gleeful "Just do it, you know you want to."

**"You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?" Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block AJ's way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously.**

**"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.**

Sirius glared "I'm sure he was just calm and collected throughout the whole ordeal."

Andy snickered "Please, he was afraid of the dark until he was twelve and even then Sissa had to keep a candle lit in his room till he fell asleep."

**"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" said Malfoy loudly. "Did the scary old Dementor frighten you too, Weasley?"**

**"Is there a problem?" said a mild voice.**

Regulus grinned madly "Nicely done. Show him not to mess with our AJ."

"He was a teacher," pointed out Bill "even if he wanted to hex the living daylights out of the ass he couldn't without getting into trouble with Malfoy Senior."

**Professor Lupin had just gotten out of the next carriage. Malfoy gave Professor Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase.**

Ted looked angered "Now wait just a damn minute! Why didn't James or even Lily leave you something? James would never leave you guys high and dry."

"The Will of Lily and James Potter were conveniently never read," bit out Sirius "something that will be changing in the near future."

**With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, "Oh, no - er - Professor," then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the steps into the castle.**

"I love when he's flustered." Ron said with a grin

**Hermione prodded Ron in the back to make him hurry, and the three of them joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous entrance hall, which was lit with flaming torches, and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors.**

Once again the mood was filled with smiles and happiness, the dementors were forgotten for the moment at least.

**The door into the Great Hall stood open at the right; AJ followed the crowd toward it, but had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was black and cloudy tonight, when a voice called, "Potter! Granger! I want to see you both!"** **AJ**** and Hermione turned around, surprised.**

Charlie groaned "Great, you're already in trouble and you haven't done anything yet."

**Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor House, was calling over the heads of the crowd. She was a stern looking witch who wore her hair in a tight bun; her sharp eyes were framed with square spectacles. ****AJ fought her way over to her with a feeling of foreboding: Professor McGonagall had a way of making her feel she must have done something wrong.**

**"There's no need to look so worried - I just want a word in my office," she told them. "Move along there, Weasley."**

****The golden trio all shared looks, going anywhere with McGonagall was bad for them.

**Ron stared as Professor McGonagall ushered AJ and Hermione away from the chattering crowd; they accompanied her across the entrance hall, up the marble staircase, and along a corridor. Once they were in her office, a small room with a large, welcoming fire, Professor McGonagall motioned AJ and Hermione to sit down.**

"Wait," Kingsley looked shocked "Ron didn't have to go too?" You three are always together, it seems weird that you aren't together for this too."

Ron smiled "They weren't in trouble or anything and for once Professor McGonagall didn't have to yell at me over something."

**She settled herself behind her desk and said abruptly, "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train, Potter."**

Remus looked guilty "I didn't say ill, I just explained the Dementor attack had an affect on you that should be noted."

"Right because that sounds so much better than taken ill." Laughed Ted

**Before AJ could reply, there was a soft knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, came bustling in.** **AJ felt her hair turning a light purple.** **It was bad enough that she'd passed out, or whatever she had done, without everyone making all this fuss.**

Andy laughed, "Everything that happens at Hogwarts that causes a student injury is Madam Pomfrey's business."

"Trust me," Tonks grumbled "I was always in her wing because of an injury and she would always treat it as a life or death situation."

**"It was a Dementor, Poppy," said Professor McGonagall.** **They exchanged a dark look, and Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly.**

**"Setting dementors around a school," she muttered, pushing back AJ's purple hair and feeling her forehead. "She won't be the last one who collapses. Yes, she's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate..."**

"Delicate?" Charlie muttered, "My girlfriend is anything but delicate, trust me."

Regulus stared at the guilty looking dragon keeper "Sorry, I didn't catch that, want to repeat it dragon boy?" Charlie hastily shook his head "no" and silently prayed he would learn to keep his mouth shut.

**"I'm not delicate!" said AJ crossly.**

**"Of course you're not," said Madam Pomfrey absentmindedly, now taking her pulse.**

Hermione smirked "Right of course your not."

"Bite me babe," snarked AJ

**"What does she need?" said Professor McGonagall crisply. "Bed rest? Should he perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?"**

Sirius closed his eyes "Or maybe a cup of hot chocolate and a good nights rest."

**"I'm fine!" said AJ, jumping up. The thought of what Draco Malfoy would say if she had to go to the hospital wing was torture.**

AJ shuddered "I would have kicked his ass and been expelled for the hexes I would have inflicted on his sorry ass."

**"Well, she should have some chocolate, at the very least," said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into AJ's eyes.**

**"I've already had some," said AJ. "Professor Lupin gave me some. He gave it to all of us."**

Bill smiled warmly "Maybe you'll have a teacher that actually knows about the class this year."

"Professor Lupin was the best teacher we ever had," admitted Hermione "he actually cared about us and wanted us to know how to defend ourselves."

**"Did he, now?" said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. "So we've finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?"**

Remus blushed at the praise coming from the usually strict women.

**"Are you sure you feel all right, Potter?" Professor McGonagall said sharply.**

**"Yes, "said AJ.**

"Man they were both working on my nerves." Muttered AJ

Ron stifled a laugh "They were just concerned about your health AJ, you are delicate after all."

**"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Granger about her course schedule, then we can go down to the feast together."**

Hermione ignored the questioning looks in favor of examining her nails and wondering if she should paint them sometime soon.

**AJ went back into the corridor with Madam Pomfrey, who left for the hospital wing, muttering to herself. She had to wait only a few minutes; then Hermione emerged looking very happy about something,** **followed by Professor McGonagall, and the three of them made their way back down the marble staircase to the Great Hall.**

"What happened?" Tonks asked eagerly but only got a small grin in return

**It was a sea of pointed black hats; each of the long House tables was lined with students, their faces glimmering by the light of thousands of candles, which were floating over the tables in midair. Professor Flitwick, who was a tiny little wizard with a shock of white hair, was carrying an ancient hat and a three-legged stool out of the hall.**

**"Oh," said Hermione softly, "we've missed the Sorting!"**

"You seem to be doing that a lot lately," joked Andy "at least this time it wasn't due to a flying car."

Charlie snickered "I doubt they see the flying car for awhile, they need to have different adventures."

**New students at Hogwarts were sorted into Houses by trying on the sorting Hat, which shouted out the House they were best suited to (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin).** **Professor McGonagall strode off toward her empty seat at the staff table, and AJ and Hermione set off in the other direction, as quietly as possible, toward the Gryffindor table. People looked around at them as they passed along the back of the hall, and a few of them pointed at AJ.**

"The news traveled really fast," stated Ron "even fast for Hogwarts standards."

AJ laughed humorlessly "Just because it had to do with the famous Alessandra Potter. If it was just some random kid no one would have given a damn."

**Had the story of her collapsing in front of the Dementor travelled that fast?** **Sh****e and Hermione sat down on either side of Ron, who had saved them seats.**

**"What was all that about?" he muttered to AJ.**

"Just people being assholes and wondering why the famous girl-who-lived would faint over something so serious." Scowled Charlie

Sirius reluctantly agreed "Ignore them, they just want to gossip and make something bigger out of the already big issue."

**AJ started to explain in a whisper, but at that moment the headmaster stood up to speak, and she broke off. Professor Dumbledore, though very old, always gave an impression of great energy. He had several feet of long silver hair and beard, half-moon spectacles, and an extremely crooked nose. **

Dumbledore smiled at AJ while Molly was looking towards the ceiling wondering why AJ couldn't be more polite towards the headmaster.

**He was often described as the greatest wizard of the age, but that wasn't why AJ respected him. You couldn't help trusting Albus Dumbledore,** **and as AJ watched him beaming around at the students, she felt really calm for the first time since the Dementor had entered the train compartment.**

"You do have a very calming affect on people Sir," stated Tonks "that's probably why so many people are drawn to you."

**"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast..."** **Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business." He paused, and AJ remembered what Mr. Weasley had said about Dumbledore not being happy with the dementors guarding the school. "They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises - or even Invisibility Cloaks," he added blandly, and AJ and Ron glanced at each other.**

AJ and Ron high fived each other while Hermione tried to look disapproving but was failing miserably.

**"It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors," he said. Percy, who was sitting a few seats down from AJ, puffed out his chest again and stared around impressively.**

Remus fought to not laugh "I wanted to prank him while I was teaching, but I knew it wouldn't end well."

"You taught them some pranks didn't you?" AJ looked positively gleeful while her papa smiled and winked at her

**Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound.** **"On a happier note," he continued,** **"I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."** **There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause.**

Kingsley huffed "They were used to having crappy teachers and didn't know how lucky they were to have you for a professor."

"Wow," smirked Regulus "you're such a kiss ass." Remus eyed the two of them, which cut off any future reply from either

**Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Professor Lupin clapped hard, AJ among them.** **Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes.**

AJ tried to hide a wince but failed when her papa smiled at her and kissed her head.

**"Look at Snape!" Ron hissed in AJ's ear.**

**Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Professor Lupin. It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the Defense Against the Dark Arts job,** **but even AJ, who hated Snape, was startled at the expression twisting his thin, sallow face. **

Snape glared at the girl, he really hated her observant skills. He didn't hate Lupin or even AJ, he hated that he had lost everything for selfish reasons and he was mad at the time because of Black and his own narrow-mindedness to see the truth.

**It was beyond anger: it was loathing.** **AJ knew that expression only too well; it was the look Snape wore every time he set eyes on AJ. **

Everyone glared at the Potions master who was trying to hide is own self-loathing.

**"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his game keeping duties."**

Hermione, Ron and AJ all started to clap and cheer. They loved Hagrid and having him has their professor was awesome.

**AJ, Ron, and Hermione stared at one another, stunned. Then they joined in with the applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular. AJ leaned forward to see Hagrid, who was ruby-red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard.**

Andy grinned widely "He's such a sweet man and you three are very lucky to have him as friend and professor."

**"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?"** **AJ, Ron, and Hermione were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.**

**"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"**

Ron's stomach growled at the anticipation of food.

**The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. AJ, suddenly ravenous, helped herself to everything she could reach and began to eat. It was a delicious feast; the hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks. AJ, Ron, and Hermione, however, were eager for it to finish so that they could talk to Hagrid. **

"He's very lucky to have the three of you in his life." Dumbledore said quietly

**They knew how much being made a teacher would mean to him. Hagrid wasn't a fully qualified wizard; he had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year for a crime he had not committed. It had been AJ, Ron, and Hermione who had cleared Hagrid's name last year.**

Ted pretended to be crying "You three are so sweet, I wish I had friends like you guys when I was in school."

"Dad!" Tonks yelled, "Don't be such a weirdo, they are sweet and Hagrid is lucky to be friends with them!"

**At long last, when the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them all to go to bed, and they got their chance.**

**"Congratulations, Hagrid!" Hermione squealed as they reached the teachers' table.**

Remus rubbed his ear in remembrance, he had very sensitive ears and that sounded like a nail on a chalkboard.

**"All down ter you three," said Hagrid, wiping his shining face on his napkin as he looked up at them. "Can' believe it... great man, Dumbledore... came straight down to me hut after Professor Kettleburn said he'd had enough... It's what I always wanted -"** **Overcome with emotion, he buried his face in his napkin, and Professor McGonagall shooed them away.**

Bill elbowed Hermione "Good job making the poor guy cry."

"We didn't mean to you big oaf!" she joked, "We forgot that he's a sensitive soul and needs to be treated as such."

**AJ, Ron, and Hermione joined the Gryffindor's streaming up the marble staircase and, very tired now, along more corridors, up more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower's large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress** **asked them, "Password?"**

"Why doesn't he leave the feast early and wait by the door so people aren't waiting." Sirius asked

Ted shrugged "He was probably busy getting freaky with his girlfriend."

**"Coming through, coming through!" Percy called from behind the crowd. "The new password's 'Fortuna Major'!"**

**"Oh no," said Neville Longbottom sadly.** **He always had trouble remembering the passwords. Through the portrait hole and across the common room, the girls and boys divided toward their separate staircases. AJ climbed the spiral stair with no thought in her head except how glad she was to be back.**

AJ smiled, "I love coming home and seeing how everything is still the same yet different."

"That's how it's supposed to feel," said Charlie "Hogwarts is your home punk and it always will be."

**AJ and Hermione walked into their large gold and red room with three other Gryffindor girls. AJ transfigured her and Hermione's beds together and throwing up a silencing charm so the other wouldn't hear what they were talking about.**

"You really should be sleeping," Remus, stated, "you had a long train ride and the dementors are nothing to be casual about."

AJ smiled "I'll remember that for next time papa, promise."

**AJ explained in great detail about her foggy memories about Sirius Black and Professor Lupin, she told Hermione how she felt that Sirius was innocent and maybe she knew them from when she was younger. Hermione acted in true fashion by hugging the life out of her and telling her she believed her no matter what they would figure out someway to uncover these memories.**

Remus handed the book to his smiling daughter **"****TALONS AND TEA LEAVES…"**

**AN: I was planning on putting AJ in an extra class but I decided against it, sorry about that! Also Arthur and the twins will be back soon. I have a plan for them but it won't make sense till after 4****th**** book **hint hint**. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! Feel free to PM me with questions or requests; I'll try to incorporate them in somehow. Thanks again :)**


	48. Talons and Tea Leaves

**When AJ, Ron, and Hermione entered the Great Hall for breakfast the next day, the first thing they saw was Draco Malfoy, who seemed to be entertaining a large group of Slytherins with a very funny story.** **As they passed, Malfoy did a ridiculous impression of a swooning fit and there was a roar of laughter.**

Charlie scowled "Right, I'm sure he was very brave through the entire Dementor encounter."

"More like hiding in someone else's compartment." Muttered Ron with a small smirk

**"Ignore him," said Hermione, who was right behind AJ. "Just ignore him, it's not worth it..."**

**"Hey, Potter!" shrieked Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin girl with a face like a pug. "Potter! The dementors are coming, Potter! Woooooooooo!"**

"First of all, great description of that pathetic little brat," complimented Regulus "second of all, ignore her considering she has no idea what she's talking about and sounds like a complete and utter moron."

Andy bumped his shoulder "Seems that our old house has some issues with coming up with proper insults and they really need a good talking to."

**AJ dropped into a seat at the Gryffindor table, next to George Weasley.** **"New third-year course schedules," said George, passing then, over. "What's up with you, AJ?"**

"The twins will be able to make you feel better," Remus said with conviction "they always know when someone needs to be cheered up."

**"Malfoy," said Ron, sitting down on George's other side and glaring over at the Slytherin table. **

**George looked up in time to see Malfoy pretending to faint with terror again.** **"That little git," he said calmly. "He wasn't so cocky last night when the dementors were down at our end of the train. Came running into our compartment, didn't he, Fred?"**

No one could or wanted to hold back their laughter, Malfoy was a jerk and they knew he was following in his fathers' footsteps.

**"Nearly wet himself,"** **said Fred, with a contemptuous glance at Malfoy.**

AJ smiled "That was probably the best news I had gotten all day. Anything that involves Malfoy making an ass out of himself makes me happy."

**"I wasn't too happy myself," said George. "They're horrible things, those dementors..."**

**"Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?" said Fred.**

"That's pretty much what they do," Sirius ground out "it's how they control you so they can suck out your soul when the time comes."

Hermione grimaced "I don't like that the Wizarding World has something like that, I know that there is evil no matter what but those creatures are beyond evil."

**"You didn't pass out, though, did you?" said AJ in a low voice.**

Ted shook his head "Don't worry about that hun, they have a different affect on everyone and sometimes it's worse then others."

**"Forget it, AJ," said George bracingly. "Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember, Fred? And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been, he came back all weak and shaking... They suck the happiness out of a place, dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad in there."**

"You don't go to Azkaban and think 'wow this place is just like Disney'. Remarked Tonks

**"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Quidditch match," said Fred. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?"**

Bill was almost jumping in his seat with excitement, "Good! Kick the shit out of those pansies!"

**The only time AJ and Malfoy had faced each other in a Quidditch match, Malfoy had definitely come off worse.** **Feeling slightly more cheerful, AJ helped herself to sausages and fried tomatoes. Hermione was examining her new schedule.**

"What's with the talk about schedules and having McGonagall talk to you yesterday?" Kingsley asked

Hermione shrugged "Who knows? But the talk wasn't important." AJ caught Hermione's eye and smiled reassuringly about the time turner.

**"Ooh, good, we're starting some new subjects today," she said happily.**

"**Hermione," said Ron, frowning as he looked over her shoulder, "they've messed up your timetable. Look — they've got you down for about ten subjects a day.**

"That can't be possible." Stated Andy "You would be in about two or three classes at once which is obviously impossible."

Sirius shook his head "Nothing is impossible, besides there really could have been a mistake."

**There isn't enough **_**time**_**."**

"**I'll manage. I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."**

"Be careful with whatever you have planned." Remus said in his professor tone "If you aren't careful you could end up in serious trouble."

"**But look," said Ron, laughing, "see this morning? Nine o'clock, Divination. And underneath, nine o'clock, Muggle Studies. And —" Ron leaned closer to the timetable, disbelieving, "**_**look**_— **underneath that, Arithmancy, **_**nine o'clock**_**. I mean, I know you're good, Hermione, but no one's **_**that **_**good. How're you supposed to be in three classes at once?"**

"Anyone else getting the feeling there is something going on?" Tonks wondered

Ron jumped in "No nothing is going on, she wasn't doing anything wrong or illegal in anyway. So stop jumping all over her!" AJ rolled her eyes Ron was anything but subtle

"**Don't be silly," said Hermione shortly. "Of course I won't be in three classes at once."**

"**Well then —"**

"**Pass the marmalade," said Hermione.**

AJ couldn't help but laughing "Smooth move baby doll. Changing the subject like a pro, you should go into law."

"Ha ha. Very funny." Muttered Hermione but a small smile was playing on her face.

"**But —"**

"**Oh, Ron, what's it to you if my timetable's a bit full?" Hermione snapped. **"**I told you, I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."**

Ted raised a brow "Wow, I can see that you have everything handled and you're taking the stress of third year really well."

"It gets better," laughed AJ "her mood swings are hilarious."

**Just then, Hagrid entered the Great Hall. He was wearing his long moleskin overcoat and was absent-mindedly swinging a dead polecat from one enormous hand.** "**All righ'?" he said eagerly, pausing on his way to the staff table. "Yer in my firs' ever lesson! Right after lunch! Bin up since five getting' everthin' ready… hope it's okay… me, a teacher… hones'ly…"**

"Hagrid is probably a brilliant teacher," said Charlie "he's always been amazing with animals and he really does love the students at Hogwarts."

Bill smirked "Filch would make a good teacher, he's good with his cat. And all the students would be too afraid to misbehave in fear of him chaining them to the wall or something."

"We'll take that thought into consideration." Snape snarked with malice

**He grinned broadly at them and headed off to the staff table, still swinging the polecat.**

"**Wonder what he's been getting ready?" said Ron, a note of anxiety in his voice.** **The Hall was starting to empty as people headed off towards their first lesson. Ron checked his schedule.** "**We'd better go, look, Divination's at the top of North Tower. It'll take us ten minutes to get there…"**

Sirius winced "You don't how to get into her room though and the ghosts on that end aren't the most helpful."

"You would know love," Remus mumbled with a grin "a lot of them were friendly till someone started to torment them over their untimely deaths."

**They finished breakfast hastily, said goodbye to Fred and George and walked back through the hall. As they passed the Slytherin table, Malfoy did yet another impression of a fainting fit.** **The shouts of laughter followed AJ into the Entrance Hall.** **The journey through the castle to North Tower was a long one. Two years at Hogwarts hadn't taught them everything about the castle, and they had never been inside North Tower before.**

"There's nothing in the North Tower anymore." Said Ted "When we were students we used to use the North Tower to make out but then Divination moved up there and we lost our prime make out spot."

Tonks looked green "Thanks for that awesome sorry dad, now I'm starting to see why my conception happened so early."

"**There's — got — to — be — a — short — cut," Ron panted,** **as they climbed the seven long staircase and emerged on an unfamiliar landing, where there was nothing but a large painting of a bare stretch of grass hanging on the stone wall.**

Sirius huffed "Of course there is a short cut and I am completely disappointed in your for not knowing where it is or how to use it to your advantage."

"Sorry daddy," grinned AJ "I'll make you proud this year. We'll find shortcuts that even you don't know about."

"**I think it's this way," said Hermione, peering down the empty passage to the right.**

"**Can't be," said Ron. "That's south. Look, you can see a bit of the lake outside the window…"**

Regulus looked shocked "Wow…no offence Ron but I didn't expect you to know that…or be that observant."

"What a nice backhanded compliment that was," joked Andy "how's single life going for you? I'm thinking it's going to be like that for awhile."

**AJ was watching the painting.** **A fat, dappled-gray pony had just ambled onto the grass and was grazing nonchalantly. **

"Just walk away," advised Charlie "just walk away and don't look back. That painting is horrible and he will not help you besides making you want to kill it."

**AJ was used to the subjects of Hogwarts paintings moving around and leaving their frames to visit each other, but she always enjoyed watching them. A moment later, a short, squat knight in a suit of armor had clanked into the picture after his pony. By the look of the grass stains on his metal knees, he had just fallen off.**

Snape rolled his eyes, that Knight should have been banned from Hogwarts years ago. He was always following Snape around and asking him questions about the Dark Lord.

"**Aha!" he yelled, seeing AJ, Ron and Hermione. "What villains are these, that trespass upon my private lands! Come to scorn at my fall, perchance? Draw, you knaves, you dogs!"**

"Well your screwed." Deadpanned Kingsley

**They watched in astonishment as the little knight tugged his sword out of its scabbard and began brandishing it violently, hopping up and down in rage. But the sword was too long for him; a particularly wild swing made him overbalance, and he landed face down in the grass.**

Hermione and Ron laughed at the memory of the little knight falling because of his sword.

**"Are you all right?" said AJ, moving closer to the picture.**

"Stop staring at me," mumbled AJ "it was reflex to ask if he was okay."

**"Get back, you scurvy braggart! Back, you rogue!" The knight seized his sword again and used it to push himself back up, but the blade sank deeply into the grass and, though he pulled with all his might, he couldn't get it out again. **

Remus laughed, "This is better then going to class, just skip and torment the knight. You'll learn a lot more with him then the old bat."

**Finally, he had to flop back down onto the grass and push up his visor to mop his sweating face.**

**"Listen," said AJ, taking advantage of the knight's exhaustion, "we're looking for the North Tower. You don't know the way, do you?"**

Kingsley scowled "Bad movie kid. He'll help you alright but it's going to be a quest not just a simple follow my directions."

"Have a bad run in with the friendly knight?" Tonks asked with a smirked

Kingsley turned away "Maybe, maybe not."

**"A quest!" The knight's rage seemed to vanish instantly. He clanked to his feet and shouted, "Come follow me, dear friends, and we shall find our goal, or else shall perish bravely in the charge!"**

"You're going to class," argued Ted "it's not a life or death situation!"

Hermione snorted "Wait till class and then you maybe eating your words."

**He gave the sword another fruitless tug, tried and failed to mount the fat pony, gave up, and cried, "On foot then, good sirs and gentle lady! On! On!" And he ran, clanking loudly, into the left side of the frame and out of sight.** **They hurried after him along the corridor, following the sound of his armor. Every now and then they spotted him running through a picture ahead.**

Charlie whistled, "How fast can that fat little knight run?"

"The term is big boned." Whispered Bill "And for the record using the word fat never ends well no matter who you're talking to."

**"Be of stout heart, the worst is yet to come!" yelled the knight,** **and they saw him reappear in front of an alarmed group of women in crinolines, whose picture hung on the wall of a narrow spiral staircase.** **Puffing loudly, AJ, Ron, and Hermione climbed the tightly spiralling steps, getting dizzier and dizzier, until at last they heard the murmur of voices above them and knew they had reached the classroom.**

The Golden Trio smiled at each other; at least they didn't have to go into class alone.

**"Farewell!" cried the knight, popping his head into a painting of some sinister-looking monks. "Farewell, my comrades-in-arms! If ever you have need of noble heart and steely sinew, call upon Sir Cadogan!"**

Sirius nodded enthusiastically "Yeah always call that whack job when you have a problem or need directions."

"I'd rather be lost and get points taken away because of missing class." Muttered Regulus

**"Yeah, we'll call you," muttered Ron as the knight disappeared, "if we ever need someone mental."**

**They climbed the last few steps and emerged onto a tiny landing, where most of the class was already assembled. There were no doors off this landing, but Ron nudged AJ and pointed at the ceiling, where there was a circular trapdoor with a brass plaque on it.**

Hermione scowled "Another reason why that class is completely pointless. You can't even get into the classroom without having to go through an obstacle course."

"Don't hold back Mio," laughed Andy "please tell us how you really feel about the subject."

**"'Sibyll Trelawney, Divination teacher,"' AJ read. "How're we supposed to get up there?"** **As though in answer to her question, the trapdoor suddenly opened, and a silvery ladder descended right at AJ's feet. Everyone got quiet.**

Ted snickered "It's almost like it's magic."

**"After you," said Ron, grinning, so AJ climbed the ladder first.** **Sh****e emerged into the strangest-looking classroom she had ever seen. In fact, it didn't look like a classroom at all, more like a cross between someone's attic and an old-fashioned teashop.**

"I will pay you to say that to Trelawney's face." Charlie said seriously "It'll be great to see her get that far away look while she processes what you said and then blows up because she realizes it was an insult."

Molly glared "Are you still wondering why you failed that class?"

**At least twenty small, circular tables were crammed inside it, all surrounded by chintz armchairs and fat little poufs. Everything was lit with a dim, crimson light; the curtains at the windows were all closed, and the many lamps were draped with dark red scarves.**

"Why is it decorated like that?" Ron asked

Kingsley snickered "Supposedly if its dim the spirits are less likely to feel threatened and the dark colors will keep your mind open the possibilities of the future."

**It was stiflingly warm, and the fire that was burning under the crowded mantelpiece was giving off a heavy, sickly sort of perfume as it heated a large copper kettle.**

"Merlin," muttered Snape "she's already starting and it's not even the second half of the year."

**The shelves running around the circular walls were crammed with dusty-looking feathers, stubs of candles, many packs of tattered playing cards, countless silvery crystal balls, and a huge array of teacups. Ron appeared at AJ's shoulder as the class assembled around them, all talking in whispers.**

**"Where is she?" Ron said.**

Sirius smirked "Probably right behind you."

"You would know," joked Ted "you used to talk about Professor Binns all the time without realizing he was behind you."

"No," argued Sirius "I knew, I just didn't give a damn."

**A voice came suddenly out of the shadows, a soft, misty sort of voice.** **"Welcome," it said. "How nice to see you in the physical world at last."**

Hermione fell into Bill, she hated that class more than anything, and she didn't understand the appeal or the professor.

**AJ's immediate impression was of a large, glittering insect. Professor Trelawney moved into the firelight, and they saw that she was very thin; her large glasses magnified her eyes to several times their natural size, and she was draped in a gauzy spangled shawl. Innumerable chains and beads hung around her spindly neck, and her arms and hands were encrusted with bangles and rings.**

"So she hasn't changed much since the sixties?" joked Regulus

Tonks smirked "She probably heard you say that before you actually said it, so she's planning your demise which she already saw in her crystal ball."

"Right," Regulus drew out the word "whatever your say cuz."

**"Sit, my children, sit," she said, and they all climbed awkwardly into armchairs or sank onto poufs. AJ, Ron, and Hermione sat themselves around the same round table.** **"Welcome to Divination," said Professor Trelawney, who had seated herself in a winged armchair in front of the fire. "My name is professor Trelawney. You may not have seen me before. I find that descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye."**

"Say goodbye to your sanity." Snarked Sirius "Be prepared to have your death predicted every class and her looks of pity whenever she passes you in the halls."

Charlie raised a brow "She predicts everyone's death? Doesn't that get boring after awhile?"

**Nobody said anything to this extraordinary pronouncement.** **Professor Trelawney delicately rearranged her shawl and continued, "So you have chosen to study Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts.** **I must warn you at the outset that if you do not have the Sight, there is very little I will be able to teach you. Books can take you only so far in this field..."**

Hermione rolled her eyes "This proves how stupid of class it is."

"Why did you take it anyhow?" asked Andy

"I wanted to experience all the classes," defended Hermione "they all seemed interesting and I wanted to see all of the Wizarding World I could."

**At these words, both AJ and Ron glanced, grinning, at Hermione, who looked startled at the news that books wouldn't be much help in this subject. **

"That would shock anyone though!" Kingsley was an avid reader and he never understood how people could live their lives without reading.

**"Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs and smells and sudden disappearing's, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future," Professor Trelawney went on, her enormous, gleaming eyes moving from face to nervous face. "It is a Gift granted to few. You, boy," she said suddenly to Neville, who almost toppled off his pouf. "Is your grandmother well?"**

Remus groaned, "Now he's going to be petrified that his grandmother is ill and he's going to be anxious during all his classes."

**"I think so," said Neville tremulously.**

**"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you, dear," said Professor Trelawney, the firelight glinting on her long emerald earrings.**

"Good job basket case," complimented Charlie "you've terrified your student, you can now move onto death omens."

**Neville gulped.** **Professor Trelawney continued placidly. "We will be covering the basic methods of Divination this year. The first term will be devoted to reading the tealeaves. Next term we shall progress to palmistry. By the way, my dear," she shot suddenly at Parvati Patil, "beware a red-haired man."**

"Now everyone that's an idiot in that class is going to avoid the Weasley boys." Deadpanned Ted

**Parvati gave a startled look at Ron, who was right behind her and edged her chair away from him.**

Ted laughed, "See? Told ya."

**"In the second term," Professor Trelawney went on, "we shall progress to the crystal ball - if we have finished with fire omens, that is. Unfortunately, classes will be disrupted in February by a nasty bout of flu.**

Andy snorted, "February is the heart of flu season. Our healer center is packed to the brim with people sick and in need of medication."

**I myself will lose my voice. And around Easter, one of our numbers will leave us forever."**

"Happens every year you draft cow." Snape muttered

**A very tense silence followed this pronouncement, but Professor Trelawney seemed unaware of it.** **"I wonder, dear," she said to Lavender Brown, who was nearest and shrank back in her chair, "if you could pass me the largest silver teapot?"**

Remus shook his head "That poor class, you're all going to be scared shitless when you leave in fear of actually fulfilling one of her half assed prophesies."

**Lavender, looking relieved, stood up, took an enormous teapot from the shelf, and put it down on the table in front of Professor Trelawney.**

**"Thank you, my dear. Incidentally, that thing you are dreading - it will happen on Friday the sixteenth of October." Lavender trembled. **

"What was she dreading?" Kingsley asked eagerly

AJ snickered "She was worried about her period landing on the day of her birthday. Her parents take her out of school for the day and take her shopping in Paris."

**"Now, I want you all to divide into pairs. Collect a teacup from the shelf, come to me, and I will fill it. Then sit down and drink, drink until only the dregs remain. Swill these around the cup three times with the left hand, then turn the cup upside down on its saucer, wait for the last of the tea to drain away, then give your cup to your partner to read. **

Ron, Hermione and AJ had to hold back laughter. Their predictions were better then what Trelawney predicted.

**You will interpret the patterns using pages five and six of Unfogging the Future. I shall move among you, helping and instructing. Oh, and dear" - she caught Neville by the arm as he made to stand up - "after you've broken your first cup, would you be so kind as to select one of the blue patterned ones? I'm rather attached to the pink."**

"Well now he's going to break it because he's afraid he's going to break it." Stated Sirius

Hermione smiled "Exactly! That's what I was trying to explain that to everyone but no one would listen."

**Sure enough, Neville had no sooner reached the shelf of teacups than there was a tinkle of breaking china.** **Professor Trelawney swept over to him holding a dustpan and brush and said, "One of the blue ones, then, dear, if you wouldn't mind... thank you. ..."**

Bill closed his eyes "You people are just feeding into her insane ways. Neville is always nervous and apparently girls are terrified of their periods."

**When AJ and Ron had had their teacups filled, they went back to their table and tried to drink the scalding tea quickly.**

Tonks winced "Don't drink it too quickly…trust me."

"AJ ended up burning her throat pretty badly but nothing a soothing charm couldn't heal." Remarked Ron

**They swilled the dregs around as Professor Trelawney had instructed, then drained the cups and swapped over.**

**"Right," said Ron as they both opened their books at pages five and six. "What can you see in mine?"**

**"A load of soggy brown stuff," said AJ.**

Everyone laughed, they could never see anything in their tealeaves either but none of them had the guts to say it in class of fear of angering Trelawney.

**The heavily perfumed smoke in the room was making her feel sleepy and her head hurt.**

**"Broaden your minds, my dears, and allow your eyes to see past the mundane!" Professor Trelawney cried through the gloom. AJ tried to pull herself together.**

"I don't know why I even bothered, none of it made sense." Deadpanned AJ

Regulus grinned, "That's the one class I don't care if you fail. No actually, I would prefer if you fail because that means you are focusing on normal things that can actually help you in life."

**"Right, you've got a crooked sort of cross... " She consulted Unfogging the Future. "That means you're going to have 'trials and suffering' - sorry about that** **- but there's a thing that could be the sun... hang on... that means 'great happiness'... so you're going to suffer but be very happy..."**

Andy laughed "Sorry you have such a crumby future Ron, maybe you can still change it."

"I don't know mom," argued Tonks "it's such a serious field and we really shouldn't doubt AJ's abilities at reading the future."

**"You need your Inner Eye tested, if you ask me," said Ron, and they both had to stifle their laughs as Professor Trelawney gazed in their direction.**

Ginny rolled her eyes in anger, of course they wouldn't get yelled at for disturbing the class. They get away with everything and she gets blamed for everything. It just wasn't right.

**"My turn..." Ron peered into AJ's teacup, his forehead wrinkled with effort. "There's a blob a bit like a bowler hat," he said. "Maybe you're going to work for the Ministry of Magic..."**

"Yeah!" said AJ happily "After I start working for the Ministry we can all go eat at that new restaurant that just opened up in Hell."

Charlie kissed AJ deeply "Nice punk, I hear that place is great."

**He turned the teacup the other way up. "But this way it looks more like an acorn... What's that?" He scanned his copy of Unfogging the Future. "'A windfall, unexpected gold.' Excellent, you can lend me some... and there's a thin, here," he turned the cup again, "that looks like an animal... yeah, if that was its head... it looks like a hippo... no, a sheep..."**

Bill grinned "A hippo or a sheep? Please tell me smart one, what those animals could possibly mean."

"Well, a hippo could signify hungriness and a sheep could signify following a crowd." Tonks said fighting a laugh at the look Bill was giving her

**Professor Trelawney whirled around as AJ let out a snort of laughter. "Let me see that, my dear," she said reprovingly to Ron, sweeping over and snatching AJ's cup from him.**

"Oh Merlin," muttered Ted "here comes captain obvious to point out completely irrelevant things that are bound to terrify you."

**Everyone went quiet to watch. Professor Trelawney was staring into the teacup, rotating it counter clockwise.** **"The falcon... my dear, you have a deadly enemy."**

Remus gaped "No? Really? And here I thought Voldemort was a close family friend."

**"But everyone knows that," said Hermione in a loud whisper.** **Professor Trelawney stared at her.** **"Well, they do," said Hermione. "Everybody knows about AJ and You-Know-Who."**

"Wow telling off a teacher," Sirius smirked "we're proud. A little shocked but proud none the less."

**AJ and Ron stared at her with a mixture of amazement and admiration. They had never heard Hermione speak to a teacher like that before.**

Hermione shrugged "Desperate times call for desperate measures. She's a fraud and needs to be put in her place." No one seemed to notice the flinch Snape sported or the glares at Dumbledore from two parents.

**Professor Trelawney chose not to reply. She lowered her huge eyes to AJ's cup again and continued to turn it.** **"The club... an attack. Dear, dear, this is not a happy cup..."**

"**I thought that was a bowler hat," said Ron sheepishly.**

"More like trying to think on the bright side," Ron mumbled, "no one wants to think about their friend dying or being injured."

**"The skull... danger in your path, my dear..." Everyone was staring, transfixed, at Professor Trelawney, who gave the cup a final turn, gasped, and then screamed.** **There was another tinkle of breaking china; Neville had smashed his second cup.** **Professor Trelawney sank into a vacant armchair, her glittering hand at her heart and her eyes closed.**

Regulus huffed "Cut the dramatics, we all know what you're getting at and the dramatic affect is more annoying then anything."

"It's her specialty Black." Sneered Snape "She doesn't know how to cut to the chase."

**"My dear boy... my poor, dear boy no it is kinder not to say…no... don't ask me..."**

**"What is it, Professor?" said Dean Thomas at once.**

Andy bit her lip "You can't be really surprised that he was the one to speak up."

**Everyone had got to his or her feet, and slowly they crowded around Harry and Ron's table, pressing close to Professor Trelawney's chair to get a good look at AJ's cup.**

**"My dear," Professor Trelawney's huge eyes opened dramatically, "You have the Grim."**

There was a silence before Kingsley chucked a pillow at Sirius "Congratulations man! You're officially known as the Grim."

Sirius scowled "I am not nor have I ever been a death omen you moron."

**"The what?" said AJ with annoyance dripping through the sentence.** **Sh****e could tell that she wasn't the only one who didn't understand; Dean Thomas shrugged at her and Lavender Brown looked puzzled, but nearly everybody else clapped their hands to their mouths in horror.**

"Merlin help you children," muttered Charlie "it's just a silly superstition. There is no Grim nor any other death omen that she speaks about that she supposedly sees!"

Bill shrugged "You can't really blame them man, a lot of them have grown up hearing about these things. It's like all those folk tales mom and dad would tell us as kids, it's something that's been passed down throughout the generations."

**"The Grim, my dear, the Grim!" cried Professor Trelawney, who looked shocked that AJ hadn't understood. "The giant, spectral dog that haunts churchyards! My dear girl, it is an omen - the worst omen - of death!"**

"She maybe batty as shit," admitted AJ "but she has a way of making you believe everything she says."

**AJ's stomach lurched. That dog on the cover of Death Omens in Flourish and Blotts -the dog in the shadows of Magnolia Crescent. Lavender Brown clapped her hands to her mouth too. Everyone was looking at AJ, everyone except Hermione, who had gotten up and moved around to the back of Professor Trelawney's chair.**

"Okay yes," admitted Tonks "when you put it all together like that I can see why you may have believed her. But you have to remember that it's all just coincidences that really mean nothing."

**"I don't think it looks like a Grim," she said flatly.** **Professor Trelawney surveyed Hermione with mounting dislike.**

Bill kissed Hermione's blushing cheek; she always found a way to make light of situations that her friends needed to be less stressed over.

**"You'll forgive me for saying so, my dear, but I perceive very little aura around you. Very little receptivity to the resonances of the future."**

**Seamus Finnigan was tilting his head from side to side.** **"It looks like a Grim if you do this," he said, with his eyes almost shut, "but it looks more like a donkey from here," he said, leaning to the left.**

"Stop talking about my daughters impending death!" yelled Remus "What is the matter with these kids? Even if it is just some sill tealeaf, it can still scare a person and it's not something to talk about!"

Ted eyed the angered werewolf "Calm down mate, they were just kids and obviously AJ wasn't paying attention to them."

**"When you've all finished deciding whether I'm going to die or not!" said AJ with her eyes flashing dark green and hair going dark blue.**

"Right, well" Ted stumbled over his words "I stand corrected."

**Now nobody seemed to want to look at her.**

**"I think we will leave the lesson here for today," said Professor Trelawney in her mistiest voice. "Yes... please pack away your things..."**

"She was actually crying?" Andy muttered

Ron nodded "Yeah it really upset her and even now whenever she passes AJ in the hall she gives her a really sad look and starts to sniffle."

**Silently the class took their teacups back to Professor Trelawney, packed away their books, and closed their bags. Even Ron was avoiding AJ's eyes.**

Tonks rolled her orange eyes "Of course, now everyone is afraid you're going to die and they're going to catch death or something stupid like that."

**"Until we meet again," said Professor Trelawney faintly, "fair fortune be yours. Oh, and dear" - she pointed at Neville - "you'll be late next time, so mind you work extra-hard to catch up."**

"Neville is always late to class," explained AJ "him being early happened once and that was because he got locked out of Gryffindor tower and slept in the hall."

**AJ, Ron, and Hermione descended Professor Trelawney's ladder and the winding stair in silence, and then set off for Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration lesson. It took them so long to find her classroom that, early as they had left Divination; they were only just in time. **

Remus and Sirius winced; being late to Transfiguration was never a good thing. McGonagall had given them more detentions then there were days in the school year.

**AJ chose a seat right at the back of the room, feeling as though he were sitting in a very bright spotlight;** **the rest of the class kept shooting furtive glances at her, as though she were about to drop dead at any moment. **

"You totally should have messed with their heads and pretended to die right there in the middle of class." Chuckled Regulus

Bill snickered "Then McGonagall would kill her and the class wouldn't have to worry about AJ dying at some random time."

**She hardly heard what Professor McGonagall was telling them about Animagi (wizards who could transform at will into animals), and wasn't even watching when she transformed herself in front of their eyes into a tabby cat with spectacle markings around her eyes.**

Kingsley smiled "Her animagus is really nice, a lot of people aren't happy with their Animagi but it really does fit your personality."

**"Really, what has got into you all today?" said Professor McGonagall, turning back into herself with a faint pop, and staring around at them all. "Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class."**

"Damn," muttered Ted "now she's pissed and you're going to piss her off even more when you all explain why you're all spaced out. Her and Trelawney aren't the closest of teachers in Hogwarts."

**Everybody's heads turned toward AJ again, but nobody spoke. Then Hermione raised her hand.** **"Please, Professor, we've just had our first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves, and -"**

**"Ah, of course," said Professor McGonagall, suddenly frowning. "There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?"**

Everyone laughed, even Snape cracked a smile, and she was a draft old cow and never made a single prediction that came true except that one.

**Everyone stared at her.** **"Me," said AJ, finally.**

**"I see," said Professor McGonagall, fixing AJ with her beady eyes. "Then you should know, Potter, that Sibyll Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school. **

"She should really come up with some new material," snarked Remus "hearing about your impending death gets old after awhile."

Hermione smiled "But then she wouldn't be the crazy teacher of Hogwarts, and we really need a crazy teacher that's completely harmless but entertaining none the less."

**None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favorite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues -" Professor McGonagall broke off, and they saw that her nostrils had gone white.**

Everyone smiled at that; she was getting angrier which always made for an entertaining McGonagall.

**She went on, more calmly, "Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney -" She stopped again, and then said, in a very matter-of-fact tone, "You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in."**

"Over the years I have come to admire her dry sense of humor," laughed Andy "it really makes you see the humor in any situation."

Ted smiled "True, but if you aren't used to her you'll take her seriously and you'll wind up going over the conversation over and over until you can make sense of it."

**Hermione laughed. AJ felt a bit better.** **It was harder to feel scared of a lump of tealeaves away from the dim red light and befuddling perfume of Professor Trelawney's classroom. Not everyone was convinced, however.** **Ron still looked worried, and Lavender whispered, "But what about Neville's cup?"**

"You don't honestly believe in that stuff do you?" Tonks asked

Ron shrugged "It was weird how everything she said ended up coming true."

"Oh come on!" snarked Tonks with anger "Everything she said was going to happen no matter what. Neville is a klutz, the weird girl probably has her period the same time every month and AJ has a mortal enemy and judging by her last two years, death has been knocking at her door for awhile now."

**When the Transfiguration class had finished, they joined the crowd thundering toward the Great Hall for lunch.**

**"Ron, cheer up," said Hermione, pushing a dish of stew toward him. "You heard what Professor McGonagall said."** **Ron spooned stew onto his plate and picked up his fork but didn't start.**

Bill and Charlie shared shocked looks, Ron ignoring food never happened unless he was seriously upset.

**"AJ," he said, in a low, serious voice, "You haven't seen a great black dog anywhere, have you?"**

**"Yeah, I have," said AJ. "I saw one the night I left the Dursleys'. "**

Charlie shrugged "Even if it wasn't Sirius, it could have been a stray dog from the neighborhood."

"Exactly!" shouted Hermione "That's exactly what I said!"

**Ron let his fork fall with a clatter.**

**"Probably a stray," said Hermione calmly.**

Sirius scowled "I'm not a stray! If you could stop referring to me as one, that would be greatly appreciated."

"Calm down you over grown puppy," snickered Regulus "they'll stop calling you a stray eventually."

**Ron looked at Hermione as though she had gone mad.** **"Hermione, if AJ's seen a Grim, that's - that's bad," he said. "My - my uncle Bilius saw one and - and he died twenty-four hours later!"**

Molly smiled sadly "It wasn't the grim dear, your uncle was losing his eye sight."

"Still," argued Ron "he could have seen the Grim but he died before he could confirm it!"

**"Coincidence," said Hermione airily, pouring herself some pumpkin juice.**

**"You don't know what you're talking about!" said Ron, starting to get angry. "Grims scare the living daylights out of most wizards!"**

"Sweet baby Merlin!" sighed Kingsley "Yes we do get nervous when we think we see the Grim but Ron it's just something that has been told to us since we were children. It's not real and your quack of a teacher is a complete and utter moron."

Remus rolled his eyes "That's a good way to explain it Kings."

**"There you are, then," said Hermione in a superior tone. "They see the Grim and die of fright. The Grims not an omen, it's the cause of death! And AJ's still with us because she's not stupid enough to see one and think, right, well, I'd better kick the bucket then!"**

"I don't think you actually get a say in when you kick the bucket," chuckled Tonks "unless you're contemplating suicide and that doesn't seem like AJ's sort of thing."

AJ raised a brow "No I don't plan to off myself anytime soon and even if I did, I wouldn't say I'd better kick the bucket before hand."

**Ron mouthed wordlessly at Hermione, who opened her bag, took out her new Arithmancy book, and propped it open against the juice jug.** **"I think Divination seems very woolly," she said, searching for her page. "A lot of guesswork, if you ask me."**

Bill shrugged "That's pretty much all it is in a nutshell. You can't teach someone how to become a seer, they're born with that talent and aren't common."

**"There was nothing woolly about the Grim in that cup!" said Ron hotly.**

**"You didn't seem quite so confident when you were telling AJ it was a sheep," said Hermione coolly.**

"Or a hippo!" laughed Tonks "You can't forget about being a hippo!"

Andy smacked her daughters arm lightly "Be nice Dora, obviously Ron was extremely worried, over nothing, but worried none the less."

**"Professor Trelawney said you didn't have the right aura! You just don't like being bad at something for a change!"** **He had touched a nerve.**

AJ winced "That was pretty cold Ron."

Ron glared "She was making fun of my beliefs and you think I was being cold? You always pick her side!"

"I'm not picking sides!" growled AJ turning her hair red in anger "And she wasn't making fun of your beliefs! She was trying to have a debate to understand where you were coming from, but like always you jump on the defensive and snap at everything she or anyone else says."

**Hermione slammed her Arithmancy book down on the table so hard that bits of meat and carrot flew everywhere.** **"If being good at Divination means I have to pretend to see death omens in a lump of tea leaves, I'm not sure I'll be studying it much longer! **

"I did drop that class," admitted Hermione quietly "it just wasn't for me."

**That lesson was absolute rubbish compared with my Arithmancy class!" She snatched up her bag and stalked away.**

Bill smiled, he loved that he and Hermione had that in common, he planned to ask her to Egypt for the summer or at least part of the summer.

**Ron frowned after her.** **"What's she talking about?" he said to AJ. "She hasn't been to an Arithmancy class yet."**

**AJ was pleased to get out of the castle after lunch. Yesterday's rain had cleared; the sky was a clear, pale gray, and the grass was springy and damp underfoot as they set off for their first ever Care of Magical Creatures class. Ron and Hermione weren't speaking to each other.**

"You two sound like an old married couple." Remarked Regulus "You aren't have sex and you argue all the time."

Ted elbowed him "You're never going to get married, especially with an attitude like that."

**AJ walked beside them in silence as they went down the sloping lawns to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. It was only when she spotted three only-too- familiar backs ahead of them that she realized they must be having these lessons with the Slytherins. **

"Why do they always pair the Slytherins with the Gryffindor's?" asked Tonks

Snape snorted, "To have inter-house unity or some bullshit that we tell our students to avoid a fight."

**Malfoy was talking animatedly to Crabbe and Goyle, who were chortling. AJ was quite sure she knew what they were talking about.** **Hagrid was waiting for her class at the door of his hut. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang the boarhound at his heels, looking impatient to start.**

Remus grinned, "He must have been really excited, he always wanted to be a teacher."

**"C'mon, now, get a move on!" he called as the class approached. "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"** **For one nasty moment, AJ thought that Hagrid was going to lead them into the forest; AJ had had enough unpleasant experiences in there to last her a lifetime.**

"Oh god," groaned Charlie "he didn't, did he?"

AJ snickered "No of course not. Even Hagrid has more sense then that Char, it would have been hilarious to see Malfoy in the forest again though."

**However, Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the trees, and five minutes later, they found themselves outside a kind of paddock. There was nothing in there.** **"Everyone gather 'round the fence here!" he called. "That's it - make sure yeh can see - now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books -"**

"But how do you open it?" asked Kingsley

**"How?" said the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy.**

Kingsley looked sick "We're never talking of this moment ever again, I have not nor have I ever said the same thing as Malfoy.

**"Eh?" said Hagrid.**

**"How do we open our books?" Malfoy repeated.**

Regulus bit his lip to stop himself from laughing at Kingsley; he was a good friend and was easy to tease.

**He took out his copy of The Monster Book of Monsters, which he had bound shut with a length of rope. Other people took theirs out too; some, like AJ, had belted their book shut; others had crammed them inside tight bags or clamped them together with binder clips.**

"Great book," scoffed Remus, "you have to tie the damn thing down so you don't end up loosing a limb."

**"Hasn' - hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" said Hagrid, looking crestfallen.** **The class all shook their heads.** **"Yeh've got ter stroke 'em," said Hagrid, as though this was the most obvious thing in the world.**

"You have to what?" Charlie laughed "AJ you should have been able to open it right away."

Sirius glared "Really dragon boy? Why is that? I'd love to know why my daughter would be able to open it right away."

"I um, well it's just…" Charlie nudged a laughing AJ "maybe you could start reading again chuckles before I get killed."

**"Look -" He took Hermione's copy and ripped off the Spellotape that bound it.** **The book tried to bite, but Hagrid ran a giant forefinger down its spine, and the book shivered, and then fell open and lay quiet in his hand.**

"That's really creepy," mumbled Andy "and a lot like a man in that respect."

**"Oh, how silly we've all been!" Malfoy sneered. "We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess?"**

**"I - I thought they were funny," Hagrid said uncertainly to Hermione.**

"It is funny," Bill tried to sound sincere "Hagrid would never intentionally harm a student, especially on his first day."

**"Oh, tremendously funny!" said Malfoy. "Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!"**

**"Shut up, Malfoy," said AJ.**

Tonks smiled "Good for you, don't let that jerkoff ruin Hagrid's first lesson."

**Hagrid was looking downcast and AJ wanted Hagrid's first lesson to be a success.** **"Righ' then," said Hagrid, who seemed to have lost his thread, "so - so yeh've got yer books an' - an' - - now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on... "** **He strode away from them into the forest and out of sight.**

"He's going to throw Malfoy in the forest isn't he?" asked Ted "He should and I doubt his parents would miss his stubborn ass."

**"God, this place is going to the dogs," said Malfoy loudly. "That oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when I tell him."**

Hermione scowled "Daddy can't do anything about it. Hagrid did nothing wrong that lesson and Malfoy is just a spoiled little brat."

"Malfoy Senior does have a lot of pull when it comes to Hogwarts," stated Kingsley "but you're right, he can't do that much."

**"Shut up, Malfoy," AJ repeated.**

**"Careful, Potter, there's a Dementor behind you..."**

"Oh that's so hilarious," deadpanned Sirius "little asshole wasn't so brave when the Dementors were on the train."

**"Oooooooh!" squealed Lavender Brown, pointing toward the opposite side of the paddock.**

**Trotting toward them were a dozen of the most bizarre creatures AJ had ever seen.** **They had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-colored beaks and large, brilliantly, orange eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly looking.**

Charlie was almost bouncing in his seat, he always loved Hippogriffs, AJ, Ron and Hermione were so lucky to have been in that class. He wondered if Sirius would let him have a ride on Buckbeak.

**Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures.**

**"Gee up, there!" he roared, shaking the chains and urging the creatures toward the fence where the class stood.**

"Don't get too close," advised Charlie "they can be very dangerous."

Ron smirked "Yeah we know, Malfoy demonstrated that point for us."

**Everyone drew back slightly as Hagrid reached them and tethered the creatures to the fence.** **"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid roared happily, waving a hand at them. "Beau'iful, aren' they?"**

AJ rubbed her eyes, "They could be considered beautiful, it all depends on whose looking at them. And if they're blind or not."

"Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder." Hermione remarked with a small smile.

**AJ could sort of see what Hagrid meant.** **Once you got over the first shock of seeing something that was, half horse, half bird, **

Tonks nodded "Yeah…I could totally see how that would be considered beautiful."

**you started to appreciate the hippogriffs' gleaming coats, changing smoothly from feather to hair, each of them a different color: stormy grey, bronze, pinkish roan, gleaming chestnut, and inky black.**

"Okay okay!" muttered Tonks seeing the looks she was getting, "it does sound pretty when you say describe it like that."

**"So," said Hagrid, rubbing his hands together and beaming around, "if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer -"**

**No one seemed to want to. AJ, Ron, and Hermione, however, approached the fence cautiously.**

"Thank Merlin you are the chosen one," smirked Regulus "I can feel the bravery rolling off you in waves."

**"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' hippogriffs is, they're proud," said Hagrid. "Easily offended, hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do."**

AJ shouted that part "Sorry, it's just that's really important to remember. Well if you aren't an idiot."

**Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle weren't listening; they were talking in an undertone and AJ had a nasty feeling they were plotting how best to disrupt the lesson.**

**"Yeh always wait fer the hippogriff ter make the firs' move," Hagrid continued. "It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt.** **Right - who wants ter go first?"**

"I wonder how badly they would hurt." Hermione said dreamily

Remus snickered "Too bad we don't know anyone who would be stupid enough to piss off a hippogriff."

**Most of the class backed farther away in answer. Even Harry, Ron, and Hermione had misgivings. The hippogriffs were tossing their fierce heads and flexing their powerful wings; they didn't seem to like being tethered like this.** **"No one?" said Hagrid, with a pleading look.**

**"I'll do it," said AJ.**

Ted groaned, "Of course you'll volunteer. Couldn't let some idiot do it so they could fall off and get hurt, nope my niece volunteers."

**There was an intake of breath from behind her, and both Lavender and Parvati whispered, "Oooh, no, AJ, remember your tea leaves!"**

"And they honestly wonder why you ignore them," mumbled Hermione "they're two of the biggest drama queens ever."

**AJ ignored them.** **Sh****e climbed over the paddock fence.**

**"Good girl, AJ!" roared Hagrid. "Right then - let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak."**

Sirius and Remus braced themselves; Merlin only knew what trouble she could get into riding on a wild animal that could with just its toenails.

**He untied one of the chains, pulled the grey hippogriff away from its fellows, and slipped off its leather collar. The class on the other side of the paddock seemed to be holding its breath. Malfoy's eyes were narrowed maliciously.**

**"Easy now, AJ," said Hagrid quietly. "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink... Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much..."**

Andy grabbed Teds hand "Please don't blink, please don't blink, for the love of Merlin don't blink."

**AJ's eyes immediately began to water, but she didn't shut them. Buckbeak had turned his great, sharp head and was staring at AJ with one fierce orange eye.**

**"Tha's it," said Hagrid. "Tha's it, AJ... now, bow."**

"Try not show fear," Charlie advised, "animals can sense that. Especially the magical ones, so just stay extremely calm.

Regulus smirked "How odd. It's the same thing with dogs."

**AJ didn't feel much like exposing the back of her neck to Buckbeak, but she did as she was told. She gave a short bow and then looked up. The hippogriff was still staring haughtily at her. It didn't move. **

Ron shuddered "That was really scary, he wasn't moving and you actually looked kind of scared."

**"Ah," said Hagrid, sounding worried. "Right - back away, now, AJ, easy does it."**

**But then, to AJ's enormous surprise, the hippogriff suddenly bent its scaly front knees and sank into what was an unmistakable bow.**

The tension seemed to seep out of the room with hearing that.

**"Well done, AJ!" said Hagrid, ecstatic. "Right - yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on!"**

**Feeling that a better reward would have been to back away,** **AJ moved slowly toward the hippogriff and reached out toward it. She patted the beak several times and the hippogriff closed its eyes lazily, as though enjoying it. **

Sirius grinned "He was probably in heaven, when I'm padfoot I always enjoy my belly being rubbed."

"Good to know Siri," grinned Tonks "your hubby probably loves to rub your tummy."

**The class broke into applause, all except for Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were looking deeply disappointed.**

**"Righ' then, AJ," said Hagrid. "I reckon he might' let yeh ride him!"**

"Merlin help you," muttered Bill "must have been one hell of a ride."

Charlie grinned, "That's my girl, she's beyond lucky!"

**This was more than AJ had bargained for. She was used to a broomstick; but she wasn't sure a hippogriff would be quite the same.**

**"Yeh climb up there, jus' behind the wing joint," said Hagrid, "an' mind yeh don' pull any of his feathers out, he won' like that..."**

Snape rolled his eyes "I don't believe there is animal out there that would appreciate having their feathers pulled out."

"Chickens don't seem to mind it, oh wait. No that's when their head is cut off." Deadpanned AJ "You're smart professor."

**AJ put her foot on the top of Buckbeak's wing and hoisted herself onto its back. Buckbeak stood up. AJ wasn't sure where to hold on; everything in front of her was covered with feathers. **

"So what are you supposed to hold onto?" Remus wondered

"The feathers at the base of the neck are stronger and can handle being held onto when you are riding on him." Charlie explained

**"Go on, then'" roared Hagrid, slapping the hippogriffs hindquarters.**

**Without warning, twelve-foot wings flapped open on either side of AJ; she just had time to seize the hippogriff around the neck before he was soaring upward. It was nothing like a broomstick, and AJ knew which one she preferred; the hippogriff's wings beat uncomfortably on either side of her, catching her under her legs and making her feel she was about to be thrown off; **

"That sounds horrible," Regulus shuddered "did you enjoy it at all?"

AJ grinned "Sure, it wasn't the easiest form of travel but I wouldn't mind having another go at it."

**the glossy feathers slipped under her fingers and she didn't dare get a stronger grip; instead of the smooth action of her Nimbus Two Thousand, she now felt herself rocking backward and forward as the hindquarters of the hippogriff rose and fell with its wings.**

Andy shifted "Please don't fall off. That would be really hard for Hagrid to explain to Professor Dumbledore."

**Buckbeak flew her once around the paddock and then headed back to the ground; this was the bit AJ had been dreading; she leaned back as the smooth neck lowered, feeling she was going to slip off over the beak, then felt a heavy thud as the four ill-assorted feet hit the ground. **

"Landings are always the hardest part," agreed Sirius "before I got used to riding on him, I fell off a few times when he made it back to the ground."

**She just managed to hold on and push herself straight again.**

**"Good work, AJ!" roared Hagrid as everyone except Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle cheered.**

Bill huffed "Can't expect the three idiots to honestly cheer for something as cool as that."

**"Okay, who else wants a go?"**

**Emboldened by AJ's success, the rest of the class climbed cautiously into the paddock. Hagrid untied the hippogriffs one by one, and soon people were bowing nervously, all over the paddock. **

"Oh no," moaned Ted "something is going to go wrong and I have a feeling it's because of our nephew."

Ron grinned, "He does get what he deserves, he thought it would be so easy but being an idiot he didn't heed Hagrid's warnings."

**Neville ran repeatedly backward from his, which didn't seem to want to bend its knees.** **Ron and Hermione practiced on the chestnut, while AJ watched. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had taken over Buckbeak. He had bowed to Malfoy, who was now patting his beak, looking disdainful.**

Remus shook his head, "He really does deserve what he gets. I know I was a professor that year and I am the adult, but he was asking for everything that happened to him."

**"This is very easy," Malfoy drawled, loud enough for AJ to, hear him. "I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it... I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?" he said to the hippogriff. "Are you, you great ugly brute?"**

"Was he not paying attention to anything Hagrid was saying?" yelled Charlie "He's going to get hurt and Hagrid is the one that's going to suffer the consequences."

**It happened in a flash of steely talons; Malfoy let out a high pitched scream and next moment, Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get at Malfoy, who lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming over his robes.**

Kingsley pinched his nose "Please Merlin, tell me one of you has this engraved in your memory so we can all see it in a pensieve."

"It was not a laughing matter, he was injured." Snarled Snape

"He was injured," agreed Kingsley "but the moron did it to himself. Hagrid said do not provoke the Hippogriff, and what does your godson do other then provoke him."

**"I'm dying!" Malfoy yelled as the class panicked. "I'm dying, look at me! It's killed me!"**

**"Yer not dyin'!" said Hagrid, who had gone very white. "Someone help me - gotta get him outta here -"**

Andy growled, "He was not dying or even close to death! He is more and more like his father everyday."

**Hermione ran to hold open the gate as Hagrid lifted Malfoy easily. As they passed, AJ saw that there was a long, deep gash on Malfoy's arm; blood splattered the grass and Hagrid ran with him, up the slope toward the castle. Very shaken, the Care of Magical Creatures class followed at a walk. The Slytherins were all shouting about Hagrid.**

"Madam Pomfrey will mend that in a second," remarked Tonks "I had worse injuries and I don't have any lasting affects."

**"They should fire him straight away!" said Pansy Parkinson, who was in tears.**

**"It was Malfoy's fault!" snapped Dean Thomas.**

Charlie nodded "Exactly! It had nothing to do with Hagrid, it had to do with Malfoy being a stuck up little brat."

"He caused a lot of problems that year," muttered Hermione "of course AJ and I had to fix them."

**Crabbe and Goyle flexed their muscles threateningly. They all climbed the stone steps into the deserted entrance hall.**

**"I'm going to see if he's okay!" said Pansy, and they all watched her run up the marble staircase.**

Ted shook his head "There ya go Pansy, baby the guy you supposedly care about like he's a damn two year old. That whole house has gone to Hell in a hand basket."

**The Slytherins, still muttering about Hagrid, headed away in the direction of their dungeon common room; AJ, Ron, and Hermione proceeded upstairs to Gryffindor Tower.**

**"You think he'll be all right?" said Hermione nervously.**

"He'll be fine," growled Remus "you're a very kind young women Hermione but he's one person that doesn't need your sympathy."

Hermione grinned, "I was more afraid that if something happened to him, Hagrid would be fired. If that were to happen, AJ would snap his neck and would end up expelled."

**"Course he will. Madam Pomfrey can mend cuts in about a second," said AJ, who had had far worse injuries mended magically by the nurse.**

Sirius kissed his daughters head "That's something you could probably tone down, I'm not sure how much my heart can handle."

"I'll do my best daddy," smiled AJ "but I make no promises."

**"That was a really bad thing to happen in Hagrid's first class, though, wasn't it?" said Ron, looking worried. "Trust Malfoy to mess things up for him..."**

**They were among the first to reach the Great Hall at dinnertime, hoping to see Hagrid, but he wasn't there.**

"We got really worried then," admitted Ron "we were almost positive Hagrid had been fired or maybe even told to leave Hogwarts."

Dumbledore shook his head "Don't worry, I will never allow that."

**"They wouldn't fire him, would they?" said Hermione anxiously, not touching her steak-and- kidney pudding.**

**"They'd better not," said Ron, who wasn't eating either.**

Tonks narrowed her eyes "Having Hagrid leave would be pointless! Make Malfoy leave, no one at the school would miss his sorry ass."

**AJ was watching the Slytherin table. A large group including Crabbe and Goyle was huddled together, deep in conversation. AJ was sure they were cooking up their own version of how Malfoy had been injured.**

Kingsley frowned "That's probably why we were told of the impending death of Buckbeak."

"Narcissa and Lucius could spin a web of lies a mile long," groundout Regulus "there's no surprise that their son would be able to do the same."

**"Well, you can't say it wasn't an interesting first day back," said Ron gloomily.**

**They went up to the crowded Gryffindor common room after dinner and tried to do the homework Professor McGonagall had given them, but all three of them kept breaking off and glancing Out of the tower window.**

Charlie frowned while holding AJ tightly; he knew how much she cared for the people around her. But when she considered them family, it was taken to a whole new level. She was fiercely protective of them and would do anything she could to help them.

**"There's a light on in Hagrid's window," AJ said suddenly.**

**Ron looked at his watch.** **"If we hurried, we could go down and see him. It's still quite early..."**

Bill looked at a nervous Hermione "Don't worry, I'm sure you had a valid reason to not want to go."

**"I don't know," Hermione said slowly, and AJ saw her glance at her.**

"Be careful," advised Ted "you don't want to give any of the professors reason to think you need more protection then you already have."

**"I'm allowed to walk across the grounds," she said pointedly. "Sirius Black hasn't got past the dementors yet, has he?"**

Kingsley grinned, "There's a solid argument. The man is know to get past dementors but since he hasn't gotten past the ones on the grounds of Hogwarts, you'll be okay."

"I still believed that Sirius was innocent," argued AJ "in my heart I knew he wouldn't hurt me and just being at Hogwarts makes me feel a little braver."

**So they put their things away and headed out of the portrait hole, glad to meet nobody on their way to the front doors, as they weren't entirely sure they were supposed to be out. The grass was still wet and looked almost black in the twilight. When they reached Hagrid's hut, they knocked, and a voice growled, "C'min."**

Charlie winced "Poor Hagrid, something must not have gone the way he planned."

**Hagrid was sitting in his shirtsleeves at his scrubbed wooden table; his boarhound, Fang, had his head in Hagrid's lap. One look told them that Hagrid had been drinking a lot; there was a pewter tankard almost as big as a bucket in front of him, and he seemed to be having difficulty getting them into focus.**

"Now would be a good time to get information out of him." Sirius tried to joke

**"'Spect it's a record," he said thickly, when he recognized them. "Don' reckon they've ever had a teacher who lasted on'y a day before."**

The few who hadn't been there tensed, they wouldn't stand for Hagrid being fired over nothing!

**"You haven't been fired, Hagrid!" gasped Hermione.**

**"Not yet," said Hagrid miserably, taking a huge gulp of whatever was in the tankard. "But's only a matter o' time, i'n't it, after Malfoy..."**

"He can't do anything," Charlie growled "even if he could, you have a lot of people that are willing to stand up against him and prove that he's a liar."

**"How is he?" said Ron as they all sat down. "It wasn't serious, was it?"**

**"Madam Pomfrey fixed him best she could," said Hagrid dully, "but he's sayin' it's still agony... covered in bandages... moanin'..."**

Andy sneered, "Of course he was! He's a liar and apparently a very good con artist! No one is going to believe that little snake in the grass over Hagrid."

"Weren't you a snake?" Ron asked before he could stop himself

Ted glared "Yes my wife was in Slytherin but as you can see she was one of the nice ones. It's a muggle expression; she wasn't saying anything towards the house that he is in. Do not talk to my wife like that again."

**"He's faking it," said AJ at once. "Madam Pomfrey can mend anything. She regrew half my bones last year. Trust Malfoy to milk it for all it's worth."**

"She knew he was faking," Hermione added "he's a horrible actor and she was getting really upset over his constant act of being injured."

**"School gov'nors have bin told, o' course," said Hagrid miserably. "They reckon I started too big. Shoulda left hippogriffs fer later... done flobberworms or summat... Jus' thought I'd make a good firs' lessons. All my fault..."**

**"It's all Malfoy's fault, Hagrid!" said Hermione earnestly.**

Hermione nodded in agreement with her past self.

**"We're witnesses," said AJ. "You said hippogriffs attack if you insult them. It's Malfoy's problem that he wasn't listening. We'll tell Dumbledore what really happened."**

Charlie kissed AJ "I love you punk, so much."

"I love you too Char, forever and always." AJ's green eyes seemed to be a little misty but it may have been a trick of the light, or so AJ would say when asked.

**"Yeah, don't worry, Hagrid, we'll back you up," said Ron.**

**Tears leaked out of the crinkled corners of Hagrid's beetle-black eyes. He grabbed both AJ and Ron and pulled them into a bone-breaking hug.**

"Ouch." Mumbled the room, they had all even Snape, had been on the receiving end of his hugs and they were nothing if not painful.

**"I think you've had enough to drink, Hagrid," said Hermione firmly.** **She took the tankard from the table and went outside to empty it.**

"Good move Mio," smiled Regulus "too much drinking can make anyone mean. Just ask Mothers painting, you'll never want to drink again."

"Or it'll drive you to drinking," muttered Sirius "after talking to her for more then a minute makes me want to down a bottle of Fire Whisky."

**"Maybe she's right," said Hagrid, letting go of AJ and Ron, who both staggered away, rubbing their ribs.**

AJ and Ron winced at the memory, they were still certain a few ribs were bruised.

**Hagrid heaved himself out of his chair and followed Hermione unsteadily outside. They heard a loud splash.**

Kingsley grimaced "Did he throw up? I can see that happening."

"Why are you picturing a half giant throwing up?" laughed Tonks "Ew now I can totally see it!"

**"What's he done?" said AJ nervously as Hermione came back in with the empty tankard.**

**"Stuck his head in the water barrel," said Hermione, putting the tankard away.**

"Maybe that will sober him up," Remus said uncertainly

Charlie nodded his head "It's always really cold spring water and it basically shocks him into soberness."

**Hagrid came back, his long hair and beard-sopping wet, wiping the water out of his eyes.** **"That's better," he said, shaking his head like a dog and drenching them all. "Listen, it was good of yeh ter come an' see me, I really -" Hagrid stopped dead, staring at AJ as though he'd only just realized she was there. **

Sirius held his head "Now you're in for it, Hagrid is pissed that you are endangering yourself because of himself."

**"WHAT D'YEH THINK YOU'RE DOIN', EH?" he roared, so suddenly that they jumped a foot in the air. "YEH'RE NOT TO GO WANDERIN' AROUND AFTER DARK, AJ! AN, YOU TWO! LETTIN' ER'!" **

"I still don't see how we got dragged into this." Scowled Ron

Hermione hit his arm "Maybe because we're her best friends and we are supposed to keep her safe and not throw her into dangerous situations."

**Hagrid strode over to AJ, grabbed her arm, and pulled her to the door.** **"C'mon!" Hagrid said angrily. "I'm takin' yer all back up ter school, an' don' let me catch yeh walkin' down ter see me after dark again. I'm not worth that!"**

AJ plopped the book down "Well that was a fun filled chapter."

**AN: Have a very happy and safe New Years! Thank you for reading, reviewing and all the adds, it means a lot to me! Now I know all the guys are protective of AJ when it comes to Charlie and I'm using this from experience because at 24 years old and living on my own, I still get the third degree from all the males in my family. Any questions or suggestions feel free to PM me :). Now For the next chapter, I'm thinking of having a discussion between AJ and someone else, but not sure who. Any thoughts on who or even the talk? Thanks again!**


	49. Talks and a Punishment

Molly looked around "I really should begin lunch now, it's overdue."

"That would be fine Molly," said a somber looking Dumbledore "I have reached a decision regarding Ms. Weasley's future at Hogwarts, we will discuss this before lunch."

AJ looked around "Well, Mio, Ron and myself have to talk about…stuff. We'll be back in a few."

"What was that about?" Remus asked looking at Charlie "Are they okay?"

Charlie shrugged "AJ seems fine, she probably doesn't want to be here for when we learn what's going to happen to Ginny."

***UPSTAIRS*******

Hermione, Ron and AJ pilled into the library silently wondering what would happen to Ginny. Of course they believed she deserved to be punished, she could have been killed and that shouldn't have been overlooked. But the thought of someone being expelled made their stomachs twist uncomfortably, who knew what Ginny would do to seek revenge on AJ because of her punishment.

Ron was the first to break the silence "What's going to happen? I mean I know she'll probably be expelled but what happens after that? Will her wand be snapped of something?"

"I'm really not sure," remarked AJ "I've never heard of someone being expelled from Hogwarts. Maybe they'll put her on some sort of suspension from magic until they see that she's responsible enough to handle it."

Hermione bit her lip "If you're expelled from Hogwarts there are other Wizarding schools to attend, they're considered public and they don't have houses like Hogwarts or uniforms and you go home at the end of each day. Maybe Ginny will do something like that. I'm sorry Ron, but it doesn't look good for your sister."

"Why apologize to me?" growled Ron "She did it to herself Hermione, if she gets expelled fine, if she can't perform magic anymore fine! I really don't care!"

Hermione glared darkly "Well sorry for being a concerned friend Ronald! I just didn't want you to feel that you had to be on mine and AJ's side because we're your best friends."

"She's right Ron," smiled AJ "I don't want you to choose me over your family. Ginny was wrong in what she did, but she is your sister and blood is thicker then water."

Ron rolled his eyes "Not in this case you guys. You're my family and I love you both, if something were to happen to you or Mio because of something Ginny did, I wouldn't be able to forgive her. You're not making me choose, Ginny made the choice for me when she decided to do what she did."

The three lapsed into a comfortable silence before AJ groaned loudly "I am so screwed!"

"That's what she said," snickered Hermione before sobering "what's wrong? Why are you screwed?"

AJ cracked a grin "What am I going to do about my little trip to Hogsmeade or how about our little adventure with the time turner?"

"Well," stuttered Ron "it's already in the past and Remus already knows about your adventures with the invisibility cloak and Professor Dumbledore already approved your use of the time turner back then."

Hermione sighed, "That's true but we did break the law and Sirius doesn't know all about what AJ did. Sure we can't be punished for our past actions, but that doesn't mean we can't be scolded."

"Once again," muttered AJ "we are beyond screwed. Somehow I doubt that my dad or Uncle Reggie will be understanding of my past actions that year."

"Yeah but they all used to sneak out and were in the Forbidden Forest when Professor Lupin would turn into a werewolf." Argued Ron "That alone is worse then what you did, AJ I don't think Sirius will get upset, he's too cool and understanding for that." But AJ and Hermione didn't look convinced, they decided to just wait and see what happened, as they headed downstairs and into the dinning rom, Ginny appeared and looked angrier and more upset then they had ever seen.

"This is all your fault!" she shouted with Molly behind her "I hate you!"

***DOWNSTAIRS*******

Charlie, Bill, Remus, Sirius, Regulus, Ted, Andy, Kingsley, Tonks, Snape, Molly and Ginny were all seated around the dinning room table staring expectantly at a somber looking Dumbledore.

"First let me begin by saying this was not an easy decision to make," stated Dumbledore "I have never enjoyed having to find a punishment for a student. As long as I have been in the teaching industry I have never been so disappointed in a student until now."

Snape rolled his eyes "Have you forgotten what that mutt had done to me?"

"It was almost seventeen years ago!" shouted Sirius "Will you let it go you overgrown bat!"

Snape sneered, "You tried to have me killed and you expect me to let that go? I do not think so you mongrel!"

"How do you think Lilly would feel knowing that you are the reason that her only daughter had to grow up with those hateful Muggles because you had to sell them out to Voldemort because of grudge against James!" yelled Regulus shocking the room into silence "You had a family killed because of a grudge Severus! James was a father and a husband; he wasn't your rival anymore. He was a girl's father, her protector and you wanted him dead and you didn't give a damn if he and AJ both died, you just wanted to save Lilly. How do you think she would feel? Tell me man! I am dying to know how she would feel!" By the time he was done everyone was staring at the angered man with a hint of fear, he was a Black after all and his temper was that of their fathers which that in itself was enough to scare the entire room into submission. Snape remained silent with hate written all over his face but there was a hint of sadness in his eyes but was well hidden behind self-loathing.

"Maybe we should continue this particular conversation later." Suggested Andy

Kingsley nodded "Or never, the choice is yours of course but never is my vote."

"Continuing on," Dumbledore stated with a hint of anger "you endangered not only AJ and yourself, but an entire school. That cannot be taken lightly and I am sorry to say but you are not allowed to return to Hogwarts. There is more but I believe that Ms. Tonks and Mr. Shacklebolt will be dueling out that punishment."

Kingsley nodded to Tonks "Ginny what you did is completely unacceptable, not only were students petrified but you also unleashed he-who-must-not-be-named knowing full well that your memory was deceiving you. With that said, the Ministry has to be involved, we have agreed that expulsion is completely fair but like Dumbledore said there is more." Tonks elbowed Kingsley to continue, she was never good with dueling out punishments.

"Ginny, we will be taking your wand from you," said Kingsley in his ever-calm voice "it will not be snapped yet. But you will be stripped of your magic until the ministry has deemed you capable of being able to handle magic. We are putting a binding spell on your magic that will not be able to be broken without our consent. You left us no choice Ginny."

Ginny was crying silently while Molly was trying to argue that her daughter had no idea what she was doing. She was losing her memory and that in itself was enough to make someone not guilty of their actions. "I think you are all being unreasonable when it comes to my daughter! I demand you rethink this punishment, if you take another minute to come up with a decision you'll see how wrong you are!"

Remus shook his head "Molly, it's over and done with. You know as well as I do, that Ginny deserves this punishment. If the tables were turned and someone had put Ginny in danger, you would fight tooth and nail to see that justice was served."

Molly glared at her oldest children "Do you two have anything to say on behalf of your sister? She deserves your support and love during this difficult time!"

"Support? Love?" snarled Charlie "She put my girlfriend in danger! She could have been killed because Ginny is too stubborn to tell someone that she is missing chunks of time in her memory! Oh and lets not forget about the lovely diary that seemed to write back! How in the hell am I supposed to support someone that could have changed an entire series of events but didn't? No mother, I will not support her during this. Yes I love her because she is my sister but I cannot agree with what she said or did during that time period."

Bill nodded "I agree with Charlie, she sealed her own fate. You cannot expect us or anyone else to agree with what she did when it was all completely unavoidable." AJ's family were all bursting with pride, Charlie was a good man and they were happy that AJ was with someone who deserved her time and treated her with respect. They were also happy that Bill was apart of her life, she and Hermione deserved good people in their lives especially with such dark times lying a head of them.

Molly and Ginny go up just at the dinning room door was opening up, "This is all your fault!" she shouted with Molly behind her "I hate you!"

AJ raised a brow "Okay, good to know you crazy ass." The golden trio waited until they saw Molly and Ginny stormed up the stairs and slam a door, "Time to eat?" AJ asked with a small grin.

The golden trio all took their seats and listened intently to what happened to Ginny as far as punishments were concerned. They could feel the tension rolling off a few occupants but not even Ron thought it would be a good idea to talk about that just yet. As lunch ended, they all went into the living room to continue the readings; Hermione grabbed the book with a small smile feeling relieved that Ginny was no longer a problem. Well for now. **"The Boggart in The Wardrobe…"**

**AN: I tried really hard on this break, hopefully you all like it, feel free to PM me with questions or suggestions, and I'm always open up to ideas! Read and review please and thank you :)**


	50. Boggart in the Wardrobe

**Malfoy didn't reappear in classes until late on Thursday morning,**

"Why?" asked Tonks "He wasn't even injured that badly to the point of where Madam Pomfrey couldn't heal the jerk."

**when the Slytherins and Gryffindor's were halfway through double Potions. He swaggered into the dungeon; his right arm covered in bandages and bound up in a sling, acting, in AJ's opinion, as though he were the heroic survivor of some dreadful battle.**

Remus snorted "All the teachers were talking about his supposed injury. Madam Pomfrey was tempted to give him Draught of Living Dead because he was complaining so much throughout the night."

"Just an excuse for his daddy to come in and get rid of one of the best teachers at Hogwarts." Muttered Ted

**"How is it, Draco?" simpered Pansy Parkinson. "Does it hurt much?"**

**"Yeah," said Malfoy, putting on a brave sort of grimace. But AJ saw him wink at Crabbe and Goyle when Pansy had looked away.**

Charlie and Bill burst out laughing, "He just wants sympathy sex! And she's playing into his little trap perfectly." Charlie finally chocked out between laughter

"I bet you three galleons they get married and have children." Laughed Bill

**"Settle down, settle down," said Professor Snape idly.**

**AJ and Ron scowled at each other; Snape wouldn't have said, "settle down" if they'd walked in late, he'd have given them detention.**

"I'm sure you've given us more detentions than you can count." Muttered AJ

Snape glared "When I duel out a detention it's because you have done something to deserve it."

**But Malfoy had always been able to get away with anything in Snape's classes;** **Snape was head of Slytherin House, and generality favored his own students above all others.**

Regulus scowled "Doesn't help that Draco is his godson and he picks favorites."

**They were making a new potion today, a Shrinking Solution. Malfoy set up his cauldron right next to AJ and Ron, so that they were preparing their ingredients on the same table.**

**"Sir," Malfoy called, "sir, I'll need help cutting up these daisy roots, because of my arm -"**

Andy scowled "Oh come on! You aren't honestly going to buy into this bullshit are you?"

**"Weasley, cut up Malfoy's roots for him," said Snape without looking up.**

Andy scowled angrily; she would be speaking to her younger sister and brother-in-law sooner rather than later.

**Ron went brick red.** **"There's nothing wrong with your arm," he hissed at Malfoy.** **Malfoy smirked across the table.**

"How very Slytherin of him," smirked Kingsley "a real snake that boy is."

**"Weasley, you heard Professor Snape; cut up these roots."** **Ron seized his knife, pulled Malfoy's roots toward him, and began to chop them roughly, so that they were all different sizes.**

Sirius winced "Careful, that can cause a lot of problems with the potion."

"Who cares?" Ron asked "It's just Malfoy and it would be justice served."

"First of all, the potion could have exploded and harmed you and AJ, second of all you don't want him dead. You aren't that kind of person." Remarked Sirius with an edge

**"Professor," drawled Malfoy, "Weasley's mutilating my roots, sir."**

**Snape approached their table, stared down his hooked nose at the roots, and then gave Ron an unpleasant smile from beneath his long, greasy black hair.**

Hermione sighed "That's never a good sign, it always means trouble for a Gryffindor."

"Or a Hufflepuff," mumbled Tonks "he was always taking points off my potions or giving me unfair detentions."

**"Change roots with Malfoy, Weasley."**

**"But, sir -!"** **Ron had spent the last quarter of an hour carefully shredding his own roots into exactly equal pieces.**

"Damn," Ted sighed, "now your potion isn't going to turn out right and your going to get a zero for the day."

AJ nodded "Pretty much, but that's almost every day in potions so it's nothing new."

**"**_**Now**_**," said Snape in his most dangerous voice.**

Dumbledore sighed sadly, it seemed he would have to talk with Severus soon. This grudge was getting out of hand, that much was obvious after Mr. Blacks lashing just an hour previously.

**Ron shoved his own beautifully cut roots across the table a, Malfoy, than took up the knife again.**

**"And, sir, I'll need this shrivelfig skinned," said Malfoy, his voice full of malicious laughter.**

Hermione put the book down "Why does he get away with everything? I really am curious sir, is it because he's your godson or is there another reason because just reading these few sentences I'm beyond frustrated."

"Don't bother trying to understand it Mio." Bill said with a smile "It'll just frustrate you even more once you hear the reasoning."

**"Potter, you can skin Malfoy's shrivelfig," said Snape, giving AJ the look of loathing he always reserved just for her.**

"No not just you cub," snarled Remus "Sirius, James and myself were on the receiving end of that look numerous times. Apparently it's a look he plans on using on our entire family."

**AJ took Malfoy's shrivelfig as Ron began trying to repair the damage to the roots he now had to use. AJ skinned the shrivelfig as fast as she could and flung it back across the table at Malfoy without speaking. Malfoy was smirking more broadly than ever.**

"Should have smacked him in the face," grinned Charlie "it would have made for a very entertaining class."

AJ smirked "I know it would have, but Snape would have given me detention for the remainder of my life for endangering his precious godson."

**"Seen your pal Hagrid lately?" he asked them quietly.**

**"None of your business," said Ron jerkily, without looking up.**

Kingsley shook his head "Don't bother defending yourself or responding. He just wants to get a rise out of you and get you into trouble."

**"I'm afraid he won't be a teacher much longer," said Malfoy in a tone of mock sorrow. "Father's not very happy about my injury -"**

"What injury?" Bill burst out "It was a SCRATCH! It's not like he needed a limb removed and a new one put in its place!"

**"Keep talking, Malfoy, and I'll give you a real injury," snarled Ron.**

Charlie smirked "Do it, you know you want to."

"I didn't do it," sighed Ron "I would have been expelled for sure."

**"- he's complained to the school governors. And to the Ministry of Magic.** **Father's got a lot of influence, you know. And a lasting injury like this" - he gave a huge, fake sigh - "who knows if my arm'll ever be the same again?"**

Ted snorted "Just stab him in the neck and get it over with. He's dragging this out too far now, it was a scratch and he knows it."

**"So that's why you're putting it on," said AJ, accidentally beheading a dead caterpillar because her hand was shaking in anger.** **"To try to get Hagrid fired."**

Regulus winced "Remind me not to piss you off if you're holding a sharp object."

"Dean and Seamus learned that lesson the hard way." Laughed Hermione

**"Well," said Malfoy, lowering his voice to a whisper, "partly, Potter. But there are other benefits too.** **Weasley, slice my caterpillars for me."**

Tonks snickered "Being a giant baby is a benefit?"

**A few cauldrons away, Neville was in trouble.**

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" muttered Remus "You attack that poor boy like he tried to murder you in your sleep."

**Neville regularly went to pieces in Potions lessons; it was his worst subject, and his great fear of Professor Snape made things ten times worse.** **His potion, which was supposed to be a bright, acid green, had turned -**

**"Orange, Longbottom,"**

"But that's an easy fix," argued Tonks "all you have to do is reverse the last step and then it'll change the color."

Snape sneered, "It will also dilute the potion itself."

"True," stated an irate Tonks "but it won't ruin it so it wouldn't cause him to fail the day."

**said Snape, ladling some up and allowing to splash back into the cauldron, so that everyone could see. "Orange. Tell me, boy, does anything penetrate that thick skull of yours? Didn't you hear me say, quite clearly, that only one -tat spleen was needed? Didn't I state plainly that a dash of leech juice would suffice? What do I have to do to make you understand, Longbottom?"**

"Nice," snarked Andy "treat him as if he's mentally incompetent. That'll make him really eager to learn the subject that's been giving him Hell since the beginning."

**Neville was pink and trembling. He looked as though he was on the verge of tears.**

Hermione and AJ winced at remembering all the times Snape had reduced the poor boy to tears.

**"Please, sir," said Hermione, "please, I could help Neville put it right -"**

**"I don't remember asking you to show off, Miss Granger," said Snape coldly, and Hermione went as pink as Neville.**

Bill growled, "Are you fucking kidding me? All she wanted to do was help a fellow classmate, not show off her ability to complete the potion the correct way!" Hermione smiled happily, she loved that Bill was willing to stand up for her.

**"Longbottom, at the end of this lesson we will feed a few drops of this potion to your toad and see what happens. Perhaps that will encourage you to do it properly." Snape moved away, leaving Neville breathless with fear.**

"What?" shouted Tonks "Who does something like that to a defenseless creature?"

Andy glared "That was completely uncalled for Severus! You should be ashamed of yourself."

**"Help me!" he moaned to Hermione.**

**"Hey, AJ," said Seamus Finnigan, leaning over to borrow AJ's brass scales, "have you heard? Daily Prophet this morning - they reckon Sirius Black's been sighted."**

"What happened to being stealthy?" AJ asked innocently trying to hide her panic of losing her dad.

Sirius caught the fear "I needed to be spotted in random areas so I could be near Hogwarts without having Aurors everywhere. Don't worry pup, I'm safe here and there's no way I'm going back to Azkaban after I got my family back after all these years."

**"Where?" said AJ and Ron quickly. On the other side of the table, Malfoy looked up, listening closely.**

**"Not too far from here," said Seamus, who looked excited. "It was a Muggle who saw him. 'Course, she didn't really understand. The Muggles think he's just an ordinary criminal, don't they? So she phoned the telephone hot line. By the time the Ministry of Magic got there, he was gone."**

Hermione snickered "We live in a society where the pizza delivery boy gets to us faster then the police."

"What a comforting thought Mio," remarked Ron "well I guess it is good when it comes to Sirius being caught." Ron wasn't able to dodge the pillow from the angered blue haired girl.

**"Not too far from here... " Ron repeated, looking significantly at AJ.**

**He turned around and saw Malfoy watching closely. "What, Malfoy? Need something else skinned?"**

Ted ran his fingers through his chestnut hair "Just be careful what you say around him. No matter what you say he can turn it around and feed it to the death eaters."

**But Malfoy's eyes were shining malevolently, and they were fixed AJ. He leaned across the table.** **"Thinking of trying to catch Black single-handed, Potter?"**

"Please," scoffed Remus "Sirius would face all of Hell to make sure AJ was okay and would never put her in danger."

Regulus grinned "Your such a good daddy Siri, just make sure you don't wind up dead because you're being a hero."

**"Yeah, that's right," said AJ offhandedly.**

The Golden Trio shared smirks; they did catch Sirius even if it was a painful process.

**Malfoy's thin mouth was curving in a mean smile.** **"Of course, if it was me," he said quietly, "I'd have done something before now. I wouldn't be staying in school like a good boy, I'd be out there looking for him."**

Sirius smirked "I would have loved to have found him while I was padfoot, I would have scared that shit out of him."

"Like you did your own daughter?" Bill laughed at the scowl he received

"No not like that," Sirius fake laughed, "I would actually be terrifying. You know, foaming at the mouth, growling sort of thing."

**"What are you talking about, Malfoy?" said Ron roughly.**

**"Don't you know, Potter?" breathed Malfoy, his pate eyes narrowed.**

Charlie narrowed his eyes "What could he know that you don't know?"

"He's an ass," muttered Kingsley "he doesn't know anything like usual."

**"Know what?"**

**Malfoy let out a low, sneering laugh. "Maybe you'd rather not risk your neck," he said.** **"Want to leave it to the dementors, do you? But if it were me, I'd want revenge. I'd hunt him down myself."**

"I'd like to see you try," snarled AJ "he's going to run his mouth to the wrong person."

Tonks sighed "He's really digging a nice size hole when it comes to turning people against himself. In times of war you have to unite, it'll save lives and cause less casualties."

**"What are you talking about?" said AJ angrily with hair flashing fire engine red, but at that moment Snape called, "You should have finished adding your ingredients by now; this potion needs to stew before it can be drunk, so clear away while it simmers and then we'll test Longbottom's... "**

Charlie bit his lip "Trevor better be okay Snape, I have no problems hexing you into oblivion because you insist on being a horrible person to students and animals."

**Crabbe and Goyle laughed openly, watching Neville sweat as he stirred his potion feverishly. Hermione was muttering instructions to him out of the corner of her mouth, so that Snape wouldn't see.**

Charlie sighed in relief while Snape glared darkly at the grinning teen; Longbottom was babied in his classes because of what happened to his parents.

**AJ and Ron packed away their unused ingredients and went to wash their hands and ladles in the stone basin in the corner.** **"What did Malfoy mean?" AJ muttered to Ron as she stuck her hands under the icy jet that poured from the gargoyle's mouth "Why would I want revenge on Sirius Black? He hasn't done anything to me - yet."**

"He shouldn't be using this kind of information against you," stated Andy "he shouldn't even know this information to begin with. It was kept secret who the secret keeper was and it was never made public knowledge."

Remus snorted "Do you honestly believe that the son of a death eater hasn't done his own research through his parents pensieve and he's more then likely just trying to piss AJ off and get her into trouble with Severus."

**"He's making it up," said Ron savagely. "He's trying to make you do something stupid..."**

"Not that you need help in that department," joked Bill "you seem to manage to do stupid things all on your own."

AJ mock glared "Sleep with one eye open."

**The end of the lesson in sight, Snape strode over to Neville, who was cowering by his cauldron.** **"Everyone gather 'round," said Snape, his black eyes glittering. "And watch what happens to Longbottom's toad. If he has managed to produce a Shrinking Solution, it will shrink to a tadpole. If, as I don't doubt, he has done it wrong, his toad is likely to be poisoned."**

Tonks shook her head "So mean and uncalled for. That defenseless animal did nothing to you and neither did Neville."

**The Gryffindor's watched fearfully. The Slytherins looked excited.**

"Bastards," muttered Tonks "complete and utter bastards."

**Snape picked up Trevor the toad in his left hand and dipped a small spoon into Neville's potion, which was now green.** **He trickled a few drops down Trevor's throat. There was a moment of hushed silence, in which Trevor gulped; then there was a small pop, and Trevor the tadpole was wriggling in Snape's palm. **

"Yes!" Charlie "In your face Snape!"

Snape glared "Watch your mouth before I do it for you and I assure you, you will not be happy with the outcome."

**The Gryffindor's burst into applause.** **Snape, looking sour, pulled a small bottle from the pocket of his robe, poured a few drops on top of Trevor, and he reappeared suddenly, fully grown.**

"That's pretty cool," remarked Kingsley "reversing the age and then going back to normal again."

Ted grinned "Potions is a really fun class, our professor was pretty out there with what he would have us do but it made learning so much more enjoyable."

**"Five points from Gryffindor," said Snape, which wiped the smiles from every face. "I told you not to help him, Miss Granger.** **Class dismissed."**

"How do you know she helped?" asked Sirius "He could have just been having a good day and fixed the potion."

Hermione coughed to cover up a snicker "I'm sure Neville would appreciate the vote of confidence but Hell would freeze over before that would happen."

**AJ, Ron, and Hermione climbed the steps to the entrance hall. AJ was still thinking about what Malfoy had said, while Ron was seething about Snape.**

Regulus rolled his eyes "Don't bother figuring out what he said or why Snape is such an asshole."

**"Five points from Gryffindor because the potion was all right! Why didn't you lie, Hermione? You should've said Neville did it all by himself!"** **Hermione didn't answer. Ron looked around.** **"Where is she?"**

Kingsley narrowed his brown eyes, something funny was going on and he was hoping that Hermione didn't have what he thinks she has in her possession.

**AJ turned too. They were at the top of the steps now, watching the rest of the class pass them, heading for the Great Hall and lunch. Malfoy passed them, walking between Crabbe and Goyle. He smirked at AJ and disappeared.** **"There she is," said AJ.**

"Now don't get mad," said a nervous Andy "but it really sounds like Draco has a crush on you."

AJ shuddered "Too bad for him I don't go for scrawny death eaters. I prefer dragon keepers with dark red hair and blue eyes." Charlie grinned at his girlfriend and felt his jealousy slip away.

**Hermione was panting slightly, hurrying up the stairs; one hand clutched her bag; the other seemed to be tucking something down the front of her robes.**

**"She was right behind us," said Ron, frowning.**

The wheels were starting to turn in the adults heads, they didn't like where their thoughts were going.

**"How did you do that?" said Ron.**

**"What?" said Hermione, joining them.**

"Don't answer a question with a question." Lectured Remus

Sirius smirked "Okay Professor Moony, we will never answer a question with a question again."

"Detention Mr. Black." Remus said playfully

**"One minute you were right behind us, the next moment, you were back at the bottom of the stairs again."**

**"What?" Hermione looked slightly confused. "Oh - I had to go back for something. Oh no -"**

"What is going on?" Ted asked, "You're hiding something and if Ron is catching on, you know its bad."

**A seam had split on Hermione's bag. AJ wasn't surprised; she could see that it was crammed with at least a dozen large and heavy books.**

Hermione shrugged with a small blush, she did read a lot and she was never good at keeping secrets but she didn't think she was being so obvious.

**"Why are you carrying all these around with you?" Ron asked her.**

**"You know how many subjects I'm taking," said Hermione breathlessly. "Couldn't hold these for me, could you?"**

"You all have the same schedule," said Tonks quietly "so why would you have more books than AJ and Ron?"

Kingsley sighed, "I think I know what's going on, but I really hope I'm wrong."

**"But -" Ron was turning over the books she had handed him, looking at the covers.** **"You haven't got any of these subjects today. It's only Defense Against the Dark Arts this afternoon."**

AJ kissed her papas cheek "Best subject that year."

**Oh yes," said Hermione vaguely, but she packed all the books back into her bag just the same." I hope there's something good for lunch, I'm starving," she added, and she marched off toward the Great Hall.**

"That's a good subject change," chuckled Bill "no one will ever know you tried to avoid the topic."

**"D'you get the feeling Hermione's not telling us something?" Ron asked AJ.**

"You were strangely quiet throughout that conversation," remarked Regulus "what's up with that sweets?"

AJ shrugged "I had a lot on my mind and Mio obviously didn't want us to know what she was doing so I wasn't going to pressure her to find out."

**Professor Lupin wasn't there when they arrived at his first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson.** **They all sat down, took out their books, quills, and parchment, and were talking when he finally entered the room.**

Everyone that wasn't there was grinning to see what Remus had planned.

**Lupin smiled vaguely and placed his tatty old briefcase on the teacher's desk. He was as shabby as ever but looked healthier than he had on the train, as though he had had a few square meals. The familiar feeling was stronger then ever; she had a foggy memory of Professor Lupin and Sirius Black playing her as a baby. She suddenly felt as if she was going crazy.**

Remus couldn't stop the wide grin that spread across his face even if he wanted to.

**"Good afternoon," he said. "Would you please put all your books back in your bags. Todays will be a practical lesson. You will need only your wands."**

Andy smiled "Good idea Remus! Having a lesson that doesn't involve text book will be a memorable class and it'll make you a well liked teacher."

"Everyone he taught is still talking about him," commented Ron "we really wish you could come back Sir, we really learned a lot in your classes."

**A few curious looks were exchanged as the class put away their books. They had never had a practical Defense Against the Dark Arts before, unless you counted the memorable class last year when their old teacher had brought a cage full of pixies to class and set them loose.**

Kingsley winced "Hopefully you weren't eager to ruin your name and reputation by bringing in something like that."

**"Right then," said Professor Lupin, when everyone was ready. "If you'd follow me."**

**Puzzled but interested, the class got to its feet and followed Professor Lupin out of the classroom. He led them along the deserted corridor and around a corner, where the first thing they saw was Peeves the Poltergeist, who was floating upside down in midair and stuffing the nearest keyhole with chewing gum. **

Ted, Andy and Sirius laughed at the scowl that Remus was sporting. He didn't mind the nickname, but he was trying to be a professor, not one of the gang.

**Peeves didn't look up until Professor Lupin was two feet away; then he wiggled his curly-toed feet and broke into song.** **"Loony, loopy Lupin," Peeves sang. "Loony, loopy Lupin, loony, loopy Lupin -"**

"Who taught him that anyhow?" Hermione asked, "I've asked Peeves before but he always said it was a secret."

Ted, Andy, Sirius and Remus all stared at Regulus who was looking anywhere but at them, "What?" he finally asked, "It's not like it's that big of a deal, and it is really catchy. I could have made it a dirty rhyme but I didn't so you shouldn't complain."

**Rude and unmanageable as he almost always was, Peeves usually showed some respect toward the teachers. Everyone looked quickly at Professor Lupin to see how he would take this; to their surprise, he was still smiling.**

"What do you expect from a former prankster?" asked Charlie with a grin

**"I'd take that gum out of the keyhole if I were you, Peeves," he said pleasantly. "Mr. Filch won't be able to get in to his brooms."**

"That would be such a hardship for him," muttered Tonks "he would blame it on some student. Give them detention and his day would be better then before."

Ted laughed, "You're always thinking of others Dora, you're a sweet girl and I'm lucky you're my daughter."

**Filch was the Hogwarts caretaker, a bad-tempered, failed wizard who waged a constant war against the students and, indeed, Peeves. However, Peeves paid no attention to Professor Lupin's words, except to blow a loud wet raspberry. Professor Lupin gave a small sigh and took out his wand.**

Kingsley gapped "You pulled your wand on him? I didn't think you were capable of such violence."

**"This is a useful little spell," he told the class over his shoulder. "Please watch closely."**

Snape snorted in disgust, he was a pathetic Professor and the students only liked him because he never pulled rank when he should have.

**He raised the wand to shoulder height, said, "Waddiwasi! " and pointed it at Peeves. With the force of a bullet, the wad of chewing gum shot out of the keyhole and straight down Peeves's left nostril; he whirled upright and zoomed away, cursing.**

Bill laughed loudly "Awesome!"

"It was really funny," laughed Ron "I think that's what really made a lot of us respect you as a teacher."

**"Cool, sir!" said Dean Thomas in amazement.**

**"Thank you, Dean," said Professor Lupin, putting his wand away again.**

Sirius grinned, "Professor Moony already knows their names! You're already better then the other two professors."

**"Shall we proceed?"** **They set off again, the class looking at shabby Professor Lupin with increased respect.**

AJ dropped her head in her hands; she hated how observant she was.

**He led them down a second corridor and stopped, right outside the staffroom door.** **"Inside, please," said Professor Lupin, opening it and standing back.** **The staffroom, a long, paneled room full of old, mismatched chairs, was empty except for one teacher. **

Regulus looked confused "Why were you being observed? Usually that doesn't happen until you hit the third month mark."

**Professor Snape was sitting in a low armchair, and he looked around as the class filed in. His eyes were glittering and there was a nasty sneer playing around his mouth.**

"Of course," muttered Andy "you can never leave anyone be, you have to be a jerk and make some snide remark that serves no purpose other then to be mean."

**As Professor Lupin came in and made to close the door behind him, Snape said, "Leave it open, Lupin. I'd rather not witness this."**

"That was uncalled for Severus," admonished Dumbledore

**He got to his feet and strode past the class, his black robes billowing behind him. At the doorway he turned on his heel and said, "Possibly no one's warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Miss Granger is hissing instructions in his ear."**

"Why drag Hermione and Neville into that?" asked Sirius "Was this because Neville showed you up in your own classroom?"

Snape sneered "That toad would have been dead had it not been for Granger, he needs to learn to work on his own potions by himself."

**Neville went scarlet. AJ glared at Snape; it was bad enough that he bullied Neville in his own classes, let alone doing it in front of other teachers. Professor Lupin had raised his eyebrows.**

"Someone is going to get a stern talking to." Sing songed AJ

**"I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation," he said, "and I am sure he will perform it admirably."**

**Neville's face went, if possible, even redder. Snape's lip curled, but he left, shutting the door with a snap.**

"Poor kid," sighed Kingsley "was he nervous the entire class?"

Remus smirked "Actually he was a very quick learner in the class and showed real bravery."

**"Now, then," said Professor Lupin, beckoning the class toward the end of the room, where there was nothing but an old wardrobe where the teachers kept their spare robes. As Professor Lupin went to stand next to it, the wardrobe gave a sudden wobble, banging off the wall.**

"What's in there?" asked a nervous Tonks

Charlie smiled "It may sound crazy but the title of the chapter may have given you a few clues."

**"Nothing to worry about," said Professor Lupin calmly because a few people had jumped backward in alarm. "There's a boggart in there."**

"Is Neville's fear something funny?" asked Bill "Or is it really something people fear?"

Hermione fought a smile, "Oh no, trust me on this, and the boggart that Neville faces is terrifying."

**Most people seemed to feel that this was something to worry about. Neville gave Professor Lupin a look of pure terror,** **and Seamus Finnigan eyed the now rattling doorknob apprehensively.**

Charlie rolled his eyes in anger, "Stupid teachers couldn't even teach you about a boggart. You should have at least known what a boggart was and how to handle one."

**"Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces," said Professor Lupin. "Wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboards under sinks - I've even met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock.**

"Where?" asked AJ

"At you granddads house in Whales there was an old grandfather clock in his study where the boggart liked to stay." Said Remus with a slight pout

Sirius grinned, "James told you not to go in his fathers study, that was his personal space but you went anyhow."

**This one moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my third years some practice. So, the first question we must ask ourselves is, what is a boggart?" Hermione put up her hand.**

Hermione stuck her head farther in the book; she was realizing how she should put the answers in her own words rather than reciting what the book said.

**"It's a shape-shifter," she said. "It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most."**

**"Couldn't have put it better myself," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione glowed.**

Regulus snickered "Watch out Siri, looks like you've got competition."

"Besides AJ, almost all the girls thought Professor Lupin was extremely sexy in a rugged way." Laughed Ron

**"So the boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a boggart looks like when he is alone,** **but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears. **

"What if your fear is something that isn't able to take shape?" asked Tonks "Like what if you fear the future or something like that."

Kingsley shook his head "It doesn't work like that Tonks. We all have deep rooted fears that sometimes we aren't even aware of but the Boggart is aware of them and uses them against you."

**This means," said Professor Lupin, choosing to ignore Neville's small sputter of terror, "that we have a huge advantage over the boggart before we begin. Have you spotted it, AJ?"**

"Why did you call on AJ?" Hermione asked

Remus looked sheepish "I wanted to see if she was advanced like I thought she would be when it came to Defense."

**Trying to answer a question with foggy memories popping up whenever you turned to your professor wasn't easy but she answered the best she could, "Because there are so many of us, it won't know what shape it should be."**

**"Precisely," said Professor Lupin looking like a proud parent but was covered almost instantly with the Professor mask firmly in place.**

"Did anyone else notice the weird vibes the two of you were probably sending off?" asked Ted

Ron shook his head "It didn't seem weird at all in class, there were a few times where AJ would stumble over his name but nothing out of the unordinary."

**"It's always best to have company when you're dealing with a boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a boggart make that very mistake - tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug. Not remotely frightening.**

Regulus and Ted blushed, that wasn't one of their finest moments when they were in the Black household.

**"The charm that repels a boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing. We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please ... Riddikulus!"**

"Easiest charm I've hard to learn," remarked Ted "charms wasn't one of my best subjects."

Tonks mock glared "Now I know where I get it from, thanks a lot dad."

**"Riddikulus!" said the class together.**

**"Good," said Professor Lupin. "Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in, Neville."**

Regulus rubbed his hands together "I can't wait to see this kid kick some ass in this lesson."

**The wardrobe shook again, though not as much as Neville, who walked forward as though he were heading for the gallows.** **"Right, Neville," said Professor Lupin. "First things first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?"**

"Wait," Charlie looked a little scared "his fear isn't a certain crazy women is it?"

Sirius groaned, "I hope not, that would be hard to explain to a bunch of third years."

**Neville's lips moved, but no noise came out.**

**"Didn't catch that, Neville, sorry," said Professor Lupin cheerfully.**

Snape glared at the smirking professor "I heard him perfectly fine to be honest, but I thought the rest of the class deserved a laugh."

**Neville looked around rather wildly, as though begging someone to help him, and then said, in barely more than a whisper, "Professor Snape."** **Nearly everyone laughed. Even Neville grinned apologetically. **

Everyone laughed loudly, Andy was the first to recover "You're a persons boggart? Severus! That's horrible but so hilarious at the same time."

**Professor Lupin, however, looked thoughtful.** **"Professor Snape... hmmm... Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother?"**

Bill shuddered "Please don't let the damn thing turn into her, she's scarier than Snape on a bad day."

**"Er - yes," said Neville nervously. "But - I don't want the boggart to turn into her either."**

"See?" grinned Bill "He agrees with me."

Kingsley snorted, "It's a book mate, I wouldn't invest too much stock into it."

**"No, no, you misunderstand me," said Professor Lupin, now smiling.** **"I wonder, could you tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears?"**

Sirius lit up like a Christmas tree, "Professor Moony, you are amazing and I am so happy you are my husband."

**Neville looked startled, but said, "Well... always the same hat. A tall one with a stuffed vulture on top. And a long dress... green, normally... and sometimes a fox-fur scarf."**

"Now I see where you're going with this," laughed Ted "this class just keeps getting better and better."

**"And a handbag?" prompted Professor Lupin.**

**"A big red one," said Neville.**

"Just keep adding fuel to the fire," giggled Hermione "we were enjoying his boggart more than we should have."

**"Right then," said Professor Lupin. "Can you picture those clothes very clearly, Neville? Can you see them in your mind's eye?"**

Snape continued to scowl at the ex professor, he did that all on purpose and it was all to prove that he was better candidate to teach the Dark Arts then Severus himself.

**"Yes," said Neville uncertainty, plainly wondering what was coming next.**

**"When the boggart bursts out of this wardrobe, Neville, and sees you, it will assume the form of Professor Snape," said Lupin. **

AJ smiled "You really weren't calming his fears with the lesson when you said that."

"Yeah but it made class interesting with Neville being so nervous yet making his boggart so hilarious." Chuckled Ron

**"And you will raise your wand - thus - and cry 'Riddikulus' - and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes. If all goes well, Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into that vulture-topped hat, and that green dress, with that big red handbag."**

Charlie bit his lip, "I wish I was there for this, of course reading about it is just as good, but seeing it would have it burned in my brain and I could replay it whenever I need a pick me up."

**There was a great shout of laughter.** **The wardrobe wobbled more violently.**

Everyone besides a certain professor, were on the edges of their seats waiting to see how Neville handled it.

**"If Neville is successful, the boggart is likely to shift his attention to each of us in turn," said Professor Lupin. "I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most, and imagine how you might force it to look comical..."**

Kingsley looked thoughtful "If you're afraid of dolls, how could you make that comical?"

"Who do you know that's afraid of dolls?" asked Ted

"It's just an example," Kingsley muttered with a red tint to his dark cheeks "but if someone was afraid, I would be understanding of that!"

**The room went quiet. AJ thought... What scared her most in the world? Her first thought was Lord Voldemort - a Voldemort returned to full strength.**

AJ felt sick to her stomach, Voldemort had returned to full strength and he was determined to kill her. But her own life wasn't what kept her up at night, it was the lives of the people she loved and cared deeply for. What would she do if something to Sirius or Remus? It would destroy her.

**But before she had even started to plan a possible counterattack on a boggart-Voldemort,** **a horrible image came floating to the surface of his mind... **

"What could be worse then you-know-who?" asked Regulus "He must be one of the few things that would give a person nightmares."

**A rotting, glistening hand, slithering back beneath a black cloak ... a long, rattling breath from an unseen mouth... then a cold so penetrating it felt like drowning...**

Most of the occupants looked sick to their stomachs, dementors were no picnic but for it to be persons greatest fear would be horrible.

**AJ shivered, then looked around, hoping no one had noticed. Many people had their eyes shut tight. Ron was muttering to himself,** **"Take its legs off. "**

"Take it's legs off?" said Charlie looking green "That's a bit much Ron, you could have it roller blading or even putting on makeup."

**AJ was sure she knew what that was about. Ron's greatest fear was spiders.**

**"Everyone ready?" said Professor Lupin.**

"Did you think I was ready?" asked AJ

Remus looked down, "I'm sorry cub but I really didn't think you were. I was watching the range of emotions across your face and I could tell you weren't ready. AJ, you are a very brave witch and you have a very big heart but if Voldemort or even a Dementor were to pop up in that room and you froze, I knew the ridicule you would face and I didn't want that. Please don't be angry." AJ smiled at her papa when he was done, she understood why now better than she had back then.

**AJ felt a lurch of fear. She wasn't ready. How could you make a Dementor less frightening?** **But she didn't want to ask for more time; everyone else was nodding and rolling up their sleeves.**

Charlie kissed AJ, "They were all scared punk, but their fears aren't as bad as yours."

**"Neville, we're going to back away," said Professor Lupin. "Let you have a clear field, all right? I'll call the next person forward... Everyone back, now, so Neville can get a clear shot -"**

Bill leaned forward "This is going to be good."

"We'll have to view it later in the perceive." Whispered Hermione

**They all retreated, backed against the walls, leaving Neville alone beside the wardrobe. He looked pale and frightened, but he had pushed up the sleeves of his robes and was holding his wand ready.**

Remus winced "I wish he hadn't looked so frightened, I should have explained more how the boggart cannot harm you physically."

**"On the count of three, Neville," said Professor Lupin, who was pointing his own wand at the handle of the wardrobe. "One two - three - now!"**

Bill, Charlie and Tonks were looking particularly excited to hear how Snape looked in women's clothing.

**A jet of sparks shot from the end of Professor Lupin's wand and hit the doorknob. The wardrobe burst open. Hook-nosed and menacing, Professor Snape stepped out, his eyes flashing at Neville. Neville backed away, his wand up, mouthing wordlessly. Snape was bearing down upon him, reaching inside his robes.**

"That would terrify anyone." Agreed Andy "But the important thing to remember is that he's only as mean as you make him out to be."

Sirius grinned "He seems to be pretty terrifying just sitting over there with the death glare firmly in place."

**"R - r - riddikulus! "Squeaked Neville.** **There was a noise like a whip crack. Snape stumbled; he was wearing a long, lace-trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth-eaten vulture, and he was swinging a huge crimson handbag.**

"There we go Neville!" yelled Ted over the laughter "I knew he had it in him!"

Regulus calmed down "I need to meet this kid and get his autograph, anyone that can make Snape out to be a women is okay in my book."

**There was a roar of laughter; the boggart paused, confused, and Professor Lupin shouted, "Parvati! Forward!"**

**Parvati walked forward, her face set. Snape rounded on her. There was another crack, and where he had stood was a bloodstained, bandaged mummy; its sightless face was turned to Parvati and it began to walk toward her very slowly, dragging its feet, its stiff arms rising –**

Ron raised a brow "Where did she get that fear from anyhow?"

"There was a muggle movie made back a few years prior to that and that was the antagonist in the movie." Explained Hermione

**"Riddikulus!" cried Parvati.** **A bandage unraveled at the mummy's feet; it became entangled, fell face forward, and its head rolled off.**

"Um…how…I uh," stuttered Tonks "how does that make it better?"

**"Seamus!" roared Professor Lupin.** **Seamus darted past Parvati.**

"He was more excited about going up against the boggart then Snape is when it comes to dishing out detentions to Gryffindor's." remarked AJ

**Crack! Where the mummy had been was a woman with floor length black hair and a skeletal, green-tinged face - a banshee. She opened her mouth wide and an unearthly sound filled the room, a long, wailing shriek that made the electric blue hair on AJs headstand on end –**

"Where do these fears come from?" laughed Bill

Sirius snickered "A lot are from movies or stories they must of heard when they were children to keep them from doing certain things."

**'Riddikulus!" shouted Seamus.**

**The banshee made a rasping noise and clutched her throat; her voice was gone. Crack! The banshee turned into a rat, which chased its tail in a circle, then - crack!- became a rattlesnake, which slithered and writhed before -** **crack! - becoming a single, bloody eyeball.**

Kingsley snorted "A bloody eyeball? I think I would take the snake over the eyeball."

"What about if it was a doll over an eyeball?" asked Charlie with an innocent smile that didn't fool the scowling Auror.

**'It's confused!" shouted Lupin. "We're getting there! Dean!"**

Andy grinned, "You're getting excited. Whenever you get really excited or passionate about something you tend to get louder and louder."

**Dean hurried forward. Crack! The eyeball became a severed hand, which flipped over and began to creep along the floor like a crab.**

Tonks looked sick "I don't like this class very much anymore, all the fears are really disturbing."

**"Riddikulus!" yelled Dean.** **There was a snap, and the hand was trapped in a mousetrap.**

"You're doing great Remus," grinned Ted "everyone is getting the hang of it pretty quickly and so far no one has had a panic attack."

Regulus scowled "It turned into my Father! Let it go Ted!"

**"Excellent! Ron, you next!"** **Ron leapt forward. Crack! Quite a few people screamed. A giant spider, six feet tall and covered in hair, was advancing on Ron, clicking its pincers menacingly. For a moment, AJ thought Ron had frozen.**

Ron scowled "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

**Then -** **"Riddikulus!" bellowed Ron, and the spider's legs vanished; it rolled over and over; Lavender Brown squealed and ran out of its way and it came to a halt at AJ's feet. She raised her wand, ready, but –**

"What would you have done if you could face your fear?" asked Kingsley curiously

AJ shrugged "I'm not sure, at that point my thoughts were going a mile a minute and everything was happening so quickly I couldn't grasp anything."

**"Here!" shouted Professor Lupin suddenly, hurrying forward.**

Remus sighed, "I could have handled that better, but my first reaction is to protect you. You could be fifty and facing a harmless garden snake and I'll still have the urge to handle it for you."

**Crack! The legless spider had vanished. For a second, everyone looked wildly around to see where it was. Then they saw a silvery-white orb hanging in the air in front of Lupin, who said, "Riddikulus!" almost lazily. Crack!**

"Try a full moon." Sneered an irate Snape

**"Forward, Neville, and finish him off!" said Lupin as the boggart landed on the floor as a cockroach. Crack! Snape was back. This time Neville charged forward looking determined.**

"He's gaining confidence." smiled Sirius "That's what a good teacher does, they instill confidence in their students and make them feel safe. Not scared for their lives and the lives of their pets."

**"Riddikulus!" he shouted, and they had a split second's view of Snape in his lacy dress** **before Neville let out a great "Ha!" of laughter, and the boggart exploded, burst into a thousand tiny wisps of smoke, and was gone.**

"Wow," grinned Charlie "that's amazing! You had an entire group of third years destroy a boggart. That's just…unheard of."

**"Excellent!" cried Professor Lupin as the class broke into applause. "Excellent, Neville. Well done, everyone... Let me See... five points to Gryffindor for every person to tackle the boggart - ten for Neville because he did it twice... and five each to Hermione and AJ."**

"Not that you all don't deserve the points," remarked Tonks "but why did you give AJ five points?"

Hermione smirked "She answered the question correctly and I believe Remus will explain this in a moment."

**"But I didn't do anything," said AJ.**

**"You and Hermione answered my questions correctly at the start of the class, AJ," Lupin said lightly. "Very well, everyone, an excellent lesson.**

"Are you sure you weren't feeling guilty?" joked Charlie "Made your daughter look bad in front of all her friends and then award her house points. Sounds like a guilty conscious to me."

Remus glared but it was lacking any heat, "No that's not it. Well a little but she did deserve the points for answering the question correctly!"

**Homework, kindly read the chapter on boggarts and summaries it for me... to be handed in on Monday. That will be all."**

Ted gaped "That's the homework assignment? You all better have gotten full marks or you're all grounded for the remainder of your lives."

**Talking excitedly, the class left the staffroom. AJ, however, wasn't feeling cheerful. Professor Lupin had deliberately stopped her from tackling the boggart. Why? Was it because he'd seen AJ collapse on the train, and thought she wasn't up to much? Had he thought AJ would pass out again?** **But no one else seemed to have noticed anything.**

Sirius kissed AJ's head "I think if a Dementor were to show up in that classroom kids would have been pissing their pants and begging to go home."

**"Did you see me take that banshee?" shouted Seamus.**

**"And the hand!" said Dean, waving his own around.**

Tonks groaned, "Of course they would find that hilarious and want to talk about it as if it's the greatest thing in the world."

"That's just how boys are Dora," laughed Andy "they never get over their fascination with all things disturbing and gory."

**"And Snape in that hat!"**

**"And my mummy!"**

"Snape in the hat!" Kingsley laughed, "Now that would be my favorite part of the day."

**"I wonder if Professor Lupin is single?" said Lavender thoughtfully.**

Sirius scowled "No, he's married. Happily married at that."

"Why didn't you use your married name when you became our teacher?" Ron asked

"I always felt that Sirius was innocent," remarked Remus "but proving it was impossible. Being married to a supposed killer and the fact that I am a werewolf would have made it impossible to work anywhere or even be allowed near Hogwarts let alone near AJ."

**Hermione nodded. "He is rather handsome and he has a mysterious quality about himself."**

Bill kissed the blushing girls cheek, "Don't worry Mio, we won't use that against you."

**"That was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson we've ever had, wasn't it?" said Ron excitedly as they made their way back to the classroom to get their bags.**

"Compared to what you lot have been through, it doesn't take much to impress." Laughed Regulus

Andy punched her cousin's arm, "Be nice Reggie! He did a fantastic job for a first time professor!"

**"He seems like a very good teacher," said Hermione approvingly.**

"And a rather handsome one too." Ted snickered at the glaring teen

**"But I wish I could have had a turn with the boggart -"**

Remus grinned; her boggart was rather funny to begin with.

**"What would it have been for you?" said Ron, sniggering. "A piece of homework that only got nine out of ten?"**

AJ snickered at Hermione, she loved her to death but her boggart needed some improvement. Hermione handed the book to Regulus with a small smile.

"**Flight of the Fat Lady…"**

**AN: Thank you so much for the reviews and all the adds, it means a lot to me! I am sorry for any mistakes I make, I do try to catch them all. Feel free to PM me with questions or suggestions; I'm always open to more ideas. Now to answer one question that seems to be reoccurring, AJ is a year older then the books. I did this because of her sexual relation with Charlie (legal age of consent is 16 in England). Now I'm not sure if Sirius should be upset with AJ for going out to Hogsmeade or not? I can see how it would be stupid to get mad over something that happened in the past, but I can also see how he would be a concerned parent. Let me know your thoughts :). Read and Review thank you :)**


	51. Flight Of The Fat Lady

**In no time at all, Defense Against the Dark Arts had become most people's favorite class.**

Sirius smirked "Is anyone surprised with this information? No? Didn't think so."

**Only Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins had anything bad to say about Professor Lupin.** **"Look at the state of his robes," Malfoy would say in a loud whisper as Professor Lupin passed. "He dresses like our old house-elf "**

"That's so rude!" snarked Hermione "He's insulting house-elf's and Remus himself."

Ron shook his head "Right because the house-elf's would be so upset being compared to a wizard as great as Professor Lupin."

**But no one else cared that Professor Lupin's robes were patched and frayed. His next few lessons were just as interesting as the first. After boggarts, they studied Red Caps, nasty little goblin like creatures that lurked wherever there had been bloodshed: in the dungeons of castles and the potholes of deserted battlefields, waiting to bludgeon those who had gotten lost. **

"You mean you were actually getting farther then the first couple of pages?" asked Kingsley "I'm completely shocked that a Professor could actually teach."

**From Red Caps they moved on to kappas, creepy water-dwellers that looked like scaly monkeys, with webbed hands itching to strangle unwitting waders in their ponds.** **AJ only wished she was as happy with some of her other classes.**

Andy jumped up and down "Let me guess which class you're having a hard time with!"

"Okay," laughed AJ "go for it Aunt Andy. Guess what class I wasn't enjoying."

"It's pretty tricky, but I'm going to go with Potions!" said Andy confidently

**Worst of all was Potions. Snape was in a particularly vindictive mood these days,** **and no one was in any doubt why.**

"How is Neville's fault that you're his boggart?" asked Charlie "You did it to yourself by being an overgrown child and acting as if he had done something to you."

**The story of the boggart assuming Snape's shape, and the way that Neville had dressed it in his grandmother's clothes, had travelled through the school like wildfire.**

"Bullshit." Coughed AJ "Malfoy ran to him right after class, he didn't have to wait and hear it in the halls. His little lap dog tells him everything."

**Snape didn't seem to find it funny.** **His eyes flashed menacingly at the very mention of Professor Lupin's name, and he was bullying Neville worse than ever.**

"You're just pissed off that he was doing well in a class that you said he would be awful in." remarked Ted

Snape glared "That had nothing to do with it. You don't know what you're talking about."

**AJ was also growing to dread the hours she spent in Professor Trelawney's stifling tower room, deciphering lopsided shapes and symbols, trying to ignore the way Professor Trelawney's enormous eyes filled with tears every time she looked at her.**

"Ignore her," smiled Sirius "she was always predicting my death in school too and I'm healthy as a horse."

AJ grinned "Another thing that seems to be running in our family."

**She couldn't like Professor Trelawney, even though she was treated with respect bordering on reverence by many of the class. **

Tonks snickered "People are looking up to her now? She's a creeper with a glass ball, not much to look up to."

**Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown had taken to haunting Professor Trelawney's tower room at lunch times, and always returned with annoyingly superior looks on their faces, as though they knew things the others didn't.**

"What could they know?" asked Regulus "They're both idiots for following a women who looks like a bug and is afraid of her own shadow!"

Bill snorted, "They both seem to be really enjoying the praise they're gaining from the crazy bug lady."

**They had also started using hushed voices whenever they spoke to AJ, as though she were on her deathbed.**

"A few of the girls in our dorm actually started to ask AJ what she wanted her lasts words to be." Snickered Hermione "There was even a few cases where when we were all just getting for bed and they would look at AJ as if the next day she would be dead."

**Nobody really liked Care of Magical Creatures, which, after the action-packed first class, had become extremely dull.** **Hagrid seemed to have lost his confidence. They were now spending lesson after lesson learning how to look after flobberworms, which had to be some of the most boring creatures in existence.**

"That's really messed up." Mumbled Charlie "He's an excellent person to teach Care of Magical Creatures and shouldn't be afraid because of some stuck up little prick."

**"Why would anyone bother looking after them?" said Ron, after yet another hour of poking shredded lettuce down the flobberworms' throats.**

"The first class was so much better and way more entertaining to hear about." Muttered Kingsley

Sirius nodded "Someone should have locked Malfoy in the broom closet so Hagrid could have done the lessons the way he wanted to."

**At the start of October, however, AJ had something else to occupy her, something so enjoyable it more than made up for his unsatisfactory classes. The Quidditch season was approaching, and Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor team, called a meeting on Thursday evening to discuss tactics for the new season.**

"I've missed hearing about this basket case!" smirked Andy "Is he bat shit crazy this Quidditch season too?"

AJ surprised a shudder "He was a little bit more intense this season, but that's typical for him."

**There were seven people on a Quidditch team: three Chasers, whose job it was to score goals by putting the Quaffle (a red, soccer-sized ball) through one of the fifty-foot-high hoops at each end of the field; two Beaters, who were equipped with heavy bats to repel the Bludgers (two heavy black balls that zoomed around trying to attack the players);** **a Keeper, who defended the goal posts, and the Seeker, who had the hardest job of all, that of catching the Golden Snitch, a tiny, winged, walnut-sized ball, whose capture ended the game and earned the Seeker's team an extra one hundred and fifty points.**

"Why does it insist on explaining this?" Hermione wondered "It's not like we don't all know what Quidditch is about, we've been through this two other times now."

**Oliver Wood was a burly seventeen-year-old, now in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts. There was a quiet sort of desperation in his voice as he addressed his six fellow team members in the chilly locker rooms on the edge of the darkening Quidditch field.**

Remus smiled, "He was a very eager student but Quidditch was at the front of his mind every day all day long."

"Didn't he use Quidditch analogies during class?" Ron asked

"During class?" asked Remus "No, not just during class but also in almost every homework assignment."

**"This is our last chance - my last chance - to win the Quidditch Cup," he told them, striding up and down in front of them. "I'll be leaving at the end of this year. I'll never get another shot at it. **

Ted made a face "He's not dying, he's just leaving school and hopefully getting some much needed help."

**Gryffindor hasn't won for seven years now. Okay, so we've had the worst luck in the world - injuries - then the tournament getting called off last year -' Wood swallowed, as though the memory still brought a lump to his throat.**

"He cried over this?" Kingsley asked, "Who cries over a Quidditch game? Completely and utterly crazy this one is."

**"But we also know we've got the best-ruddy-team-in-the-school," he said,** **punching a fist into his other hand, the old manic glint back in his eye. "We've got three superb Chasers."**

"They really were excellent that year," complimented AJ "we had a chance at winning that game."

**Wood pointed at Alicia Spinner, Angelina Johnson, and Katie Bell.**

**"We've got two **_**unbeatable**_ **Beaters."**

"The Beaters were the twins right?" asked Ted

Ron nodded "They are really good at it too."

**"Stop it, Oliver, you're embarrassing us," said Fred and George Weasley together, pretending to blush.**

**"And we've got a Seeker who has never failed to win us a match!"** **Wood rumbled, glaring at AJ with a kind of furious pride.**

"That's not creepy at all." Muttered Charlie

Bill rolled his eyes "He really needs to win the house cup before he kills himself over Quidditch."

**"And me," he added as an afterthought.**

**"We think you're very good too, Oliver," said George.**

**"Spanking good Keeper," said Fred.**

Regulus snorted, "Fred and George should open up a night club for comedians. I somehow doubt Wood is going to be too happy with their sarcasm."

**"The point is," Wood went on, resuming his pacing, "the Quidditch Cup should have had our name on it these last two years. Ever since AJ joined the team, I've thought the thing was in the bag.**

"What is he implying?" asked Sirius in a dangerous voice "Is he actually blaming my daughter for losing the house cup?"

Ron shrugged "He is, but AJ did lose them the house cup."

"See I don't see it that way. The way I see it is that AJ was defending an entire school and saving someone's ass when no one was willing to help. So no Ron, I don't agree with you or Wood saying that AJ lost them the house cup."

**But we haven't got it, and this year's the last chance we'll get to finally see our name on the thing..."** **Wood spoke so dejectedly that even Fred and George looked sympathetic.**

"It's a game!" yelled Regulus "It's not like it's life or death. You people need to get your priorities straight."

**"Oliver, this year's our year," said Fred.**

**"We'll do it, Oliver!" said Angelina.**

**"Definitely," said AJ.**

"You're all a little nuts," laughed Remus "but I can see why you're all trying to keep Oliver from offing himself."

**Full of determination, the team started training sessions, three evenings a week.** **The weather was getting colder and wetter, the nights darker, but no amount of mud, wind, or rain could tarnish AJ's wonderful vision of finally winning the huge, silver Quidditch Cup.**

Andy smiled "Do you win? No don't tell me, let me be surprised."

"I think they won mom," said Tonks "AJ is still alive so Oliver didn't kill her over the loss."

**AJ returned to the Gryffindor common room one evening after training, cold and stiff but pleased with the way practice had gone, to find the room buzzing excitedly.**

Charlie winced "Just be careful you don't get sick punk, and I don't mean because of Quidditch."

**"What's happened?" she asked Ron and Hermione, who were sitting in two of the best chairs by the fireside and completing some star charts for Astronomy.**

"Planning a prank?" asked Kingsley

Hermione giggled, "No, we leave the pranking up to the professionals."

**"First Hogsmeade weekend," said Ron, pointing at a notice that had appeared on the battered old bulletin board. "End of October. Halloween."**

AJ scowled "Ever notice how shitty things always seem to happen to me during the Halloween season?"

**"Excellent," said Fred, who had followed Harry through the portrait hole. "I need to visit Zonko's. I'm nearly out of Stink Pellets."**

Snape shook his head, that store needed to be closed down with those twins shopping around.

**AJ threw herself into a chair beside Ron, her high spirits ebbing away. Hermione seemed to read her mind or her hair color turning dull green gave her away.**

"When your hair goes dull your upset, when it's vibrant your happy and when your hair goes dark you're really pissed off." Hermione stated, "Oh and your eyes either go green or brown sometimes blue but it really doesn't go with your mood."

"How do you know this?" Ron asked

"It's called being observant Ronald," sighed Hermione "if you paid attention a bit more, you wouldn't always be lost."

**"AJ, I'm sure you'll be able to go next time," she said. "They're bound to catch Black soon. He's been sighted once already."**

"Nope," said Kingsley with a smile "we have no idea where he is and I don't think we'll ever find him."

**"Black's not stupid enough to try anything in Hogsmeade," said Ron. "Ask McGonagall if you can go this time, AJ. The next one might not be for ages -"**

**"Ron!" said Hermione. "AJ's supposed to stay in school-"**

"I wouldn't ask McGonagall to go," argued Regulus "I somehow doubt she would sign it and she wants to keep safe."

Bill nodded "She's a very strict professor and when it comes to her lion cubs she's even more of a mother hen."

**"She can't be the only third year left behind," said Ron. "Ask McGonagall, go on, AJ-"**

"You didn't did you?" asked Ted "I wouldn't be able to, I would stutter and walk away."

"**You've lost your mind mate." Stated AJ. "I'm not that eager to go."**

Charlie kissed AJ; she had a good sense of knowing what not to do. Too bad she didn't follow that instinct more often.

**Hermione opened her mouth to agree,** **but at that moment Crookshanks leapt lightly onto her lap. A large, dead spider was dangling from his mouth.**

Sirius burst into a laughing fit, "Look on the bright side Ron, the fur ball from hell is destroying your mortal enemy."

**"Does he have to eat that in front of us?" said Ron, scowling.**

Tonks rolled her eyes "You don't like spiders, but when the cat kills the spiders you get upset. What is going to make you happy?"

"He was eating it in front of us." Argued Ron "That's just disgusting and uncalled for."

**"Clever Crookshanks, did you catch that all by yourself?" said Hermione.** **Crookshanks; slowly chewed up the spider, his yellow eyes fixed insolently on Ron.**

**"Just keep him over there, that's all," said Ron irritably, turning back to his star chart. "I've got Scabbers asleep in my bag."**

"Maybe," whispered Andy "that's what he's after. You know, being a cat and all."

**AJ yawned. She really wanted to go to bed, but she still had her own star chart to complete. She pulled her bag toward her, took out parchment, ink, and quill, and started work.**

"Why didn't you finish it right away like you do with all your other work?" asked Remus

AJ snorted "Oliver had pushed us so hard that week, I was up until late at night just getting work done."

**"You can copy mine, if you like," said Ron,** **labeling his last star with a flourish and shoving the chart toward AJ.**

"Just don't make a habit out of that sweets," remarked Regulus "your professor will start to notice that your work is the exact same as Ron's."

**Hermione, who disapproved of copying, pursed her lips but didn't say anything. Crookshanks was still staring unblinkingly at Ron, flicking the end of his bushy tail.** **Then, without warning, he pounced.**

"Anyone surprised?" asked an amused Charlie

Kingsley smirked "Not in the least, but what will happen to the rat is what I want to know."

**"OI!" Ron roared, seizing his bag as Crookshanks sank four sets of claws deep inside it and began tearing ferociously. "GET OFF, YOU STUPID ANIMAL!" Ron tried to pull the bag away from Crookshanks, but Crookshanks clung on, spitting and slashing.**

"Well, Hermione you did say you would keep the cat away from Ron." Said Sirius "Even though he isn't an actual rat, you didn't know that at the time."

**"Ron, don't hurt him!" squealed Hermione; the whole common room was watching;** **Ron whirled the bag around, Crookshanks still clinging to it, and Scabbers came flying out of the top –**

Bill shook his head "Seriously? You all have the weirdest issues with pets."

**"CATCH THAT CAT," Ron yelled as Crookshanks freed himself from the remnants of the bag, sprang over the table, and chased after the terrified Scabbers.**

"I wish I could have witnessed this." Admitted Remus "I'm sure it would have been a real sight."

AJ grinned, "The entire common room was staring at them but they were all confused as to what was going on."

**George Weasley made a lunge for Crookshanks but missed; Scabbers streaked through twenty pairs of legs and shot beneath an old chest of drawers. Crookshanks skidded to a halt, crouched low on his bandy legs, and started making furious swipes beneath it with his front paw. Ron and Hermione hurried over; Hermione grabbed Crookshanks around the middle and heaved him away; Ron threw himself onto his stomach and, with great difficulty, pulled Scabbers out by the tail.**

"All over a rat," muttered Ted "does anyone else think that this whole thing is a little over the top?"

Ron glared "He was my pet! Not just some rat! He was the one thing that I owned that was mine and not a family thing."

**"Look at him!" he said furiously to Hermione, dangling Scabbers in front of her. "He's skin and bone! You keep that cat away from him!"**

Andy wrinkled her nose "I somehow doubt this has do with the cat trying to attack him."

**"Crookshanks doesn't understand it's wrong!" said Hermione, her voice shaking. "All cats chase rats, Ron!"**

Kingsley smiled "THANK YOU! It's a rat Ron, not a person. Well it is a person, but the cat doesn't know that."

**"There's something funny about that animal!" said Ron, who was trying to persuade a frantically wiggling Scabbers back into his pocket. "It heard me say that Scabbers was in my bag!"**

"Because he knows that something is right with the rat." Stated Charlie

Regulus sighed "Maybe you should have brought this information to Dumbledore or some other professor."

**"Oh, what rubbish," said Hermione impatiently. "Crookshanks could smell him, Ron, how else d'you think…"**

"Where you during all this?" laughed Tonks

AJ snickered "I was staying as far away from the argument as possible."

**"That cat's got it in for Scabbers!" said Ron, 'ignoring the people around him, who were starting to giggle. "And Scabbers was here first, and he's ill!"**

"Nice, you have a fan base now." Chuckled Bill

**Ron marched through the common room and out of sight up the stairs to the boys' dormitories.** **Ron was still in a bad mood with Hermione next day.** **He barely talked to her all through Herbology, even though he, AJ, and Hermione were working together on the same puffapod.**

"Now would be a good time to put your differences aside so you can work together on the project." Advised Sirius "You don't want to get a failing mark for the day just because you two aren't getting along and AJ decided to play Switzerland."

**"How's Scabbers?" Hermione asked timidly as they stripped fat pink pods from the plants and emptied the shining beans into a wooden pail.**

Remus smiled "She's offering you an olive branch Ron, you should take it so you can all move on."

**"He's hiding at the bottom of my bed, shaking," said Ron angrily, missing the pail and scattering beans over the greenhouse floor.**

"Well that's good," muttered Ted "you're really working on the issues at hand."

**"Careful, Weasley, careful!" cried Professor Sprout as the beans burst into bloom before their very eyes. **

Tonks grinned; she loved her ex head of house.

**They had Transfiguration next. Lavender Brown seemed to be crying. Parvati had her arm around her and was explaining something to Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were looking very serious.**

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Here we go, big freaking deal."

**"What's the matter, Lavender?" said Hermione anxiously as she, AJ, and Ron went to join the group.**

**"She got a letter from home this morning," Parvati whispered. "It's her rabbit, Binky. He's been killed by a fox."**

"I just want to know why you would put that in a letter." Remarked Regulus, "Why not just wait until you see her in person."

**"Oh," said Hermione, "I'm sorry, Lavender."**

**"I should have known!" said Lavender tragically. "You know what day it is?"**

Charlie laughed loudly "No! You're joking right?"

"Nope," AJ snickered "it was the day that bug lady predicted."

**"Er -"**

**"The sixteenth of October! 'That thing you're dreading, it will happen on the sixteenth of October!' Remember? She was right, she was right! This whole time I was worried about my period on my birthday! I should have known this would happen!"**

"Of course," mumbled Remus "the two just fit perfectly together."

Sirius rolled his eyes "I never understood women and their way of thinking."

**The whole class was gathered around Lavender now. Seamus shook his head seriously.**

**Hermione hesitated; then she said, "You - you were dreading your period but you should have known that Binky would be killed by a fox?"**

AJ laughed, "When you put it like that, you made her sound like an ass."

"She is an ass," joked Hermione "she proved that point all on her own."

**"Well, not necessarily by a fox," said Lavender, looking up at Hermione with streaming eyes, "but I was obviously dreading him dying, wasn't l?"**

"But she wasn't dreading death," argued Regulus "she was dreading her period."

Tonks lit up, "Wait! I got it! She bleeds on her period, so she must have felt that the blood would be associated with the dead rabbit."

**"Oh," said Hermione. She paused again. Then "Was Binky an old rabbit?"**

"Don't make sense out of dear," remarked Andy "she's too upset to care at this point."

**"N - no!" sobbed Lavender. "H - he was only a baby!"**

Kingsley scowled "So why would death be on her mind? What is wrong with these girls?"

**Parvati tightened her arm around Lavender's shoulders. "But then, why would you dread him dying?" said Hermione.** **Parvati glared at her.**

Ted bit his lip "Apparently you asked the wrong question."

"Not agreeing with her was probably the wrong move," said Bill "they seem to worship that class."

**"Well, look at it logically," said Hermione, turning to the rest of the group- "I mean, Binky didn't even die today, did he? Lavender just got the news today-" Lavender wailed loudly. "- and she can't have been dreading it, because it's come as a real shock -"**

"You really aren't selling the point," snickered Remus "you're really making it worse."

**"Don't mind Hermione, Lavender," said Ron loudly, "she doesn't think other people's pets matter very much."**

"Low blow Ron," bit out Regulus "you could have said that a lot nicer or even not said anything at all."

**Professor McGonagall opened the classroom door at that moment, which was perhaps lucky; Hermione and Ron were looking daggers at each other, and when they got into class, they seated themselves on either side of AJ and didn't talk to each other for the whole class.**

"Yeah because that wasn't awkward at all." Grumbled AJ

Ron blushed "Sorry AJ, but I was really upset."

**The bell rang at the end of the lesson, when she brought up the subject of Hogsmeade first.** **"One moment, please!" she called as the class made to leave. "As you're all in my House, you should hand Hogsmeade permission forms to me before Halloween. No form, no visiting the village, so don't forget!"**

Snape glared at AJ "Did you not understand what she meant by that Black?"

"What are you talking about Snape?" Sirius asked, "AJ didn't go to Hogsmeade."

**Neville put up his hand.** **"Please, Professor, I - I think I've lost –"**

"Poor boy," mumbled Tonks "he really is such a sweetheart."

**"Your grandmother sent yours to me directly, Longbottom," said Professor McGonagall. "She seemed to think it was safer. Well, that's all, you may leave."**

Bill grinned, "Can't argue with that."

**Well, that's all, you may leave."**

**"Ask her now," Ron hissed at AJ.**

Charlie shook his head "Don't do it, there's no point Ron. She would never go for it."

**"Oh, but -" Hermione began.**

**"Go for it, AJ," said Ron stubbornly.**

"Would you have asked if you were in her shoes?" Regulus asked

Ron shrugged "I'm not sure, but it wouldn't have hurt."

**AJ scowled. "No, look at the form Ron. It says parent or guardian, she is neither and I know she won't sign it. Yes I want to go, but if the Minister won't sign it I somehow doubt a Professor would."**

Sirius smirked "Good, you don't want to piss off McGonagall and it wasn't safe going to Hogsmeade around that time."

"But it wasn't safe because you were supposedly after her." Argued Ron "So it doesn't matter if she went or not."

"Whoa," Regulus jumped in "back up their Red. It wasn't safe because a death eater was on the run that is working for Voldemort. He could have transformed, killed AJ and then turned back into a rat without anyone noticing. He's done it before so no her being in Hogsmeade that year would not be a good idea." The golden trio shared worried looks after the rant, now they weren't sure how her Uncle or Dad were going to take her little excursion.

**"There's always the feast," said Ron, in an effort to cheer AJ up. "You know, the Halloween feast, in the evening."**

**"Yeah," said AJ sporting orange hair, "great."**

"I still don't see how you think I enjoy Halloween." Remarked AJ

Hermione smiled, "We're going to have a good Halloween one of these days babes, it'll be the best Halloween ever."

**The Halloween feast was always good, but it would taste a lot better if she was coming to it after a day in Hogsmeade with everyone else. Nothing anyone said made her feel any better about being left behind. **

Ted sighed "Everyone must have been really excited to be able to leave the school grounds for an afternoon."

**Dean Thomas, who was good with a quill, had offered to forge Uncle Vernon's signature on the form, but as AJ knew that was not a good idea. **

"You would get into a lot of trouble," stated Ted "all the permission slips are checked for forgery and if it's tested positive you won't be going to Hogsmeade until your seventh year."

**Ron half-heartedly suggested the Invisibility Cloak, but Hermione stamped on that one, reminding Ron what Dumbledore had told them about the dementors being able to see through them.**

Kingsley shrugged "Besides the dementors using the cloak to sneak off of school grounds to Hogsmeade is not a good idea."

**Percy had what were possibly the least helpful words of comfort.** **"They make a fuss about Hogsmeade, but I assure you, Alessandra, it's not all it's cracked up to be," he said seriously. "All right, the sweetshop's rather good, and Zonko's Joke Shop's frankly dangerous,** **and yes, the Shrieking Shack's always worth a visit, but really, Alessandra, apart from that, you're not missing anything."**

"How in the hell is that supposed to make someone feel better?" asked Charlie

Bill rolled his eyes "It's Percy, he doesn't know how to make people feel better or make a bad situation better."

**On Halloween morning, AJ awoke with the rest and went down to breakfast, feeling thoroughly depressed, though doing her best to act normally.**

**"We'll bring you lots of sweets back from Honeydukes," said Hermione, looking desperately sorry for her.**

"You're really good friends," said Remus "I know that if AJ asked you not to go you wouldn't have gone."

**"Yeah, loads," said Ron.** **He and Hermione had finally forgotten their squabble about Crookshanks in the face of AJ' difficulties.**

Tonks smirked "Always falls back on AJ to make you guys forget your petty fights."

**"Don't worry about me," said AJ, in an offhand voice, "I'll see you at the feast. Have a good time."** **She accompanied them to the entrance hall, where Filch, the caretaker, was standing inside the front doors, checking off names against a long list, peering suspiciously into every face, and making sure that no one was sneaking out who shouldn't be going.**

"He used to that for us too." Said Regulus "It's almost as if he doesn't trust us wizards and witches."

**"Staying here, Potter?" shouted Malfoy, who was standing in line with Crabbe and Goyle. "Scared of passing the dementors?"**

"I would be." Admitted Ted "They're not something you want to mess around with."

**AJ ignored him and made her solitary way up the marble staircase, through the deserted corridors, and back to Gryffindor Tower.**

AJ snickered at her friends looks "Chill guys, you know I don't mind being alone."

"Yeah, but it's so lonely." Remarked Ron

**"Password?" said the Fat Lady, jerking out of a doze.**

**"Fortuna Major," said AJ listlessly.**

Kingsley shook his head "I still find it odd how you guys have passwords. It doesn't give you a hard time to get into the common room."

"How old are you again?" laughed Tonks "We don't go to school there so it doesn't really matter how to get into the common rooms anymore."

**The portrait swung open and he climbed through the hole into the common room. It was full of chattering first and second years, and a few older students, who had obviously visited Hogsmeade so often the novelty had worn off.**

**"AJ! AJ! Hi, AJ!"**

"Oh sweet Merlin," muttered Bill "you poor girl. Just run away."

**It was Colin Creevey, a second year who was deeply in awe of AJ and never missed an opportunity to speak to her.**

Sirius bit back a grin, "More like completely in love with you."

"He does seem to be a little bit more obsessed now that he's older and you're older." Laughed Remus

**"Aren't you going to Hogsmeade, AJ? Why not? Hey" - Colin looked eagerly around at his friends - "you can come and sit with us, if you like, AJ!"**

"Did I mention how sorry we are for leaving you?" Hermione asked with a small grin

**"No, thanks, Colin," said AJ, who wasn't in the mood to have a lot of people staring avidly at the scar on her forehead.** **"I've got to go to the library, got to get some work done."**

"You shouldn't lie to the poor boy dear," giggled Andy "he just wants to be close to you."

**After that, she had no choice but to turn right around and head back out of the portrait hole again.** **"What was the point waking me up?" the Fat Lady called grumpily after her as she walked away.**

"She was so nice at one point." Sighed AJ "then someone had to ruin that for everyone."

**AJ wandered dispiritedly toward the library, but halfway there she changed her mind; she didn't feel like working.** **She turned around and came face-to-face with Filch,** **who had obviously just seen off the last of the Hogsmeade visitors.**

Charlie winced "You're going to piss him off for sure now. Just being around will make him angry."

**"What are you doing?" Filch snarled suspiciously.**

**"Nothing," said AJ truthfully.**

"He is more likely to believe that you were setting fire to the Potions room while turning into a pink unicorn." Scoffed Ted

AJ snickered "That's oddly specific Uncle Ted but very funny."

**"Nothing!" spat Filch, his jowls quivering unpleasantly. "A likely story! Sneaking around on your own – why aren't you in Hogsmeade buying Stink Pellets and Belch Powder and Whizzing Worms like the rest of your nasty little friends?"** **AJ shrugged.** **"Well, get back to your common room where you belong!" snapped Filch, and he stood glaring until AJ had passed out of sight.**

"Did you cave and flip him the bird?" asked Regulus "I would have or I would've done some cool magic trick to piss him off and make him jealous."

**But AJ didn't go back to the common room; she climbed a staircase, thinking vaguely of visiting the Owlery to see Hedwig, and was walking along another corridor when a voice from inside one of the rooms said, "AJ?"**

Kingsley looked confused, "Who else is there? It can't be a professor because they don't call students by their first names."

"Professor Dumbledore calls AJ by her first name," remarked Ted "but I doubt it's him. Maybe another student is there."

**AJ doubled back to see who had spoken and met Professor Lupin, looking around his office door.** **"What are you doing?" said Lupin, though in a very different voice from Filch.**

"I should hope so," deadpanned Remus "I'd rather not be compared to that old cow."

**"Where are Ron and Hermione?"**

**"Hogsmeade," said AJ with a smile unintentionally turning her hair sky blue.**

Tonks grinned "We are going to have so much fun after the readings."

**"Ah," said Lupin. He considered AJ for a moment. "Why don't you come in? I've just taken delivery of a grindylow for our next lesson."**

"Teachers pet," grinned Sirius "you're a teachers pet."

**"A what?" said AJ.**

Remus sighed, "I forgot that every teacher before me was horrible and completely incompetent."

**She followed Lupin into his office. In the corner stood a very large tank of water. A sickly green creature with sharp little horns had its face pressed against the glass, pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers.**

Hermione closed her eyes "What a wonderful description. Accurate but you could have stretched it a bit."

**"Water demon," said Lupin, surveying the grindylow thoughtfully. "We shouldn't have much difficulty with him, not after the kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle."**

"You're such a professor," laughed Bill "you can't help but help her learn something new."

Kingsley hit him with a pillow, "That's called being a parent."

**The grindylow bared its green teeth and then buried itself in a tangle of weeds in a corner.**

**"Cup of tea?" Lupin said, looking around for his kettle. "I was just thinking of making one."**

"Smooth move man," grinned Regulus "she won't suspect a thing."

**"All right," said AJ nervously.**

Andy looked at her niece, "Why were you nervous?"

"I still wasn't clear if the memories I had were real or they were just a dream." Explained AJ

**Lupin tapped the kettle with his wand and a blast of steam issued suddenly from the spout.** **"Sit down," said Lupin, taking the lid off a dusty tin. "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid - but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?"** **AJ looked at him. Lupin's eyes were twinkling.**

"After those lessons I think we all had enough tea leaves to last us a few lifetimes." Muttered Hermione

**"How did you know about that?" AJ asked.**

"Professor Moony knows everything." Answered Sirius "You should get used to that now."

**"Professor McGonagall told me," said Lupin, passing AJ a chipped mug of tea. "You're not worried, are you?"**

**"No," said AJ.**

"I wasn't worried," said AJ "if Papa would have asked if I was annoyed or really pissed then I would have said yes."

**She thought for a moment of telling Professor Lupin about the dog she'd seen in Magnolia Crescent but decided not to. She didn't want Lupin to think she was a coward, especially since Professor Lupin already seemed to think she couldn't cope with a boggart.**

"You're extremely brave punk," argued Charlie "don't ever think that you're not."

**Something of AJ's thoughts seemed to have shown on her face, because Lupin said, "Anything worrying you, AJ?"**

**"No," AJ lied.**

"That's something we need to work on," said Regulus "you tend to cover up your emotions and you let people know the little details pretending they're the big things."

Tonks nodded, "You do that, but don't worry we'll change that real soon."

**She drank a bit of tea and watched the grindylow brandishing a fist at her.** **"Yes," she said suddenly, putting her tea down on Professor Lupin's desk.** **"You know that day we fought the boggart?"**

"Do we get to find out why you didn't let her face it?" Bill asked

**"Yes," said Lupin slowly.**

**"Why didn't you let me fight it?" said AJ abruptly.**

**Lupin raised his eyebrows.** **"I would have thought that was obvious, AJ," he said, sounding surprised.**

Ron shrugged "It made her seem like a chicken more then anything."

"Shut up Ron." Snarked Charlie

**AJ, who had expected Professor Lupin to deny that he'd done any such thing, was taken aback.** **"Why?" she said again.**

Snape rolled his eyes; she never gave up just like her mother.

**"Well," said Lupin, frowning slightly, "I assumed that if the boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort." AJ stared. Not only was this the last answer she'd expected, but also Professor Lupin had said Voldemort's name.** **The only person AJ had ever heard say the name aloud (apart from herself) was Professor Dumbledore.**

"It's just a name, nothing more and nothing less." Sighed Remus

Kingsley nodded "The world takes time to change though mate, we have to take it day by day."

**"Clearly, I was wrong," said Professor Lupin, still frowning at AJ. "But I didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialize in the staffroom. I imagined that people would panic."**

"Panic?" asked Hermione "There would have been students in tears and others passing out. Most likely Slytherins."

**"I didn't think of Voldemort," said AJ honestly. "I remembered those dementors."**

"That's a pretty scary Dementor," agreed Tonks "how do you go up against something like that without letting it over take over."

**"I see," said Lupin thoughtfully. "Well, well... I'm impressed." He smiled slightly at the look of surprise on AJ's face. "That suggests that what you fear most of all is - fear. Very wise, AJ."**

"Not even fully trained wizards and witches can say what they fear most in life is fear itself." Said Kingsley

Andy nodded "You're very brave dear and that's going to help you when it comes time to face hard times to come.

**AJ didn't know what to say to that, so she drank some more tea.**

**"So you've been thinking that I didn't believe you capable of fighting the boggart?" said Lupin shrewdly.**

"Can't really blame her," remarked Ted "can you?"

Remus shook his head, "Of course not. I just didn't expect her to feel that way."

**"Well... yeah," said AJ. She was suddenly feeling a lot happier. As her mood lifted foggy memories started to come a little clearer, she wanted to ask him about them but she knew she would sound crazy. She decided to stay on their original topic.**

"You would have sounded a little crazy." Admitted Ron "But it's you, so that usually doesn't make it seem so crazy."

AJ punched Ron's arm, "Seriously? Just stop talking for the rest of the books before I hex you."

**"Professor Lupin, you know the dementors -"** **Sh****e was interrupted by a knock on the door.**

**"Come in," called Lupin.**

Regulus smirked "I'm sure you were bummed the conversation was going to be cut short."

"I was enjoying talking to AJ," said Remus "I hadn't talked to her in almost fourteen years and that was depressing for me."

**The door opened, and in came Snape.** **He was carrying a goblet, which was smoking faintly, and stopped at the sight of AJ, his black eyes narrowing.**

Snape huffed "Don't make it sound like that Black. It wasn't you it was your hair that was making me question your sanity."

**"Ah, Severus," said Lupin, smiling. "Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me?"**

**Snape set down the smoking goblet, his eyes wandering between AJ and Lupin.**

"What is up with you?" asked Charlie "It's like you're expecting wine bottles and candles or something."

**"I was just showing AJ my grindylow," said Lupin pleasantly, pointing at the tank.**

Sirius scowled "You're too nice Moony, he deserved to be hexed just for being himself."

"How would he have explained that to the Headmaster?" asked Tonks

**"Fascinating," said Snape, without looking at it.** **"You should drink that directly, Lupin."**

**"Yes, Yes, I will," said Lupin.**

**"I made an entire cauldronful," Snape continued. "If you need more."**

Hermione rolled her eyes, "You just wanted AJ to ask Remus what was in the goblet and why you were brewing it."

"You are absolutely horrible Severus," remarked Regulus "he never did a damn thing to you and you're trying to turn the students on him."

**"I should probably take some again tomorrow. Thanks very much, Severus."**

**"Not at all," said Snape, but there was a look in his eye AJ didn't like.**

"You're too suspicious." Muttered Snape

Charlie rolled his eyes "Maybe because you give her reasons to be suspicious."

**He backed out of the room, unsmiling and watchful. AJ looked curiously at the goblet. Lupin smiled.** **"Professor Snape has very kindly concocted a potion for me,"** **he said. "I have never been much of a potion-brewer and this one is particularly complex."**

"You invented it yourself?" asked Kingsley "Cool beans, but you're still pretty much on all of our shit lists."

**He picked up the goblet and sniffed it.** **"Pity sugar makes it useless," he added, taking a sip and shuddering.**

**"Why -?" AJ began.**

"You're going to have to lie," sighed Ted "you were always a horrible liar."

Remus snorted, "I was better then you Mr. Stutters, and no I didn't lie. I just didn't tell her the entire truth."

**Lupin looked at her and answered the unfinished question.** **"I've been feeling a bit off-color," he said. "This potion is the only thing that helps.** **I am very lucky to be working alongside Professor Snape; there aren't many wizards who are up to making it."**

Bill made a face, "I would have sold my soul to the devil before I complimented Snape."

"Bill," sighed Hermione fighting a smile "you're lucky you're handsome."

**Professor Lupin took another sip and AJ had the urge to make sure he wasn't seriously ill.** **Professor ****Lupin drained the goblet and pulled a face.** **"Disgusting," he said. "Well, AJ, I'd better get back to work. See you at the feast later."**

Andy looked at her cousin and his husband, she wished there was something she could do to relieve the pain Remus went through and the pain it brought Sirius to see his mate in so much pain.

**"Right," said AJ, putting down her empty teacup. She swore she could hear a hint of regret in his voice, but that could have been wishful thinking.** **The empty goblet was still smoking.**

Tonks shuddered "That sounds so disgusting."

"It smelled awful," AJ stated making a face "the scent carried into my senses and it was almost as if I could taste it."

**"There you go," said Ron. "We got as much as we could carry."** **A shower of brilliantly colored sweets fell into AJ's lap. It was dusk, and Ron and Hermione had just turned up in the common room, pink-faced from the cold wind and looking as though they'd had the time of their lives.**

"You should have used a warming charm, they're really helpful during the winter months. I'll have to teach it to you three." Said Sirius

**"Thank you so much," said AJ, picking up a packet of tiny black Pepper Imps. "What's Hogsmeade like? Where did you go?"** **By the sound of it - everywhere. Dervish and Banges, the Wizarding equipment shop, Zonko's Joke Shop, into the Three Broomsticks for foaming mugs of hot butterbeer, and many places besides.**

AJ, Ron and Hermione shared looks; hopefully Sirius and Regulus wouldn't find out about her excursion to Hogsmeade where she sampled butterbeer. AJ wasn't too confident that her Dad and Uncle were going to be as cool as Ron thought they would be.

**"The post office, AJ! About two hundred owls, all sitting on shelves, all color-coded depending on how fast you want your letter to get there!"**

Hermione blushed "I was excited, I never got to see something like that and I knew AJ would find it interesting too."

**"Honeydukes has got a new kind of fudge; they were giving out free samples, there's a bit, look -"**

Bill snorted, "Ron was obviously in his element with the chocolate."

**"We think we saw an ogre, honestly, they get all sorts at the Three Broomsticks -"**

**"Wish we could have brought you some butterbeer, really warms you up -"**

"We went a little over board with telling you everything." Ron said sheepishly

Hermione nodded "Sorry, we just missed you and wanted you to know everything so you didn't feel left out."

**"What did you do?" said Hermione, looking anxious. "Did you get any work done?"**

"Why even ask?" laughed Ted

AJ smirked "She likes to make sure our work is done so we don't fail or fall behind."

**"No," said AJ. "Professor Lupin made me a cup of tea in his office. And then Snape came in."** **She told them all about the goblet.**

Andy smirked "I wonder how you two took that bit of information."

**Ron's mouth fell open.** **"Lupin drank it?" he gasped. "Is he mad?"**

Remus grinned, "I was more sick than mad at the time."

"Sorry," mumbled Ron "I didn't think you would ever hear about this."

**Hermione checked her watch.** **"We'd better go down, you know, the feast'll be starting in five minutes."** **They hurried through the portrait hole and into the crowd, still discussing Snape.**

"Always about the food," said Bill shaking his head "you lot are making me hungry now."

**"But if he - you know" - Hermione dropped her voice, glancing nervously around - "if he was trying to poison Lupin - he wouldn't have done it in front of AJ."**

Kingsley shook his head "Personally I don't think he would give a damn if AJ was in the room or not, it's not as if Severus has a conscious or a soul for that matter."

"Really mate?" laughed Tonks "You're getting a little mad over nothing."

**"Yeah, maybe," said AJ as they reached the entrance hall and crossed into the Great Hall.**

Everyone was looking forward to AJ's detail of the great hall, though she hated Halloween her description must be something amazing.

**It had been decorated with hundreds and hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats, and many flaming orange streamers, which were swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling like brilliant water snakes. **

Sirius smiled "Halloween is a hard holiday, but the decorations are always a blast to look at."

"Halloween and Christmas are the best times to be in the castle." Grinned AJ "It makes the holidays less frustrating and depressing."

**The food was delicious; even Hermione and Ron, who were full to bursting with Honeydukes sweets, managed second helpings of everything.** **AJ kept glancing at the staff table. Professor Lupin looked cheerful and as well as he ever did; he was talking animatedly to tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher.**

"Professor Flitwick is pretty cool," admitted Kingsley "we always got a long really well."

**AJ moved his eyes along the table, to the place where Snape sat. Was she imagining it, or were Snape's eyes flickering toward Lupin more often than was natural?** **The feast finished with an entertainment provided by the Hogwarts ghosts. They popped out of the walls and tables to do a bit of formation gliding; Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, had a great success with a re-enactment of his own botched beheading.**

"You weren't imagining it AJ." Said Ron "I noticed it too but I didn't know you were looking too or I would have said something."

**It had been such a pleasant evening that AJ's good mood couldn't even be spoiled by Malfoy, who shouted through the crowd as they all left the hall, "The dementors send their love, Potter!"**

Ted scowled "He's so hilarious. He's going to be even more so when he finds my foot up his ass."

**AJ, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the Gryffindor's along the usual path to Gryffindor Tower, but when they reached the corridor that ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students.**

Sirius started to hum a little while ignoring the pointed looks from AJ, Ron and Hermione.

**"Why isn't anyone going in?" said Ron curiously.**

**AJ peered over the heads in front of her. The portrait seemed to be closed.**

"I wonder why?" said Hermione in faux contemplation

AJ nodded "I know what you mean Mio, it wasn't like someone had slashed the painting or anything."

**"Let me through, please," came Percy's voice, and he came bustling importantly through the crowd.** **"What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password - excuse me, I'm Head Boy -"**

Charlie shook his head, "What is the Head Boy going to do? Demand the portrait opens itself because he's all powerful?"

**And then a silence fell over the crowd, from the front first, so that a chill seemed to spread down the corridor.** **They heard Percy say, in a suddenly sharp voice, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."**

"What did you do?" Andy asked her cousin

Sirius looked offended "How could you accuse me of something Andy when you aren't even sure of what happened?"

"Maybe from past experiences from dealing with you when you were younger?" Andy suggested sweetly

**People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tiptoe.** **"What's going on?" said Ginny, who had just arrived.**

Ted narrowed his eyes, "Just Sirius causing mayhem wherever he goes even if he's on he run."

**A moment later, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping toward the portrait; the Gryffindor's squeezed together to let him through, and AJ, Ron, and Hermione moved closer to see what the trouble was.**

"Is it bad?" asked Tonks but only got nods in returns

**"Oh, my -" Hermione grabbed AJ's arm.**

Hermione winced "Sorry, but I was nervous and I knew you would know what to do."

**The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor; great chunks of it had been torn away completely.**

Sirius bit his lip, he forgot how much damage he had done and now he was realizing how his actions probably weren't the smartest if he ever wanted to be a free man.

**Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes somber, to see Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape hurrying toward him.** **"We need to find her," said Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."**

"You are awesome!" smirked Bill "I don't think anyone could terrorize the Fat Lady into hiding. You are my hero."

Sirius scowled "Be nice or I'll have your brother feed you to a dragon."

**"You'll be lucky!" said a cackling voice.** **It was Peeves the Poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry.**

Regulus shook his head "Great Peeves has the information you all need. Good luck with getting that out of the little bugger."

"Yeah but he's terrified of Dumbledore." Kingsley reminded him

**"What do you mean, Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly, and Peeves's grin faded a little.**

Tonks smirked "Good, he deserves a dose of fear, he was always pranking me and making up rhymes because of my clumsiness."

**He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore.** **Instead he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle.** **"Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful," he said happily. "Poor thing," he added unconvincingly.**

"Send him away," advised Charlie "he's no help and he's just a pain in the ass."

Remus rubbed his eyes "Siri, you know Peeves loves you but he loves being allowed in the castle more. He would sell you out in a minute to save his own ass."

**"Did she say who did it?" said Dumbledore quietly.**

"Hopefully not," remarked Ted "Sirius not only broke into the school, but he also vandalized a painting. Not a good combination."

Hermione bit her lip; "It didn't help your case when we were trying to prove your innocence."

**"Oh yes, Professorhead," said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."**

Sirius rolled his eyes "I don't have a bad temper." Seeing the looks he amended "Okay I do have a bad temper but in my defense, she was really rude and didn't have to call me horrid looking."

Regulus smiled at his brother "Here, you can read next bro."

Sirius smirked "I would be happy to Peter Cotton Tail. **Grim Defeat…"**

**AN: I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Made a few minor changes, which included taking a few things out, but nothing major. Sorry about any mistakes, I do try to catch them all but sometimes I do miss them. Thank you all for the reviews and alerts! It means a lot to me that you all are enjoying this story. Of course I'm always up for suggestions and I don't mind answering questions that you may have. Read and Review please and thank you :)**


	52. Grim Defeat

**Professor Dumbledore sent all the Gryffindor's back to the Great Hall, where the students from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, who all looked extremely confused, joined them ten minutes later.**

"Can't really blame them," said Regulus "their dorms aren't near Gryffindor's so they probably didn't know what was going on."

**"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore told them as Professors McGonagall and Flitwick closed all doors into the hall. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," **

"You left a couple Head Boys and Head Girls in charge?" Sirius asked with a scowl

Snape rubbed his eyes "Yes we did Black. We were limited on what we could do and we were not sure what you were capable of at the time."

**he added to Percy,** **who was looking immensely proud and important.** **"Send word with one of the ghosts." Professor Dumbledore paused, about to leave the hall, and said, "Oh, yes, you'll be needing..."**

"Adults around the room to protect the students?" suggested Kingsley

**One casual wave of his wand and the long tables flew to the edges of the hall and stood themselves against the walls; another wave, and the floor was covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags.**

Kingsley rolled his eyes "Of course, because everyone is going to be so eager to fall asleep."

**"Sleep well," said Professor Dumbledore, closing the door behind him.**

**The hall immediately began to buzz excitedly; the Gryffindor's were telling the rest of the school what had just happened.**

"I do believe a certain Head Boy is going to be a little pissed off that you aren't listening to the Headmaster." Laughed Charlie

**"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" shouted Percy. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"**

AJ laughed, "He tried to sound so commanding too but in reality he sounded like a scared boy trying to be brave."

"He really thinks anyone is going to be able to sleep." Muttered Remus "Poor kid is completely jaded."

**"C'mon," Ron said to AJ and Hermione; they seized three sleeping bags and dragged them into a corner.**

**"Do you think Black's still in the castle?" Hermione whispered anxiously.**

Sirius shrugged "I was but not for long, I heard what Dumbledore had planned then I ran to the edge of the forest."

**"Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be," said Ron.**

"I had my doubts Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore said with a smile "I knew that Sirius loved AJ as a baby and I couldn't see him hurting her or risking be caught before getting to speak with her."

**"It's very lucky he picked tonight, you know," said Hermione as they climbed fully dressed into their sleeping bags and propped themselves on their elbows to talk. "The one night we weren't in the tower..."**

"It wasn't luck." Grinned Tonks "Sirius probably had it all planned out, he would never risk being exposed."

**"I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run," said Ron. "Didn't realize it was Halloween.** **Otherwise he'd have come bursting in here."**

Ted snorted, "The entire world celebrates Halloween, no matter where he was he would have noticed the decorations and the celebrations."

**Hermione shuddered. All around them, people were asking one another the same question:** **"How did he get in?"**

"Easy," stated Bill "turned into a ghost and floated through the castle."

Andy stared "Yeah Bill, I think that is exactly what happened."

**The "Maybe he knows how to Apparate," said a Ravenclaw a few feet away, "Just appear out of thin air, you know."**

"Why doesn't anyone know you cannot Apparate into Hogwarts?" Hermione muttered

Remus smiled "You can Apparate onto certain grounds but directly but not into Hogwarts itself."

**"Disguised himself, probably," said a Hufflepuff fifth year.**

**"He could've flown in," suggested Dean Thomas.**

Charlie laughed "Flown in? Like on a broomstick? I think that would have been easy to notice."

**"Honestly, am I the only person who's ever bothered to read Hogwarts, A History?" said Hermione crossly to AJ and Ron.**

"AJ read it," amended Hermione "but Ron you really need to read it just to understand the inner workings of where we go to school."

**"Probably," said Ron. "Why?"**

**"Because the castle's protected by more than walls, you know," said Hermione. "There are all sorts of enchantments on it, to stop people entering by stealth. You can't just Apparate in here. And I'd like to see the disguise that could fool those dementors.**

"Animals can't sense dementors and vice versa," stated Kingsley "but not a lot of people realize that."

**They're guarding every single entrance to the grounds. They'd have seen him fly in too. And Fitch knows all the secret passages; they'll have them covered..."**

Remus laughed loudly "Filch thinks he knows all the secret passages ways."

"There are a couple that need to be opened with magic or even with certain potions." Added Sirius "He wouldn't be able to get past them."

**"The lights are going out now!" Percy shouted. "I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!"**

Bill and Charlie burst out laughing, he was like that when they were growing up. He took his bedtime very seriously and didn't like when they would keep him up.

**The candles all went out at once. The only light now came from the silvery ghosts, who were drifting about talking seriously to the prefects,** **and the enchanted ceiling, which, like the sky outside, was scattered with stars. What with that, and the whispering that still filled the hall, AJ felt as though she were sleeping outdoors in a light wind.**

"It was really nice and a change from sleeping in the dorms having girls stare at me like I'm about to take my last breath." Admitted AJ

Regulus nodded, "During the first war there was a lot of nights where we would sleep in the great hall. Sure Hogwarts is the safest place, but the death eaters were gaining strength and people were afraid to be left alone."

**Once every hour, a teacher would reappear in the hall to check that everything was quiet. Around three in the morning, when many students had finally fallen asleep, Professor Dumbledore came in. AJ watched him looking around for Percy, who had been prowling between the sleeping bags, telling people off for talking.**

"I wouldn't have been able to sleep either." Admitted Tonks. AJ smiled, she didn't have the heart to tell the purple haired girl that she was an insomniac and sleep rarely came to her.

**Percy was only a short way away from AJ, Ron, and Hermione, who quickly pretended to be asleep as Dumbledore's footsteps drew nearer.**

"Did you know they were awake Sir?" asked Andy

Dumbledore smiled "I had a feeling they were awake but at the time I was a little preoccupied."

**"Any sign of him, Professor?" asked Percy in a whisper.**

**"No. All well here?"**

**"Everything under control, sir."**

Charlie rolled his eyes "You're watching a bunch of kids pretending to sleep. There's not much to control you dumb dumb."

**"Good. There's no point moving them all now. I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move them back in tomorrow."**

The Golden Trio scowled, "Thanks a lot for that Sir." Muttered Ron

**"And the Fat Lady, sir?"**

**"Hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor. Apparently she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr. Filch restore her."**

"I can't believe you did that Siri." Chuckled Ted "You always had to make a big show out of everything when you were growing up."

Sirius scowled "She shouldn't have called me names."

**AJ heard the door of the hall creak open again, and more footsteps.** **"Headmaster?"** **It was Snape. AJ kept quite still, listening hard.**

Snape huffed "Of course you did. Why am I not surprised?"

**"The whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there either."**

"You probably passed him on your way out." Remarked Remus but all he got in return was a smug smile

**"What about the Astronomy tower? Professor Trelawney's room? The Owlery?"**

**"All searched."**

Kingsley snickered "You would have to pay someone to hide out in Trelawney's room."

"I'd rather be caught then go to that room for help." Snorted Hermione

**"Very well, Severus. I didn't really expect Black to linger."**

**"Have you any theory as to how he got in, Professor?" asked Snape.**

"I'm sure you had your own theories," remarked Tonks "we all know that you think that Remus was the one to bring him into the school."

**AJ raised her head very slightly off his arms to free his other ear.** **"Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next."**

Bill looked surprised "Really? You didn't have any ideas? I find that really hard to believe Sir."

"I am no all knowing as some would like to believe." Remarked Dumbledore

**AJ opened her eyes a fraction and squinted up to where they stood; Dumbledore's back was to her, but she could see Percy's face, rapt with attention,** **and Snape's profile, which looked angry.**

"Ever notice how Snape is always angry?" laughed Andy "It's your one and only emotion."

AJ snickered "Oh trust me Aunt Andy, in later chapters you'll find a very strong emotion."

**"You remember the conversation we had, Headmaster, just before - ah - the start of term?" said Snape, who was barely opening his lips, as though trying to block Percy out of the conversation.**

Sirius sighed "Wow it took you that long to try and pin this on Remus. I'm surprised it didn't take longer."

"He's an asshole Siri," stated Regulus "we all know the kind of man Remus is and that he would never put anyone in danger."

**"I do, Severus," said Dumbledore, and there was something like warning in his voice.**

"Just drop it!" snapped AJ "You're always putting blame on other people, you're a pathetic excuse for a man. Learn to let the past go and maybe you'll live a more fulfilling life. But somehow I doubt that because all you do is point the finger at other people for the fucked up life you live when it reality it's your own doing! Grow the fuck up!" She was trying very hard to not grab onto her scar because of the pain shooting through it. Everyone was looking at AJ in shock, very rarely did she snap at people like that.

**"It seems - almost impossible - that Black could have entered the school without inside help.** **I did express my concerns when, you appointed -"**

"Of course you did, because you're an asshole." Muttered AJ

Remus sighed, "It's okay cub, I don't mind that he doesn't trust me and to be completely honest I would have helped Sirius in if I could because I wanted to talk to my husband."

**"I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Black enter it," said Dumbledore, and his tone made it so clear that the subject was closed that Snape didn't reply. "I must go down to the dementors,"** **said Dumbledore. 'I said I would inform them when our search was complete."**

"How do you talk to a Dementor?" asked Hermione

Ron shrugged "Why would you want to is the real question."

**"Didn't they want to help, sit?" said Percy.**

**"Oh yes," said Dumbledore coldly. "But I'm afraid no Dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am headmaster."**

"Good." Stated Ted "They don't need to be anywhere near the students, they would have a field day."

**Percy looked slightly abashed.** **Dumbledore left the hall, walking quickly and quietly. Snape stood for a moment, watching the headmaster with an expression of deep resentment on his face; then he too left. AJ glanced sideways at Ron and Hermione. Both of them had their eyes open too, reflecting the starry ceiling.**

Andy bit her lip "Probably not something that was going to make your night go smoother."

"A lot of the students couldn't sleep," admitted AJ "some were afraid the Dementors would come in the school and others were afraid that Sirius would come in and murder them all."

**"What was all that about?" Ron mouthed.**

**The school talked of nothing but Sirius Black for the next few days.** **The theories about how he had entered the castle became wilder and wilder;**

Kingsley smirked "Oh this is going to be good. I wonder what idiotic theories these chumps come up with."

**Hannah Abbott, from Hufflepuff, spent much of his or her next Herbology class telling anyone who'd listen that Black could turn into a flowering shrub.**

Regulus burst into laughter "You can do that Siri? Please show us your flower power sometime soon!"

"Can you turn into a daisy too?" asked Charlie laughing, "That could come in handy if the person your dueling with is allergic to them." Regulus laughed along with Charlie, maybe dragon boy wasn't so bad.

**The Fat Lady's ripped canvas had been taken off the wall and Replaced with the portrait of Sir Cadogan and his fat gray pony.** **Nobody was very happy about this.**

Ted grinned, "That's who volunteered? You guys are lucky."

**Sir Cadogan spent half his time challenging people to duels, and the rest thinking up ridiculously complicated passwords, which he changed at least twice a day.**

"Look on the bright side," tried Tonks "no one would be able to get into the dorm."

Hermione scowled "It also prevented Gryffindor's from getting into the dorm."

**"He's a complete lunatic," said Seamus Finnigan angrily to Percy. "Can't we get anyone else?"**

**"None of the other pictures wanted the job," said Percy. "Frightened of what happened to the Fat Lady. Sir Cadogan was the only one brave enough to volunteer."**

Bill raised a brow "Brave? Try bat shit crazy and then we'll talk."

**Sir Cadogan, however, was the least of AJ's worries. She was now being closely watched.** **Teachers found excuses to walk along corridors with her,**

"Did you really think she wouldn't notice?" muttered Remus "I told all the Professors to just keep a close watch but no, they wouldn't listen."

**and Percy Weasley (acting, AJ suspected, on his mother's orders)** **was tailing him everywhere like an extremely pompous guard dog.**

Andy scowled "That's completely uncalled for. When Molly comes back down, you need to have a talk with her about this."

"I know Andy," sighed Sirius "I didn't realize she was taking it to such extremes."

**To cap it all, Professor McGonagall summoned AJ into her office, with such a somber expression on her face AJ thought someone must have died.**

Regulus snorted "Not sure if she would have been so sad if the Dursleys had dropped dead."

**"There's no point hiding it from you any longer, Potter," she said in a very serious voice. "I know this will come as a shock to you, but Sirius Black -"**

"Oh sweet Merlin," muttered Ted "she really thought you didn't know yet?"

**"I know he's after me," said AJ wearily. "I heard Ron's dad telling his mum. Mr. Weasley works for the Ministry of Magic."**

"Never new how observant the professors were." Said Bill with sarcasm

Tonks nodded "Safest place in the Wizarding world my ass."

**Professor McGonagall seemed very taken aback.** **She stared at AJ for a moment or two, then said, "I see! Well, in that case, Potter, you'll understand why I don't think it's a good idea for you to be practicing Quidditch in the evenings. Out on the field with only your team members, it's very exposed, Potter -"**

"She can't do that!" shouted Charlie "You have a game coming up soon and you need all the training you can possibly get! Wood will kill himself for you over this."

**"We've got our first match on Saturday!" said AJ, outraged. "I've got to train, Professor!"**

Charlie nodded firmly.

**Professor McGonagall considered her intently. AJ knew she was deeply interested in the Gryffindor team's prospects; it had been she, after all, who'd suggested her as Seeker in the first place.**

"She used to bet on the games when James played." Said Sirius "The teachers say its frowned upon and not allowed but we all know they take bets and pick favorites."

**She waited, holding her breath.** **"Hmm..." Professor McGonagall stood up and stared out of the window at the Quidditch field, just visible through the rain. "Well... goodness knows, I'd like to see us win the Cup at last... but all the same, Potter... I'd be happier if a teacher were present. I'll ask Madam Hooch to oversee your training sessions."**

Hermione shifted "Maybe not playing would have been better in the long run."

"Why?" asked Ted "That would have been automatic disqualification because of not having a seeker."

**The weather worsened steadily as the first Quidditch match drew nearer. Undaunted, the Gryffindor team was training harder than ever under the eye of Madam Hooch. Then, at their final training session before Saturday's match, Oliver Wood gave his team some unwelcome news.**

"What could he possibly be pissed over already?" Kingsley asked "The season just started for Merlin sake!"

**"We're not playing Slytherin!" he told them, looking very angry.** **"Flint's just been to see me. We're playing Hufflepuff instead."**

Regulus huffed "That's why he's all pissed? He doesn't get to go up against Slytherin?"

"He really wanted to cream them that year." Admitted Ron

**"Why?" chorused the rest of the team.**

**"Flint's excuse is that their Seeker's arm's still injured," said Wood,** **grinding his teeth furiously. "But it's obvious why they're doing it. Don't want to play in this weather. Think it'll damage their chances..."**

"Really?" deadpanned Tonks "they're such cowards."

**There had been strong winds and heavy rain all day, and as Wood spoke, they heard a distant rumble of thunder.** **"There's nothing wrong with Malfoy's arm!" said AJ furiously. "He's faking it!"**

"Wanted to kick his ass on the field didn't you cub?" smiled Remus

AJ nodded "Yeah I really did, he deserved it."

**"I know that, but we can't prove it," said Wood bitterly, "And we've been practicing all those moves assuming we're playing Slytherin, and instead it's Hufflepuff, and their style's quite different. They've got a new Captain and Seeker, Cedric Diggory -"**

Hermione gave AJ a sympathetic look; she was the only one who knew of the fight she and Cedric had only moments before he died.

**Angelina, Alicia, and Katie suddenly giggled.**

**"What?" said Wood, frowning at this light-hearted behavior.**

"Was he good looking?" Regulus asked

Hermione smirked "Cedric was very good looking, but he wasn't much of a dater."

**"He's that tall, good-looking one, isn't he?" said Angelina.**

**"Strong and silent," said Katie, and they started to giggle again.**

Sirius saw his daughter tensing, he knew that AJ still felt guilty over his death but she seemed to be upset over more than just his death. He sighed, that was another thing he hoped she would talk to him about later that night.

**"He's only silent because he's too thick to string two words together," said Fred impatiently.** **"I don't know why you're worried, Oliver, Hufflepuff is a pushover.** **Last time we played them, AJ caught the Snitch in about five minutes, remember?"**

Regulus kissed AJ's cheek "Good job sweets, you're going to go pro one day."

**"We were playing in completely different conditions!" Wood shouted, his eyes bulging slightly.** **"Diggory's put a very strong side together! He's an excellent Seeker! I was afraid you'd take it like this! We mustn't relax! We must keep our focus! Slytherin is trying to wrong-foot us! We must win!"**

"I think he's taking this a bit far," muttered Ted "he's going to give himself a panic attack."

Bill nodded "Or a heart attack if he's not lucky."

**"Oliver, calm down!" said Fred, looking slightly alarmed.** **"We're taking Hufflepuff very seriously. Seriously."**

"It's a game," whispered Kingsley "just a game you nut cases."

**The day before the match, the winds reached howling point and the rain fell harder than ever. It was so dark inside the corridors and classrooms that extra torches and lanterns were lit. The Slytherin team was looking very smug indeed, and none more so than Malfoy.**

Remus scowled "They had nothing to look smug over. They looked like a bunch of chickens to everyone else."

"That's because they are." Snickered Sirius "They knew they didn't stand a chance against AJ."

**"Ah, if only my arm was feeling a bit better!" he sighed as the gale outside pounded the windows.**

Andy groaned, "I really wish my old house wasn't filled with such cowards."

**AJ had no room in her head to worry about anything except the match tomorrow. Oliver Wood kept hurrying up to her between classes and giving her tips.** **The third time this happened, Wood talked for so long that AJ suddenly realized she was ten minutes late for Defense Against the Dark Arts, and set off at a run with Wood shouting after him, "Diggory's got a very fast swerve, AJ, so you might want to try looping him -"**

"Oliver was an excellent player but he really needed to stop trying to give me advice regarding seeker strategies." Said AJ

Ron smirked "He stopped eating for a while there because he thought that if he was lighter he could do more in the air."

**AJ skidded to a halt outside the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, pulled the door open, and dashed inside.** **"Sorry I'm late, Professor Lupin. I -"**

"I feel sorry for you," mumbled Tonks "Remus is probably going to give you that disappointed look and talk all calm which will make you want to cry and tell all your dirty little secrets."

Bill pulled a face "What is wrong with you? What are you even talking about?"

"James, Lily, Remus and Sirius used to babysit me and whenever I would do something wrong Remus would be the one to talk to me." Glared Tonks

**But it wasn't Professor Lupin who looked up at him from the teacher's desk; it was Snape.** **"This lesson began ten minutes ago, Potter, so I think we'll make it ten points from Gryffindor. Sit down."**

"Ten points?" asked Kingsley "That's a little excessive Severus. You didn't give her a chance to explain why she was late."

**But AJ just scowled.** **"Where's Professor Lupin?" she said.**

**"He says he is feeling too ill to teach today," said Snape with a twisted smile.** **"I believe I told you to sit down?"**

Hermione rolled her eyes "You should have known that AJ wasn't going to just except that answer."

"I should have told the students I wasn't going to be in that day, I could have made up an appointment." Remus muttered regretting no coming up with a better plan.

**But AJ stayed where she was.** **"What's wrong with him?" She couldn't explain the ache in her chest even if she wanted to.**

"That happens with all parents and their children." Smiled Andy "Your bond with Remus and Sirius was being reinstated."

**Snape's black eyes glittered.** **"Nothing life-threatening," he said, looking as though he wished it were.** **"Five more points from Gryffindor, and if I have to ask you to sit down again, it will be fifty."**

"I'd like to see you explain that one to the headmaster." Growled Sirius "You know as well as I do you can't take points away for that. She was concerned for her professor."

**AJ walked slowly to her seat and sat down turning her hair pink and blue to anger Snape. Snape looked around at the class with sneer seeing her hair change.**

Regulus smirked "Good, piss him off any way you can."

"Just be careful," warned Ted "Dora had a professor that took points off if she changed her hair because it was a distraction to the other students."

**"As I was saying before Potter interrupted, Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so far -"**

"Here's an idea, ask a student what has been covered." Suggested Sirius

Snape rolled his eyes "A professional would have left a note with what has been covered."

**"Please, sir, we've done boggarts, Red Caps, kappas, and grindylow," said Hermione quickly, "and we're just about to start -"**

Bill winced "He won't take kindly to you opening your mouth without his majesties permission."

**"Be quiet," said Snape coldly. "I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin's lack of organization."**

"He has organization," snarled Charlie "you just didn't take the time to figure it out or ask what he had covered before hand."

Remus smiled "You could have asked me before Severus, but you insisted you had the class covered."

**"He's the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had," said Dean Thomas boldly,** **and there was a murmur of agreement from the rest of the class. Snape looked more menacing than ever.**

"That probably wasn't his best idea ever." Said Ron "I think he did it to impress AJ."

**"You are easily satisfied. Lupin is hardly overtaxing you. I would expect first years to be able to deal with Red Caps and grindylows.** **Today we shall discuss -" AJ watched him flick through the textbook, to the very back chapter, which he must know they hadn't covered. "Werewolves," said Snape.**

"How is that Remus' fault?" shouted Sirius "You know damn well that they were behind because of the two previous jackasses that taught them!"

**"But, sir," said Hermione, seemingly unable to restrain herself, "we're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to start hinkypunks -"**

Snape sneered, "You need to learn to hold your tongue."

"And you need to learn to not be a bastard." Said AJ defending her friend "Looks like you both have things to work on. Lets see who changes first."

**"Miss Granger," said Snape in a voice of deadly calm, "I was under the impression that I am teaching this lesson, not you. And I am telling you all to turn to page 394." He glanced around again. 'All of you! Now!"**

"Can this chapter be over now?" asked Kingsley "I have no urge to listen to you being an asshole over nothing."

**With many bitter sidelong looks and some sullen muttering, the class opened their books.** **"Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" said Snape.**

Ted shook his head "Severus, you know damn well that none of them knew what the differences were. You really are showing your true colors and you're proving to be a truly pathetic person."

**Everyone sat in motionless silence; everyone except Hermione, whose hand, as it so often did, had shot straight into the air.** **"Anyone?" Snape said, ignoring Hermione.**

"Why ignore her?" Bill asked with a scowl "She knew the answer!"

**His twisted smile was back.** **"Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between -"**

"Low blow," muttered Regulus "you and I are having a chat later."

Snape sneered "Are you sure you feel comfortable with that Black?"

"Trust me Snape, I can hold my own against the likes of you." Growled Regulus

**"We told you," said Parvati suddenly, "we haven't got as far as werewolves yet, we're still on -"**

"Good!" shouted Kingsley "Stand up the greasy haired git!"

**"Silence!" snarled Snape. "Well, well, well, I never thought I'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognize a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point of informing Professor Dumbledore how very behind you all are..."**

Dumbledore shook his head "I was well aware how far behind they were Severus. Be sure to remember that I do know what goes on between my professors and my students."

**"Please, sir," said Hermione, whose hand was still in the air, "the werewolf differs from the true wolf in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf -"**

Remus nodded, "Very good Hermione. You were on the right track."

**"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger," said Snape coolly. "Five more points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all."**

"How dare you!" shouted Bill "She did absolutely nothing wrong and for you to call her a know-it-all is completely uncalled for!"

Charlie put a hand on his brother shoulder, "I know man, just gotta calm down before you blow something up in anger."

**Hermione went very red, put down her hand, and stared at the floor with her eyes full of tears. AJ grabbed her hand in silent support. **

Hermione smiled at AJ, she was a great friend and she loved that she had her in her life.

**It was a mark of how much the class loathed Snape that they were all glaring at him, because every one of them had called Hermione a know-it-all at least once, and Ron, who told Hermione she was a know-it-all at least twice a week, said loudly, "You asked us a question and she knows the answer! Why ask if you don't want to be told?"**

Ron nodded "I stand by what I said, you needed to hear that even if I got a detention."

"You get a detention every other class," laughed AJ "nothing new when it comes to getting one from Snape."

**The class knew instantly he'd gone too far. Snape advanced on Ron slowly, and the room held its breath.** **"Detention, Weasley," Snape said silkily, his face very close to Ron's. "And if I ever hear you criticize the way I teach a class again, you will be very sorry indeed."**

"What are you going to do?" asked Kingsley "I really want to know what you had planned. Exactly. Nothing. Because at the end of the day you're a professor and are restricted from tormenting your students."

**No one made a sound throughout the rest of the lesson. They sat and made notes on werewolves from the textbook, while Snape prowled up and down the rows of desks, examining the work they had been doing with Professor Lupin.**

Tonks groaned "You scared them to the point of where they're afraid to speak up from themselves."

**"Very poorly explained... That is incorrect, the kappa is more commonly found in Mongolia...Professor Lupin gave this eight out of ten? I wouldn't have given it three..."** **When the bell rang at last, Snape held them back.** **"You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you recognize and kill werewolves. I want two rolls of parchment on the subject, and I want them by Monday morning.** **It is time somebody took this class in hand. Weasley, stay behind, we need to arrange your detention."**

None of the adults could think of anything to say to the black eyed man, they were too upset and angered. He had no right to treat his students that way or treat Remus with such disrespect. They silently agreed that he would not get away with what he had done.

**AJ and Hermione left the room with the rest of the class, who waited until they were well out of earshot, then burst into a furious tirade about Snape.**

**"Snape's never been like this with any of our other Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers, even if he did want the job," AJ said to Hermione. "Why's he got it in for Professor Lupin? D'you think this is all because of the boggart?"**

"No it's because he's an immature little bitch." Deadpanned Sirius "Who for some reason cannot let go of the past even though what ALMOST happened to him was not my husbands fault!"

Snape glared "Why don't you shut up you over grown puppy? What happened to me was all of your faults and you know it but since you're a Black you feel that you have every right in the world to do what you please!"

"I apologized! James apologized! Remus apologized! Hell even the portraits apologized! But that's not why you're upset, you're upset because Lilly stopped being friends with you because you are a son-of-a bitch who took things too far!" yelled Sirius making everyone remember why they assumed that Sirius was a murderer.

**"I don't know," said Hermione pensively. "But I really hope Professor Lupin gets better soon..."**

Remus smiled "I was doing much better in the following days."

**Ron caught up with them five minutes later, in a towering rage.** **"D'you know what that -" (he called Snape something that made Hermione say "Ron!") "-Is making me do? I've got to scrub out the bedpans in the hospital wing. Without magic!" He was breathing deeply, his fists clenched. "Why couldn't Black have hidden in Snape's office, eh? He could have finished him off for us!"**

"Now that would have been a damn good idea!" laughed Ted "Next time hide in his room and bite him in the balls Siri."

**AJ woke extremely early the next morning; so early that it was till dark. For a moment she thought the roaring of the wind had woken her. Then she felt a cold breeze on the back of his neck and sat bolt upright - Peeves the Poltergeist had been floating next to her, blowing hard in her ear.**

"Thank Merlin he didn't do it to me for once." Hermione said happily

**"What did you do that for?" said AJ furiously.** **Peeves puffed out his cheeks, blew hard, and zoomed backward out of the room, cackling.** **AJ fumbled for her alarm clock and looked at it. It was half past four.**

Andy sighed "You really should have been sleeping, you had a big game that day and you really need to be rested for that."

"Peeves has horrible timing," said Charlie "not that he cares about time. Or people."

**Cursing Peeves, she rolled over and tried to get back to sleep, but it was very difficult, now that she was awake, to ignore the sounds of the thunder rumbling overhead, the pounding of the wind against the castle walls, and the distant creaking of the trees in the Forbidden Forest. **

"Not the best sleeping conditions," agreed Remus "but you should try to get some sleep."

**In a few hours she would be out on the Quidditch field, battling through that gale. Finally, she gave up any thought of more sleep, got up, dressed, picked up his Nimbus Two Thousand, and walked quietly out of the dormitory. As AJ opened the door, something brushed against her leg. She bent down just in time to grab Crookshanks by the end of his bushy tail and drag him outside.**

"Just let it go to girls dorm so it wouldn't fight with the guys to get in ours." Muttered Ron

**"You know, I reckon Ron was right about you," AJ told Crookshanks suspiciously. "There is plenty of mice around this place - go and chase them. Go on," she added, nudging Crookshanks down the spiral staircase with her foot. "Leave Scabbers alone."**

"I can't believe I did that." Sighed AJ

Tonks shrugged "It's not like you knew what Scabbers was and why Crookshanks was after it."

**The noise of the storm was even louder in the common room. AJ knew better than to think the match would be cancelled; Quidditch matches weren't called off for trifles like thunderstorms. Nevertheless, she was starting to feel very apprehensive. Wood had pointed out Cedric Diggory to him in the corridor; Diggory was a fifth year and a lot bigger than AJ.**

"He's also a guy," stated Ron "he being bigger then you is likely."

**Seekers were usually light and speedy, but Diggory's weight would be an advantage in this weather because he was less likely to be blown off course.** **AJ whiled away the hours until dawn in front of the fire, getting up every now and then to stop Crookshanks from sneaking up the boys, staircase again. At long last AJ thought it must be time for breakfast, so she headed through the portrait hole alone.**

Hermione winced "You're going to make our fearless knight angry."

"Not angry," argued AJ "just slightly pissed off."

**"Stand and fight, you mangy cur!" yelled Sir Cadogan.**

**"Oh, shut up," AJ yawned.** **Sh****e revived a bit over a large bowl of porridge, and by the time she'd started on toast, the rest of the team had turned up.**

"Wood doesn't eat right?" asked Andy

Ron nodded "He would get sick all over the field out of sure panic."

**"It's going to be a tough one," said Wood, who wasn't eating anything.**

**"Stop worrying, Oliver," said Alicia soothingly, "we don't mind a bit of rain."**

"Do they start dating?" asked Ted "I bet they start dating."

Remus smirked "Actually Oliver is in a committed relationship with one of his teammates on the nationals team."

**But it was considerably more than a bit of rain. Such was the popularity of Quidditch that the whole school turned out to watch the match as usual, but they ran down the lawns toward the Quidditch field, heads bowed against the ferocious wind, umbrellas being whipped out of their hands as they went. Just before she entered the locker room, AJ saw Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, laughing and pointing at her from under an enormous umbrella on their way to the stadium.**

"The arm must be feeling better." Snarked Charlie "Too bad it's going to be in need of medical attention after I get my hands on him."

**The team changed into their scarlet robes and waited for Wood's usual pre-match pep talk, but it didn't come. He tried to speak several times, made an odd gulping noise, then shook his head hopelessly and beckoned them to follow him.**

"What's that about?" asked Regulus "Did he loose his broom or something?"

**The wind was so strong that they staggered sideways as they walked out onto the field. If the crowd was cheering, they couldn't hear it over the fresh rolls of thunder.**

Regulus winced "Ouch. I don't know if you should be playing in this weather."

"Why not?" asked AJ "I could see fine and it's not like I need to hear the cheering."

"No, but you do need to hear your other teammates and by the sound of it Oliver was ready to sign all your death notices." Answered Regulus

**The Hufflepuffs were approaching from the opposite side of the field, wearing canary-yellow robes. The Captains walked up to each other and shook hands; Diggory smiled at Wood but Wood no, looked as though he had lockjaw and merely nodded.**

"Poor Oliver," sighed Kingsley "he was so young when he had his first panic attack over nothing."

**AJ saw Madam Hooch's mouth form the words, "Mount your brooms."** **She pulled her right foot out of the mud with a squelch and swung it over her Nimbus Two Thousand. Madam Hooch put her whistle to her lips and gave it a blast that sounded shrill and distant they were off AJ rose fast, but her Nimbus was swerving slightly with the wind.**

"I really hope this doesn't end badly," muttered Bill "the weather alone sounds like it could kick some ones ass."

Hermione held his hand, "The game ends pretty quickly."

**She held it as steady as she could and turned, squinting into the rain. Within five minutes AJ was soaked to her skin and frozen, hardly able to see her teammates, let alone the tiny Snitch. She flew backward and forward across the field past blurred red and yellow shapes, with no idea of what was happening in the rest of the game. She couldn't hear the commentary over the wind.**

"Oh Merlin," groaned Remus "time to end the game. Like now."

**The crowd was hidden beneath a sea of cloaks and battered umbrellas. Twice AJ came very close to being unseated by a Bludgers; his vision was so clouded by the rain she hadn't seen them coming. She lost track of time. It was getting harder and harder to hold her broom straight. **

Sirius felt sick "Just cancel the game. No one will look down on you, you're going to sick or die."

"Or both!" muttered Regulus

**The sky was getting darker, as though night had decided to come early. Twice AJ nearly hit another player, without knowing whether it was a teammate or opponent;** **everyone was now so wet, and the rain so thick, she could hardly tell them apart. **

Ted let out a breath "This game is going to be the death of me, I can feel my blood pressure going through the roof."

**With the first flash of lightning came the sound of Madam Hooch's whistle; AJ could just see the outline of Wood through the thick rain, gesturing her to the ground. The whole team splashed down into the mud.**

Tonks groaned, "I forgot about the lightning! This game should have been canceled before it even began!"

"I can't remember why the game wasn't canceled." Admitted Remus "But it could have had something to do with Oliver being a crazed Quidditch player and the professors were worried for his sanity."

**"I called for time-out!" Wood roared at his team. "Come on, under here -"** **They huddled at the edge of the field under a large umbrella; AJ fixed her red and gold hair so it was no longer in her eyes.**

**"What's the score?"**

Charlie bit his lip, he wanted the game to end faster then it had. He was worried about his punk, the thought of her being harmed made him sick to his stomach even if it had happened years previously."

**"We're fifty points up," said Wood,** **"but unless we get the Snitch soon, we'll be playing into the night."**

"**I know!" shouted AJ over the rain; "I fixed my hair so it won't be in my eyes anymore. We got this Oliver!"**

"I was so naïve," mumbled AJ "must have been because of my young age."

Ron tried to smile, "Yeah that must have been it."

**Full of fresh determination, she urged her broom through the turbulent air, staring in every direction for the Snitch, avoiding a Bludger, ducking beneath Diggory, who was streaking in the opposite direction...**

AJ held her head in her hands, she hated that her and Cedric fought before he died. He had made her so angry though, it was no excuse to what she had said to him.

**There was another clap of thunder, followed immediately by forked lightning. This was getting more and more dangerous. AJ needed to get the Snitch quickly - She turned, intending to head back toward the middle of the field, but at that moment, another flash of lightning illuminated the stands, and AJ saw something that distracted herself completely, the silhouette of an enormous shaggy black dog, clearly imprinted against the sky, motionless in the topmost, empty row of seats.**

"I wanted to see you play so badly," said Sirius quietly "you fly just as good if not better then James." AJ tried to smile but unwanted memories were flooding her mind.

**AJ's numb hands slipped on the broom handle and her Nimbus dropped a few feet. Shaking her sodden bangs out of her eyes, she squinted back into the stands. The dog had vanished.**

"Just a quick peek and off you go?" laughed Remus

Andy smirked "Sounds like Siri, always been a five minute man according to a few people." Sirius pretended to glare at his favorite cousin.

**"AJ!" came Wood's anguished yell from the Gryffindor goal posts. "AJ, behind you!"** **AJ looked wildly around. Cedric Diggory was pelting up the field, and a tiny speck of gold was shimmering in the rain-filled air between them - With a jolt of panic, AJ threw herself flat to the broom handle and zoomed toward the Snitch.**

"You are an amazing flyer," smiled Hermione "even in the poring rain you looked like a professional."

**"Come on!" she growled at her Nimbus as the rain whipped her face. 'Faster!"** **But something odd was happening. An eerie silence was falling across the stadium. The wind, though as strong as ever, was forgetting to roar. It was as though someone had turned off the sound, as though AJ had gone suddenly deaf - what was going on?**

Kingsley shivered "What happened? Were you hurt?"

"No, that would have been much better then what she went through." Stated Snape without hate

**And then a horribly familiar wave of cold swept over her, inside her, just as she became aware of something moving on the field below... Before she'd had time to think, AJ had taken her eyes off the Snitch and looked down. At least a hundred dementors, their hidden faces pointing up at her, were standing beneath him.**

"Oh sweet Merlin!" Andy covered her mouth; she shuddered at the thought of what could have happened to her niece.

**It was as though freezing water were rising in her chest, cutting at her insides. And then she heard it again... Someone was screaming, screaming inside his head... a woman...**

"A women?" asked Tonks "What's going on?"

Ted shook his head "I have a feeling it will be explained in a few moments Dora."

**"Not AJ, not AJ, please not AJ!"**

Everyone looked pained at that; they started to realize what AJ was reliving. AJ was the only one that had on a poker face; she refused to break down over something that happened in the past.

**"Stand aside, you silly girl... stand aside, now..."**

**"Not AJ, please no, take me, kill me instead -"**

"A mothers love," chocked out Regulus "any parent would sacrifice themselves for their child."

Remus nodded "Any one of us would do the same, but hearing it is never easy."

**Numbing, swirling white mist was filling AJ's brain... What was she doing? Why was she flying?** **AJ**** needed to help her... She was going to die... She was going to be murdered...**

AJ started to bite her nails while a few occupants started to cry, she wanted to leave the room and never turn back.

**She was falling, falling through the icy mist.** **"Not AJ! Please... have mercy... have mercy..."** **A shrill voice was laughing, the woman was screaming, and AJ knew no more.**

"Were you okay?" asked Bill with a chocked up voice

"Of course," smirked AJ "takes a lot more then a Dementor to keep me down." But even to AJ her voice sounded cold and reserved.

**"Lucky the ground was so soft."**

**"I thought she was dead for sure."**

"Time to change the subject," mumbled Charlie "hearing about AJ being dead or looking dead is not something I enjoy hearing about."

Sirius smiled "Neither do we, but it seems to be a theme in these damn books."

**AJ could hear the voices whispering, but they made no sense whatsoever. She didn't have a clue where she was, or how she'd got their, or what she'd been doing before she got there.** **All she knew was that every inch of her was aching as though it had been beaten.**

"Time for chocolate," remarked Andy "and lots of it after what you've been through."

**"That was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life."**

**Scariest... the scariest thing... hooded black figures... cold ... screaming...** **AJ's eyes snapped open. She was lying in the hospital wing.**

Hermione shuddered "We were terrified for you, we didn't know what happened until we saw you falling."

**The Gryffindor Quidditch team, spattered with mud from head to foot, was gathered around his bed. Ron and Hermione were also there, looking as though they'd just climbed out of a swimming pool.**

"We weren't about to leave you alone in the hospital wing," remarked Ron "even if the Quidditch team was there with you."

**"AJ!" said Fred, who looked extremely white underneath the mud.** **"How're you feeling?"**

Tonks rolled her eyes "Oh just peachy."

"He was trying to be nice dear," said Andy "a rather stupid question but he was trying."

**It was as though AJ's memory was on fast forward. The lightning - the Grim -the Snitch - and the dementors...** **"What happened?" she said, sitting up so suddenly they all gasped.**

"You scared the crap out of us," huffed Hermione "you could have groaned or something to say you were awake."

AJ smirked "I figured that me asking what happened was a clue that I was awake."

**"You fell off," said Fred. "Must've been - what - fifty feet?"**

**"We thought you'd died," said Alicia, who was shaking.**

Regulus smiled "They're your family and you worry about family."

**Hermione made a small, squeaky noise. Her eyes were extremely bloodshot.**

**"But the match," said AJ. "What happened? Are we doing a replay?"** **No one said anything. The horrible truth sank into AJ like a stone.** **"We didn't - lose?"**

"Oh damn," muttered Ted "crazy boy must have taken this real well."

Remus shook his head; "He was depressed for a while after that. Even in class he looked dead to the world."

**"Diggory got the Snitch," said George. "Just after you fell. He didn't realize what had happened. When he looked back and saw you on the ground, he tried to call it off. Wanted a rematch. But they won fair and square... even Wood admits it."**

"Cedric sounds like he was pretty cool," remarked Kingsley "but rematches are hard to come by because it's usually cut and dry when it comes to winning and losing."

**"Where is Wood?" said AJ, suddenly realizing she wasn't there.**

**"Still in the showers," said Fred. "We think he's trying to drown himself."**

Sirius bit his lip "Bat shit crazy. Absolutely crazy."

**AJ put her face to her knees, her hands gripping her hair. **

**Fred grabbed her shoulder and shook it roughly.** **"C'mon, AJ, you've never missed the Snitch before."**

"Nice pep talk," snarled Tonks "how else can you improve one like that."

**"There had to be one time you didn't get it," said George.**

Tonks huffed, apparently you could improve it.

**"It's not over yet," said Fred. "We lost by a hundred points"**

Ted gaped, that was one awful loss.

**"Right? So if Hufflepuff loses to Ravenclaw and we beat Ravenclaw and Slytherin -."**

**"Hufflepuff'll have to lose by at least two hundred points," said George. "But if they beat Ravenclaw..."**

**"No Way, Ravenclaw is too good.** **But if Slytherin loses against Hufflepuff..."**

**"It all depends on the points - a margin of a hundred either way."**

"Does anyone think that AJ should be getting some much needed sleep?" asked Andy

Charlie nodded "That's what I was thinking. Sleep is going to be hard to come by after those two talking but at least try."

**AJ lay there, not saying a word. They had lost... for the first time ever; she had lost a Quidditch match.** **After ten minutes or so, Madam Pomfrey came over to tell the team to leave her in peace.**

"It's fine pup," assured Sirius "I'll have to tell you all the times that we lost a Quidditch match and how James would cope after words."

Regulus snickered "I don't think AJ should spend the night bitching and drinking."

"I didn't mean that you dork! I meant how he would throw himself into the next game and we would win by hundreds of points." Growled Sirius playfully

**"We'll come and see you later," Fred told him. "Don't beat yourself up, AJ, you're still the best Seeker we've ever had."** **The team trooped out, trailing mud behind them. Madam Pomfrey shut the door behind them, looking disapproving. Ron and Hermione moved nearer to AJ's bed.**

AJ grinned at her friends; it meant a lot that they stayed.

**"Dumbledore was really angry," Hermione said in a quaking voice.**

Dumbledore nodded, he never wanted AJ in danger but it seemed he failed her more often than not.

**"I've never seen him like that before. He ran onto the field as you fell, waved his wand, and you sort of slowed down before you hit the ground. Then he whirled his wand at the dementors. Shot silver stuff at them. They left the stadium right away... He was furious they'd come onto the grounds. We heard him -"**

Everyone shuddered; an angry Dumbledore was not something they enjoyed seeing or hearing about.

**"Then he magicked you onto a stretcher," said Ron. "And walked up to school with you floating on it. Everyone thought you were -"** **His voice faded, but AJ hardly noticed. She was thinking about what the dementors had done to her... about the screaming voice.**

Bill shut his eyes "That must have been harder to hear than anything, I can't imagine you going through that."

**She looked up and saw Ron and Hermione looking, at her so anxiously that she quickly cast around for something matter-of-fact to say.** **"Did someone get my Nimbus?"**

"Oh no!" groaned Charlie "I forgot about this."

"Yeah but I got a new broom that I love." Said AJ with a smile

**Ron and Hermione looked quickly at each other.** **"Er -"**

**"What?" said AJ, looking from one to the other.**

"We didn't know how to tell you," said Hermione "we knew you were going to be really upset and we had no way to replace it."

**"Well... when you fell off, it got blown away," said Hermione hesitantly.**

**"And?"**

"Well," started Kingsley "it could be fixed magically. It just hit the ground, not something major."

**"And it hit - it hit - oh, AJ- it hit the Whomping Willow."**

Tonks glared "You were saying?"

"How was I supposed to know?" Kingsley defended "How much bad luck can the poor girl have?"

**AJ's insides lurched. The Whomping Willow was a very violent tree that stood alone in the middle of the grounds.** **"And?" she said, dreading the answer.**

Remus sighed, "All the professors tried really hard to fix it but it was just beyond any form of repair."

**"Well, you know the Whomping Willow," said Ron. "It - it doesn't like being hit."**

"It doesn't like anything," muttered Ted "the thing is very temperamental.

**"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before you came around," said Hermione in a very small voice.** **Slowly, she reached down for a bag at her feet, turned it upside down, and tipped a dozen bits of splintered wood and twig onto the bed, the only remains of AJ's faithful, finally beaten broomstick.**

AJ sighed, "I felt like crying. It was the first thing that was really mine."

"You're getting so spoiled," laughed Sirius "just wait for your birthday, Christmas and any other day I can think of that Remus and I can spoil you on." Sirius handed the book to Snape who gave a very heated glare.

"**The Marauder's Map…"**

**AN: Thank you for the reviews! They make me work all that much harder to get the chapters out quickly and hopefully with not so many mistakes. AJ and Cedric DIDN'T DATE just to clear that up. Next chapter Sirius and Regulus (maybe Uncle Ted) aren't going to be happy with AJ (not angry but disappointed and upset) just a warning. Now I got a PM this morning about that I have too much dialogue between everyone…I didn't think that was possible but I'm sorry if it bothers you. As always I'm more then willing to answer questions and take suggestions. Read and Review :)**


	53. The Marauders Map

"You get your hands on the map?" asked Sirius with glee

AJ bit her lip, "Yeah, I did." Sirius was still grinning while Remus sighed, he was still a little upset over that and he wasn't sure how his husband would take it.

**Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping AJ in the hospital wing for the rest of the weekend. She didn't argue or complain,** **but she wouldn't let her throw away the shattered remnants of his Nimbus Two Thousand. **

"That must have been hard for you," admitted Tonks "I wouldn't let them get rid of my broom if that happened to me either."

**She knew he was being stupid, knew that the Nimbus was beyond repair, but AJ couldn't help it; she felt as though she'd lost one of her best friends.**

Charlie smiled "But at least you weren't hurt punk, it could have been a lot worse then it was."

"I think I may actually like you dragon boy." Ted smirked at the goofy smile he got in return

**She had a stream of visitors, all intent on cheering her up. Hagrid sent her a bunch of earwiggy flowers that looked like yellow cabbages, and Ginny Weasley, **

"What did she get you? A photo of yourself to sign?" laughed Andy

"No!" snapped Ginny, making everyone jump they hadn't heard her or her mother enter the room.

Andy sighed "It was so peaceful before you came back."

**blushing furiously, turned up with a get-well card she had made herself, which sang shrilly unless AJ kept it shut under her bowl of fruit.**

"That was probably the sweetest thing you've ever done Gin," mocked Bill "next time why don't you just scream bloody murder and get it over with."

**The Gryffindor team visited again on Sunday morning, this time accompanied by Wood, who told AJ (in a hollow, dead sort of voice) that he didn't blame her in the slightest.**

"He didn't blame you?" asked Kingsley "You didn't do anything for him to not blame you!"

AJ shrugged "He was having an off day…or he was just being his usual obsessive self."

**Ron and Hermione left AJ's bedside only at night-** **but nothing anyone said or did could make AJ feel any better, because they knew only half of what was troubling her.**

"It's hard to tell them about something like that," said Remus "just saying it out loud makes it real and you can't take it back."

**She hadn't told anyone about the Grim, not even Ron -and Hermione, because she knew Ron would panic and Hermione would scoff.**

Hermione winced "I'm sorry, I know I would have done that too. From now on I'll try to be more open minded."

"I had reason to panic," shrugged Ron "you saw the grim and then fell off the broom."

Hermione groaned while AJ snorted, "That is not what happened Ron! The grim was not even the grim! It was my dad and the reason why I fell off the broom was because of the dementors."

**The fact remained, however, that it had now appeared twice, and both appearances had been followed by near-fatal accidents; the first time, she had nearly been run over by the Knight Bus; the second, fallen fifty feet from her broomstick.**

"You aren't believing this are you? Come one sweets, it's complete bullshit. Do not start looking at everything as a death omen, it'll drive you insane." Lectured Regulus

AJ snickered "Just wait and continue reading."

**Was the Grim going to haunt her until he actually died? Was he going to spend the rest of her life looking over her shoulder for the beast? Merlin, she sounded like Ron now. The logical side of her mind was screaming that it was a coincidence and to not overthink it.**

"Good," sighed Ted "listen to that side of your brain as much as possible. The way things are going this year, it looks like you're going to need as much realistic thinking as possible."

Sirius sighed, "A lot of that was my fault, I should have handled it a lot better than I had."

**And then there were the dementors. AJ felt sick and humiliated every time she thought of them. Everyone said the dementors were horrible, but no one else collapsed every time they went near one. No one else heard echoes in their head of their dying parents.**

"No ones parents died like that, that's why." Ginny snarked

Charlie glared "Ginny you need to watch your mouth, I've had it with your constant negativity towards my fiancé, her friends and her family! You are in the situations you're in because you are an immature little brat with no idea how the real world works. You knew your memory was failing you, you knew that AJ was in danger and you knew damn well that if you went for help you would be given it! But no, you chose to ignore it and cause a lot of problems. Cut the crap and do not ever speak to AJ like that again!" Sirius, Remus, Ted and Regulus were smiling at Charlie with pride, standing up to family was hard but sometimes it just needed to be done.

**Because AJ knew whom that screaming voice belonged to now. She had heard her words, heard them over and over again during the night hours in the hospital wing while she lay awake, staring at the strips of moonlight on the ceiling. **

Kingsley sighed, "You should have been given some dreamless sleep or something to help you get through the nights."

**When the dementors approached him, she heard the last moments of his mother's life, her attempts to protect her, AJ, from Lord Voldemort, and Voldemort's laughter before he murdered her...**

Bill shuddered "AJ, you are a very strong person. There are so many people, myself included, that wouldn't be able to get over something like that."

**AJ dozed fitfully, sinking into dreams full of clammy, rotted hands and petrified pleading, jerking awake to dwell again on her mother's voice. It was a relief to return to the noise and bustle of the main school on Monday, where she was forced to think about other things, even if she had to endure Draco Malfoy's taunting.**

"Does anyone else get the feeling he's craving a swift kick in the ass?" asked Tonks

Hermione snickered "No one would touch the golden boy that year, his daddy had too much pull over everyone."

**Malfoy was almost beside himself with glee at Gryffindor's defeat. She had finally taken off her bandages, and celebrated having the full use of both arms again by doing spirited imitations of AJ falling off her broom.**

"Oh grow up you immature little ass." Growled Ted "That's not something you joke around about."

**Malfoy spent much of their next Potions class doing Dementor imitations across the dungeon;** **Ron finally cracked and flung a large, slippery crocodile heart at Malfoy, which hit him in the face and caused Snape to take fifty points from Gryffindor.**

Molly gaped "Ronald Weasley! How dare you do that in a class as important as that! You could have caused serious harm young man!"

"Let it go Mrs. Weasley!" yelled Tonks "It happened and it's over with, he was standing up for his friend who was having to deal with her parents last words! He deserved what ever happened to him."

**"If Snape's teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts again, I'm skiving off," said Ron as they headed toward Lupin's classroom after lunch.** **"Check who's in there, Hermione."**

"Fearless," muttered Regulus "I hope you're in my corner if the time ever came."

**Hermione peered around the classroom door.** **"It's okay!"**

Remus laughed loudly "I could everything that was being said and I saw you peeking in."

"Yes well," Hermione blushed deeply "we really didn't want to deal with Snape for another class."

**Professor Lupin was back at work. It certainly looked as though he had been ill. His old robes were hanging more loosely on him and there were dark shadows beneath his eyes;**

"I wish I had been there for you during that love," Sirius sounded heartbroken "you are a kind and generous man and you don't deserve to go through something like that every month." Sirius silently vowed to never let his husband go through the transformations alone again.

**nevertheless, he smiled at the class as they took their seats, and they burst at once into an explosion of complaints about Snape's behavior while Professor Lupin had been ill.**

Andy grinned "I think we should all make a list of things we don't like about you Severus and you should change them."

"Just a list?" laughed Charlie "It'll take much more then a list."

**"It's not fair, he was only filling in, why should he give us homework?"**

"Because I'm evil and I want to torment you." Snape muttered

AJ smirked "Well at least you admitted it."

**"We don't know anything about werewolves."**

"**Two rolls of parchment!"**

"You weren't supposed to learn about werewolves that year at all," admitted Dumbledore "or so I had hoped."

Hermione frowned "Would we have been behind then when it came to our fourth year studies?"

"Not at all," smiled Kingsley "sometimes you don't get to magical creatures till the end of fourth or the beginning of fifth year."

**"Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?" Professor Lupin asked, frowning slightly.** **The babble broke out again.**

Ron scowled "Like that mattered at all, just caused detentions and loss of points."

**"Yes, but he said we were really behind he wouldn't listen -"**

**"- two rolls of parchment!"**

"Not as hard as he could of gone on you," bit out Regulus "completely ridiculous if you ask me but that doesn't matter to Severus."

Sirius smirked "He'll get his Reggie, trust me on that."

**Professor Lupin smiled at the look of indignation on every face.** **"Don't worry. I'll speak to Professor Snape. You don't have to do the essay."**

"Don't talk!" yelled Bill "Just kick his ass and let him know his boss."

**"Oh no," said Hermione, looking very disappointed. "I've already finished it!"**

"Why?" asked Sirius

Ron snorted "Hermione finishes everything before it's due. She's weird like that."

"I don't even know how to respond to that," remarked Sirius "you've shocked me into silence with your way of thinking."

**They had a very enjoyable lesson. Professor Lupin had brought along a glass box containing a hinkypunk, a little one-legged creature who looked as though he were made of wisps of smoke, rather frail and harmless looking.**

Ted smiled "I'm sure all of his classes were amazing."

"Not much to compare too." Muttered Ginny with Molly nodding her head

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked an angry Ted "Remus I'm sure was an excellent professor and for you to say other makes me question you and your sanity. You need to watch your mouth young lady before you get into more trouble."

Molly glared "You are not to parent my child Ted! You were what sixteen when you had your daughter? Lot of good that turned out to be!"

"First of all do not bring my daughter into this," stated Ted "she has done nothing to you or your family. Second of all, so what if Andy and I had Dora young? She was a fantastic child and has turned into an even more amazing women, you need to calm down Molly and realize your way of thinking isn't always the best."

**"Lures travellers into bogs," said Professor Lupin as they took notes. "You notice the lantern dangling from his hand? Hops ahead -people follow the light - then -"** **The hinkypunk made a horrible squelching noise against the glass. When the bell rang, everyone gathered up their things and headed for the door, AJ among them, but –**

Sirius grinned "Are you in trouble with Professor Moony?"

"No daddy, he just wanted to talk." Smiled AJ, inwardly panicking about parts to come.

**"Wait a moment, AJ," Professor Lupin called. "I'd like a word."**

Regulus smirked "Are you sure you're not in trouble? Remus used to do that to me after I broke the rules."

**AJ doubled back and watched Professor Lupin covering the hinkypunk's box with a cloth.** **"I heard about the match," said Professor Lupin, turning back to his desk and starting to pile books into his briefcase, "and I'm sorry about your broomstick. Is there any chance of fixing it?"**

"You hadn't heard yet?" asked Tonks

Remus blushed, "I had, I just wanted to see if AJ was okay. I knew it must have been hard for her to see something she loved destroyed like that."

**"No," said AJ. "The tree smashed it to bits."**

**Professor Lupin sighed.** **"They planted the Whomping Willow the same year that I arrived at Hogwarts. People used to play a game, trying to get near enough to touch the trunk. **

"We got closer then anyone." Laughed Ron

Hermione scowled "Yeah because that's something you should be really proud over."

**In the end, a boy called Davey Gudgeon nearly lost an eye, and we were forbidden to go near it.** **No broomstick would have a chance."**

"Is that how Moody lost his eye?" Ginny asked wild-eyed

Kingsley bit back a laugh, "Well, Moody's name is Alastor Moody not Davey Gudgeon and he wasn't in school when Remus was there."

**"Did you hear about the dementors too?" said AJ with difficulty.**

**Professor Lupin looked at her quickly.** **"Yes, I did. I don't think any of us have seen Professor Dumbledore that angry.** **They have been growing restless for some time - furious at his refusal to let them inside the grounds... I suppose they were the reason you fell?"**

AJ played with her purple hair; she had seen him a lot madder when she came back from the third task. Maybe he was angry with her for letting Cedric die and that's why he hadn't even looked at her. AJ barely suppressed a shudder; maybe if they hadn't been yelling at each other they could have noticed that something was wrong. She was filled with anger and sadness again and unsure how to handle the two emotions.

**"Yes," said AJ. She hesitated, and then the question she had to ask burst from her before she could stop herself." Why? Why do they affect me like that? Am I just -?"**

"You're not weak AJ!" Andy all but shouted "You're one of the most powerful witches of our time, you have to understand that dear."

**"It has nothing to do with weakness," said Professor Lupin sharply, as though he had read AJ's mind.** **"The dementors affect you worse than the others because there are horrors in your past that the others don't have."**

"Exactly," agreed Charlie "if I could take away all the pain I would punk."

AJ smiled "Love you Char."

**A ray of wintery sunlight fell across the classroom, illuminating Lupin's grey hairs and the lines on his young face. "Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, and they drain peace, hope, and happiness out of the air around them.**

Tonks shuddered "They are awful creatures, I still have trouble producing a patronus charm when facing them."

"Yeah but you got me as a partner and you know I'll protect you." Grinned Kingsley

**Even Muggles feel their presence, though they can't see them. Get too near a Dementor and every good feeling; every happy memory will be sucked out of you. If it can, the Dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself... soul-less and evil. **

"You can't do anything without your soul correct?" asked Hermione

Bill nodded, "Losing your soul is like you're losing yourself. You have absolutely nothing left to give and all you're left with is a shell of yourself."

**You'll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life. And the worst that happened to you, AJ, is enough to make anyone fall off their broom. You have nothing to feel ashamed of."**

"But it happened in front of everyone," argued Sirius "that's enough for anyone to be more then upset."

Remus nodded, "I know padfoot, but I didn't want our daughter to feel bad over something that she had no control over."

**"When they get near me -" AJ stared at Lupin's desk, her throat tight. "I can hear Voldemort murdering my mum."**

Regulus winced "Bet that wasn't what he was expecting for you to say."

**Professor Lupin made a sudden motion with his arm as though to hug AJ, but thought better of it.**

"Why?" asked AJ looking intently at her Papa

"At the time we had a student professor relationship and I didn't want you to feel awkward." Admitted Remus

**There was a moment's Silence, then –** **"Why did they have to come to the match?" said AJ sarcastically.**

Ted snickered "Because that's what's important."

**"They're getting hungry," said Lupin coolly, shutting his briefcase with a snap. "Dumbledore won't let them into the school, so their supply of human prey has dried up... I don't think they could resist the large crowd around the Quidditch field. All that excitement ... emotions running high... it was their idea of a feast."**

Andy gaged "Sweet Merlin Remus, you couldn't have censored that?"

"Not many other ways to put it Mrs. Tonks," remarked Charlie "it's disgusting but true."

**"Azkaban must be terrible," AJ muttered.**

Sirius shuddered "Yeah pup, it's not picnic in that Hell hole."

**Professor Lupin nodded grimly.** **"The fortress is set on a tiny island, way out to sea, but they don't need walls and water to keep the prisoners in, not when they're all trapped inside their own heads, incapable of a single cheery thought. Most of them go mad within weeks."**

"I still don't see the need for such a place." Stated Molly

Hermione glared "People that have committed serious crimes and have been convicted of said crime, they need to be punished. Yes dementors are disgusting creatures but they're keeping the Wizarding world from being torn apart by death eaters that have been convicted. You can't honestly tell me that you don't see the need for it."

"Of course I see the need," argued Molly "but it shouldn't be something that is talked about."

"It needs to be talked about though!" yelled Hermione "You can't shelter your children from all the evils in the world, they have to grow up at some point. You having them believe this world is all rainbows and butterflies is unrealistic and is going to do more harm then good!" AJ high fived her best friend, she knew Hermione had it in her.

**"But Sirius Black escaped from them," AJ said slowly. "He got away..."**

**Professor Lupin's briefcase slipped from the desk; he had to stoop quickly to catch it.**

"We should call you professor smooth," laughed Ted "that wasn't suspicious at all."

**"Yes," he said, straightening up, "Black must have found a way to fight them. I wouldn't have believed it possible... Dementors are supposed to drain a wizard of his powers if he is left with them too long..."**

"Not that I'm complaining, but how did you get out of their with your sanity intact?" asked Tonks

Sirius shrugged "I knew that I was innocent and I clung to the hope that AJ was safe and well. She and Remus were the only things that kept me going."

**"You made that Dementor on the train back off," said AJ suddenly.**

Remus smirked "I knew you would catch on to that rather quickly."

**"There are - certain defenses one can use," said Professor Lupin. "But there was only one Dementor on the train. The more there are, the more difficult it becomes to resist."**

**"What defenses?" said AJ at once. "Can you teach me?"**

Molly shook her head "That is very advanced magic for a child your age. You could drain your magical core if you try to hard."

"I'm not a child and my Papa would never let me push myself to the point of me draining my magic. Oh and there's the fact that I produced the patronus on more than one occasion." Argued AJ

**"I don't pretend to be an expert at fighting dementors, AJ, quite the contrary..."**

**"But if the dementors come to another Quidditch match, I need to be able to fight them -"**

"Of course you would use that argument," laughed Kingsley "only another Quidditch nut would actually teach you that just because of Quidditch."

Andy snickered "Could you imagine if James was still alive? He would be at every game cheering AJ on while Lilly panicked that something was going to happen to her baby."

"My mom didn't like Quidditch?" asked AJ. She wanted to know about her parents, but it wasn't a need anymore. She wasn't alone any longer.

"Not so much," grinned Andy "your mom wasn't a very good flyer but she loved to watch your dad play. After the games he would take her flying around the Black Lake, it was very romantic."

**Lupin looked into AJ's determined face, hesitated, then said, "Well... all right. I'll try and help. But it'll have to wait until next term, I'm afraid. I have a lot to do before the holidays. I chose a very inconvenient time to fall ill."**

"Chose?" asked Ron "I didn't think you had a choice in the matter."

Sirius raised a brow "You don't, Moony was being sarcastic."

**What with the promise of anti-Dementor lessons from Professor Lupin, the thought that she might never have to hear her mother's death again, and the fact that Ravenclaw flattened Hufflepuff in their Quidditch match at the end of November,** **AJ's mood took a definite upturn.**

"Of course it did," smiled Regulus "only you would be able to look on the positive side of all those horrible aspects."

**Gryffindor were not out of the running after all, although they could not afford to lose another match. Wood became repossessed of his manic energy, and worked his team as hard as ever in the chilly haze of rain that persisted into December.**

"How did you guys not get colds?" asked Charlie

AJ scoffed "I never get sick, it must be my amazing immune system."

"So basically he would make you all take pepper up potion after the games?" Charlie smirked at the eye roll he got in return

**AJ saw no hint of a Dementor within the grounds. Dumbledore's anger seemed to be keeping them at their stations at the entrances.**

"That would cause anyone to back off," muttered Bill "an angry Dumbledore is a force to be reckoned with."

**Two weeks before the end of the term, the sky lightened suddenly to a dazzling, opaline white and the muddy grounds were revealed one morning covered in glittering frost. Inside the castle, there was a buzz of Christmas in the air. **

"This Christmas is going to be the best yet," announced AJ "it'll be our first Christmas as a family."

Kingsley grinned, "We can have snowball wars and this Christmas you guys can do magic because the festivities will be in Grimauld.

"The feast we're having is going to rival anything you've ever had!" smiled Tonks "Moms cooking is the best you've ever had. Trust me." Kingsley smiled at his partner; she was like a child in her excitement.

**Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, had already decorated his classroom with shimmering lights that turned out to be real, fluttering fairies.** **The students were all happily discussing their plans for the holidays. Both Ron and Hermione had decided to remain at Hogwarts, and though Ron said it was because he couldn't stand two weeks with Percy,**

"I don't even know the guy and I wouldn't be able to put up with him for two weeks." Admitted Ted

**and Hermione insisted she needed to use the library, AJ wasn't fooled; they were doing it to keep her company, and she was very grateful.**

"Well then," huffed Hermione "next time we won't even try to make it seem like we aren't taking pity on you." AJ laughed at her friend, she knew Hermione wouldn't be able to keep that promise.

**To everyone's delight except AJ's, there was to be another Hogsmeade trip on the very last weekend of the term.**

**"We can do all our Christmas shopping there!" said Hermione. "Mum and Dad would really love those Toothflossing Stringmints from Honeydukes!"**

"Aren't your parents dentist?" asked Remus

Hermione nodded "Yeah but they would appreciate the irony in it."

**Resigned to the fact that she would be the only third year staying behind again, AJ borrowed a copy of Which Broomstick from Wood, and decided to spend the day reading up on the different makes. She had been riding one of the school brooms at team practice, an ancient Shooting Star, which was very slow and jerky; she definitely needed a new broom of her own.**

"No need," grinned Sirius "I came through and got you top of the line broom. You deserved it pup."

**On the Saturday morning of the Hogsmeade trip, AJ bid good-bye to Ron and Hermione, who were wrapped in cloaks and scarves, then turned up the marble staircase alone, and headed back toward Gryffindor Tower. Snow had started to fall outside the windows, and the castle was very still and quiet.**

Charlie smirked "I don't think I've ever heard of Gryffindor tower being quiet."

"It never is," remarked Bill "we're known as the 'party' house for a very good reason."

**"Psst - AJ!" She turned, halfway along the third-floor corridor, to see Fred and George peering out at her from behind a statue of a -, - -.**

"They didn't go?" asked Tonks

AJ shook her head "No they…I mean, yeah they did. But they didn't leave yet." AJ turned away after she stammered like an idiot; she had no idea what would happen during the remainder of this chapter.

**"What are you doing?" said AJ curiously. "How come you're not going to Hogsmeade?"**

**"We've come to give you a bit of festive cheer before we go," said Fred, with a mysterious wink. "Come in here..."**

Sirius looked to his daughter and her friends "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"

"Because your pessimistic?" asked Ron with a shrug

Sirius rubbed his eyes tiredly "I'm pretty sure that's not it Ron."

**He nodded toward an empty classroom to the left of the. AJ followed Fred and George inside. George closed the door quietly and then turned, beaming, to look at AJ.**

Regulus saw his niece tense, something was going on in this chapter and he wasn't sure if he wanted to know what was to come.

**"Early Christmas present for you, AJ," he said.** **Fred pulled something from inside his cloak with a flourish and laid it on one of the desks. It was a large, square, very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it.**

"What is it?" asked Tonks "Is it one of those parchments where you can write on it and the note does to the other parchment?"

Remus smiled "No, it's much cooler then that."

**AJ, suspecting one of Fred and George's jokes, stared at it.** **"What's that supposed to be?"**

**"This, AJ, is the secret of our success," said George, patting the parchment fondly.**

Remus and Sirius grinned, the twins were good pranksters and they were happy they had the map in their possession.

**"It's a wrench, giving it to you," said Fred, "but we decided last night, your need's greater than ours."**

**"Anyway, we know it by heart," said George. "We bequeath it to you. We don't really need it anymore."**

"Yes but what is it?" Kingsley asked with impatiens

AJ smirked "You'll know soon enough."

**"And what do I need with a bit of old parchment?" said AJ.**

**"A bit of old parchment!" said Fred, closing his eyes with a grimace as though AJ had mortally offended him.**

"For the love of Merlin," muttered Bill "just tell us what it is."

**"Explain, George."**

**"Well... when we were in our first year, AJ - young, carefree, and innocent -"** **AJ snorted. He doubted whether Fred and George had ever been innocent.**

Molly scoffed "They were never innocent and they certainty aren't innocent now."

"They're having fun Molly," said Andy "it's not as if they're harming anyone."

**"Well, more innocent than we are now** **- we got into a spot of bother with Filch."**

**"We let off a Dungbomb in the corridor and it upset him for some reason -"**

"Some reason?" Ginny repeated with a scowl "That's just mean."

**"So he hauled us off to his office and started threatening us with the usual -"**

"**Detention disembowelment and we couldn't help noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets marked Confiscated and Highly Dangerous."**

Snape looked sick to his stomach, he may not enjoy every aspect of teaching but even to him those threats were a little much.

**"Don't tell me -" said AJ, starting to grin.**

**"Well, what would you've done?" said Fred. "George caused a diversion by dropping another Dungbomb, I whipped the drawer open, and grabbed - this."**

"I would have ran," said Charlie "but knowing Filch he would have found me and killed me."

AJ kissed her boyfriend "Do you need me to protect you Char?"

"Yeah punk, I'm scared of the big bad Filch." AJ and Charlie shared another kiss while silently praying it was almost time to call it a night.

**"It's not as bad as it sounds, you know," said George. "We don't reckon Filch ever found out how to work it. He probably suspected what it was, though, or he wouldn't have confiscated it."**

Kingsley and Tonks shared scowls, why couldn't they just shut up and tell AJ what it was already.

**"And you know how to work it?"**

**"Oh yes," said Fred, smirking. "This little beauty's taught us more than all the teachers in this school."**

Hermione rolled her eyes "That's something to be proud of."

"They were just having fun during dark times," remarked Bill "you need to be able to laugh and have a good time or the war will beet you down."

**"You're winding me up," said AJ, looking at the ragged old bit of parchment.**

Sirius mock glared "They most certainly are not!"

**"Oh, are we?" said George. He took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly, and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."**

"Really Siri?" asked Andy "I know you had something to do with that."

**And at once, thin ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that George's wand had touched. They joined each other, they crisscrossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, great, curly green words, that proclaimed: Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present THE MARAUDER'S MAP.**

"So it's a map?" asked Tonks clearly unimpressed

Kingsley huffed "Good job, you really had us going."

**It was a map showing every detail of the Hogwarts castle and grounds. But the truly remarkable thing were the tiny ink dots moving around it, each labeled with a name in minuscule writing. Astounded, AJ bent over it. A labeled dot in the top left corner showed that Professor Dumbledore was pacing his study; the caretaker's cat, Mrs. Norris, was prowling the second floor; and Peeves the Poltergeist was currently bouncing around the trophy room.**

Ted looked shocked "You guys made that? How much magic does that contain?"

"So much that destroying it is nearly impossible." Grinned Remus

"You could have let me borrowed it," argued Ted "I could have used it a few nights."

"Wouldn't have done much good mate, we didn't work out all the kinks until after you two had graduated." Explained Remus

**And as AJ's eyes travelled up and down the familiar corridors, he noticed something else. This map showed a set of passages he had never entered. And many of them seemed to lead –**

"One of them leads to Hogsmeade doesn't it?" asked an excited Regulus

AJ nodded "Yeah Uncle Reggie, it sure does. But that's not it, it leads to all sorts of places."

**"Right into Hogsmeade," said Fred, tracing one of them with his finger. "There are seven in all. Now, Filch knows about these four" - he pointed them out - "but we're sure we're the only ones who know about these. **

Sirius frowned "How did he find them out? We were so careful when it came to our sneaking around."

**Don't bother with the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor. We used it until last winter, but it's caved in - completely blocked. And we don't reckon anyone's ever used this one, because the Whomping Willow's planted right over the entrance.**

The Golden Trio shared smirks, it seemed that they were the exception to everything.

**But this one here, this one leads right into the cellar of Honeydukes. We've used it loads of times. And as you might've noticed, the entrance is right outside this room, through that - - - -."**

"Well that's good to know for the following year," remarked Bill "just incase you're late heading into Hogsmeade you can take a shortcut."

Ron snickered "You don't have to wait till the following year to take that shortcut." AJ threw Ron a dirty look while Sirius looked intrigued. AJ wouldn't sneak into Hogsmeade. She just wouldn't.

**"Moony, Wormtail Padfoot, and Prongs," sighed George, patting the heading of the map. "We owe them so much."**

**"Noble men, working tirelessly to help a new generation of lawbreakers," said Fred solemnly.**

Remus and Sirius grinned at each other, they always wanted to pass the map down to AJ but when Filch got ahold of it they thought all hope was lost.

**"Right," said George briskly.**

**"Don't forget to wipe it after you've used it or anyone can read it," Fred said warningly. "Just tap it again and say, 'Mischief managed!' And it'll go blank."**

"I love it!" shouted Tonks "Can I see it?"

Hermione smiled "It is very neat to look at it and the magic it contains is very impressive."

**"So, young AJ," said Fred, in an uncanny impersonation of Percy,**

**"Mind you behave yourself."**

**"See you in Honeydukes," said George, winking.**

"What does that mean?" asked Regulus

AJ shrugged "Who knows with the twins. Anyways, moving on."

**They left the room, both smirking in a satisfied sort of way. AJ stood there, gazing at the miraculous map. He watched the tiny ink Mrs. Norris turn left and pause to sniff at something on the floor. If Filch really didn't know... she wouldn't have to pass the dementors at all... **

"Stop thinking that right now," advised Ted "I can see where this is going and I can assure you it won't be a good idea."

**But even as she stood there, flooded with excitement, something AJ had once heard Mr. Weasley say came floating out of her memory. Never trust anything that can think for itself, if you can't see where it keeps its brain.**

"That's very true, but not always correct." Stated Kingsley "Sometimes the magical object like the map, can speak for itself but the magic behind it is not meant for evil or wrong doing. It all depends on the person that created the magical object."

**This map was one of those dangerous magical objects Mr. Weasley had been warning against... Aids for Magical Mischief Makers... but then, AJ reasoned, she only wanted to use it to get into Hogsmeade, it wasn't as though she wanted to steal anything or attack anyone... and Fred and George had been using it for years without anything horrible happening...**

"You didn't." stated Regulus

"She better not have." Muttered Sirius

**AJ traced the secret passage to Honeydukes with her finger. Then, quite suddenly, as though following orders, she rolled up the map, stuffed it inside her robes, and hurried to the door of the classroom. She opened it a couple of inches. There was no one outside. **

Andy bit her lip "I don't know if this is a good idea dear, you really should just stay in the castle."

**Very carefully, she edged out of the room and behind the statue of the - -. What did she have to do? She pulled out the map again and saw to his astonishment, that a new ink figure had appeared upon it, labeled Alessandra Potter. **

"That's so awesome," breathed Charlie "having that when Tonks and I were students would have been nice. Maybe we wouldn't have gotten into so much trouble."

Tonks laughed, "I doubt that very much. We still would have been caught, Filch was always onto us."

**This figure was standing exactly where the real AJ was standing, about - down the - corridor. AJ watched carefully. Her little Ink self appeared to be tapping the witch with her minute wand. AJ quickly took out her real wand and tapped the statue. Nothing happened. She looked back at the map. The tiniest speech bubble had appeared next to her figure. The word inside said, "-."**

Kingsley looked amazed, "You guys never cease to amaze me. I don't know how you came up with the idea and to be honest I don't care. It's just amazing to think to have a map like that."

**"-!" AJ whispered, tapping the stone - again.** **At once, the statue's - opened wide enough to admit a fairly thin person.**

"It all depends on whose standing before it." Sirius said through clenched teeth

AJ sighed, "It wasn't my best idea I know that but-"

Sirius cut her off "Alessandra, not now. I'm still clinging to the hope that my daughter didn't do something so completely idiotic like this." AJ fell back into the sofa; she hoped her Dad didn't hate her over this.

**AJ glanced quickly up and down the corridor, then tucked the map away again, hoisted herself into the hole headfirst, and pushed herself forward. She slid a considerable way down what felt like a stone slide, then landed on cold, damp earth. She stood up, looking around. It was pitch dark. She held up her wand, muttered, "Lumos! " and saw that he was in a very narrow, low, earthy passageway. **

"I would have pissed my pants," stated Bill "even in Egypt I get nervous being in the tombs alone. Anything could happen and no one would know."

Hermione smacked his arm, "Probably not the best idea to bring that up at this point."

**She raised the map, tapped it with the tip of her wand, and muttered, "Mischief managed!" The map went blank at once. She folded it carefully, tucked it inside her robes, then, heart beating fast, both excited and apprehensive, she set off. The passage twisted and turned, more like the burrow of a giant rabbit than anything else.**

"I would have kept the map out. That way you knew exactly where you were headed and if anything was going to get in your way." Said Ted

Charlie shrugged "That's true but she was watching where she was headed and having to hold the map could cause a distraction."

**AJ hurried along it, stumbling now and then on the uneven floor, holding her wand out in front of her. It took ages, but AJ had the thought of Honeydukes to sustain her. After what felt like an hour, the passage began to rise. Panting, AJ sped up, her face hot, her feet very cold. Ten minutes later, she came to the foot of some worn stone steps, which rose out of sight above her. Careful not to make any noise, AJ began to climb. A hundreds, two hundred steps, she lost count as she climbed, watching her feet...Then, without warning, her head hit something hard.**

"The twins should have warned you about that." Said Remus "We used to hit our heads whenever we would use that passageway."

**It seemed to be a trapdoor. AJ stood there, massaging the top of her head, listening. She couldn't hear any sounds above her. Very slowly, she pushed the trapdoor open and peered over the edge. She was in a cellar, which was full of wooden crates and boxes. **

"What were you thinking?" shouted Regulus "Do you have any idea how much danger you were in? Yes I realize that Sirius was obviously not after you but you didn't know that! Not only that but the dementors were out there as well, what would have happened if they came into Hogsmeade and you fainted again? AJ fully trained wizards can't produce the patronus all the time let alone with a Dementor around them."

AJ sighed "I understand that now Uncle Reggie, I didn't see the big deal then but trust me, now I understand how stupid I was to do that. Can we just let it go?"

"No we can't just let it go AJ!" yelled Sirius "What you did was completely stupid and reckless, what we did in school was stupid, but that was then and we weren't worried a mad man was after our blood! You have no idea how hard we would take it if something happened to you because you did something reckless. I was devastated when your parents died, but it would destroy me if something happened to you."

"Okay," said AJ calmly "it was reckless but I didn't think anything bad would happen.

Regulus face palmed while Sirius silently counted to ten and then continued "Alessandra James Potter you have got to stop risking your life. You have no idea how important you are to me, your Papa and your Uncle Regulus not to mention your friends…and dragon boy over there. Stop taking unnecessary risks during this time. Please pup, you have to stop."

"I understand you want a normal childhood," said Regulus calmly "but the fact is since the day you were born you were never guaranteed a normal childhood. This war is just beginning and by the looks of it there is no end in the near future. It's going to get annoying that all the professors and your dads myself included are being overprotective but it's because we can't let anything happen to you. I love you sweets and I need you to understand how important you are to us."

AJ leaned into her dad "I'm sorry daddy," she dropped her usual mask to show how sorry she actually was, "I was being stupid and immature and it won't happen again. I promise." Sirius nodded and kissed her head, he hoped to Merlin this war didn't harm her more than it already had. AJ turned to a silent Remus, "I'm sorry Papa, please don't be angry."

Remus huffed "I'm not angry cub, I'm more concerned then anything. I know you're sorry, and I hope you don't ever sneak into the village again. We talked a little about my concerns that year, just know that we love you and are here for you no matter what." He kissed his daughters head all the while thinking about how much could have happened to her that year if she wasn't so lucky.

**AJ climbed out of the trapdoor and replaced it - it blended so perfectly with the dusty floor that it was impossible to tell it was there. AJ crept slowly toward the wooden staircase that led upstairs. Now she could definitely hear voices, not to mention the tinkle of a bell and the opening and shutting of a door. **

"I'm assuming you made it safely?" asked Tonks

Andy shook her head, "Good observation skills Dora."

**Wondering what she ought to do, she suddenly heard a door open much closer at hand; somebody was about to come downstairs.** **"And get another box of Jelly Slugs, dear, they've nearly cleaned us out -" said a woman's voice.**

"They always sell out of those really quickly." Said Ron "I think they're good, but the chocolate is what you go for. Jelly Slugs you can get anywhere but their chocolate is what you need to stock up on."

**A pair of feet was coming down the staircase. AJ leapt behind an enormous crate and waited for the footsteps to pass. She heard the man shifting boxes against the opposite wall. She might not get another chance - Quickly and silently, AJ dodged out from her hiding place and climbed the stairs; looking back, she saw an enormous backside and shiny baldhead, buried in a box. **

"Mr. Honeyduke himself," grinned Ted "he's a really nice man once you get to know him."

Remus nodded "He used to give us half off our load of candy when we go there. We bought so much of it I think we paid for his entire rent for the month if not more."

**AJ reached the door at the top of the stairs, slipped through it, and found herself behind the counter of Honeydukes - she ducked, crept sideways, and then straightened up. Honeydukes was so crowded with Hogwarts students that no one looked twice at AJ.**

"Just be careful," advised Kingsley "you don't want someone to spot you and tell McGonagall."

**She edged among them, looking around, and suppressed a laugh as she imagined the look that would spread over Dudley's piggy face if he could see where AJ was now.**

Andy looked sick "Just had to add that in there didn't you?"

"It does make for good entertainment though," laughed Sirius "his piggy little self is making the book less stressful."

**There were shelves upon shelves of the most succulent-looking sweets imaginable. Creamy chunks of nougat, shimmering pink squares of coconut ice, fat, honey-colored toffees; **

AJ's mouth watered "Toffee is the best candy ever known to man. If I could only eat one candy for the rest of my life it would be toffee."

"Toffee?" asked Ron "What about chocolate frogs? How can you choose toffee over the chocolate frogs?"

"Um maybe because toffee will kick the chocolate frogs ass any day of the week." Deadpanned AJ

**hundreds of different kinds of chocolate in neat rows;** **there was a large barrel of Every Flavor Beans, and another of Fizzing Whizbees, the levitating sherbet balls that Ron had mentioned; along yet another wall were "Special Effects" - sweets: Droobles Best Blowing Gum (which filled a room with bluebell-colored bubbles that refused to pop for days), the strange, splintery Toothflossing Stringmints, tiny black Pepper Imps ("breathe fire for your friends!"), Ice Mice ("hear your teeth chatter and squeak!"), peppermint creams shaped like toads ("hop realistically in the stomach!"), fragile sugar-spun quills, and exploding bonbons. **

"Just the names of all the candy makes me want to go there and spend the day there." Sighed Remus

Regulus snickered "You really need to get that candy addiction under control mate."

**AJ squeezed herself through a crowd of sixth years and saw a sign hanging in the farthest corner of the shop (UNUSUAL TASTES).** **Ron and Hermione were standing underneath it, examining a tray of blood-flavored lollipops.**

Bill shuddered "No! Do not get them, they taste like cherry at first and the aftertaste is what the smell of blood is like. It's hard to describe but just don't get them."

**AJ sneaked up behind them.** **"Ugh, no, AJ won't want one of those, they're for vampires, I expect," Hermione was saying.**

"Are they?" asked Hermione

Charlie shook his head "Vampires can't eat candy no matter what the flavor is. They can eat certain meats but they need the blood to survive."

**"How about these?" said Ron, shoving a jar of Cockroach Clusters under Hermione's nose.**

**"Definitely not," said AJ.**

"What do they taste like?" asked Andy "I was never brave enough to try them."

Sirius made a face "Like chocolate covered death except it was crunchy." Andy rolled her eyes at her cousin, he was such a dork.

**Ron nearly dropped the jar.**

**"AJ!" squealed Hermione. "What are you doing here? How - how did you -?"**

"You could have given me a heads up that you were planning on sneaking in." snickered Hermione "It's not fun to sneak up on friends."

AJ smirked "Sorry love, I'll make it up to you later."

**"Wow!" said Ron, looking very impressed, "you've learned to Apparate!"**

**"'Course I haven't," said AJ. She dropped her voice so that none of the sixth years could hear her and told them all about the Marauder's Map.**

Regulus raised a brow "How could she learn to Apparate when it's illegal to do before you turn seventeen?"

"I didn't think that far." Remarked Ron

**"How come Fred and George never gave it to me!" said Ron, outraged. "I'm their brother!"**

**"But AJ isn't going to keep it!" said Hermione, as though the idea were ludicrous. "She's going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall, aren't you, AJ?"**

"I'm sorry, but you are completely bonkers if you do that." Said Kingsley

Tonks nodded "She would ask who made it, how it was made, how she got it, a lot of information that she doesn't need to know."

**"No, I'm not!" said AJ.**

**"Are you mad?" said Ron, goggling at Hermione. "Hand in something that good?"**

"How did it get into Filches possession anyhow?" asked Bill

Remus scowled "Wormtail was caught with it, lucky for him it had already been cleared."

**"If I hand it in, I'll have to say where I got it! Filch would know Fred and George had nicked it!"**

"You don't want to get them in trouble, trust me on that." Scowled Ron

**"But what about Sirius Black?" Hermione hissed. "He could be using one of the passages on that map to get into the castle! The teachers have got to know!"**

"Like he would hide in a silly passageway," argued Ted "I'm sure with Sirius being Sirius, he was hiding in plane sight as a dog waiting for his chance to be a jackass and scare the shit out of you lot."

AJ snickered "I'm assuming that's happened before Uncle Ted?"

Sirius laughed while Ted scowled "It was my wedding night you puppy! There was no reason for you to scare the shit out of us like that!"

**"He can't be getting in through a passage," said AJ quickly. "There are seven secret tunnels on the map, right? Fred and George reckon Filch already knows about four of them. And of the other three - one of them is caved in, so no one can get through it. **

"There are actually eight secret tunnels but we never added the last one to the map." Said Remus with a smug look

**One of them is got the Whomping Willow planted over the entrance, so you can't get out of it. And the one I just came through -well - - it's really hard to see the entrance to it down in the cellar, so unless he knew it was there..."** **AJ hesitated. **

Tonks stared "Finally realizing that maybe this isn't the best idea you've ever had."

"I don't think AJ has ever had an epiphany," joked Hermione "it wouldn't happen in the middle of a candy store anyhow."

**She was suddenly flooded with a memory of her, Professor Lupin and who she assumed was Sirius Black. The three of them were outside having a picnic of some sort, the love was written on the adult's faces towards one another. Sirius threw AJ up in the air a few times and hugged her tightly while Professor Lupin laughed loudly at something Sirius said. **

AJ looked to her parents "Was that real?"

"Yeah pup that was very much real," smiled Sirius "we took you on a lot of picnics during the summer months."

Remus nodded "That may have been one of our last picnics, Lilly and James were celebrating their anniversary so we took you to our house for the night so they could have alone time." AJ smiled, she was beyond happy the memory was real.

**AJ snapped back to reality when Ron, cleared his throat, and pointed to a notice pasted on the inside of the sweetshop door.**

"Were you caught?" asked Charlie on edge

_**BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC Customers are reminded that until further notice, dementors will be patrolling the streets of Hogsmeade every night after sundown. This measure has been put in place for the safety of Hogsmeade residents and will be lifted upon the recapture of Sirius Black. It is therefore advisable that you complete your shopping well before nightfall. Merry Christmas!**_

Charlie rolled his eyes "Only that jackass could throw out a Merry Christmas after a statement like that."

"He's a dumbass," stated Bill "we all know that and it's time the Wizarding world realizes it."

**"See?" said Ron quietly. "I'd like to see Black try and break into Honeydukes with dementors swarming all over the village. Anyway, Hermione, the Honeydukes owners would hear a break-in, wouldn't they? They live over the shop!"**

Kingsley laughed, "I don't think he would break into Honeydukes to begin with. Chocolate and candy probably aren't on his list of must haves at the time."

**"Yes, but -" Hermione seemed to be struggling to find another problem. "Look, AJ still shouldn't be coming into Hogsmeade. She hasn't got a signed form! If anyone finds out, she'll be in so much trouble! And it's not nightfall yet - what if Sirius Black turns up today? Now?"**

"Little panicked?" snickered Andy "Take a chill pill sweetheart, she's going to get back to the castle without being harmed."

Ron nodded "She was going into full on rant mode, it was so annoying at the time."

**"He'd have a job spotting AJ in this," said Ron, nodding through the mullioned windows at the thick, swirling snow. "Come on, Hermione, its Christmas. AJ deserves a break."**

"You're so going to cave," laughed Charlie holding AJ tightly

**Hermione bit her lip, looking extremely worried.**

**"Are you going to report me?" AJ asked her, grinning.**

Regulus smiled "Famous Potter grin hard at work. James used that a lot in school, especially around the ladies."

"He used it on Lilly all the time," snickered Tonks "he was always trying to get out of something when he would babysit me."

**"Oh - of course not - but honestly, AJ -"**

Hermione huffed "I don't even know why I put up with you sometimes."

"Um hello," snarked AJ "I'm Alessandra Potter, amazing person and best friend extraordinaire." Hermione covered a laugh with a cough.

**"Seen the Fizzing Whizbees, AJ?" said Ron, grabbing her and leading her over to their barrel.** **"And the Jelly Slugs? And the Acid Pops? Fred gave me one of those when I was seven - it burnt a hole right through my tongue.** **I remember Mum walloping him with her broomstick." **

Ted winced "Broomstick?"

"He had it coming for giving his little brother something like acid pops!" snarled Molly

"But he was only what? Nine years old?" asked Ted "Corporal punishment is fine to a certain extent but using it on a nine year old with a broom is too much."

**Ron stared broodingly into the Acid Pop box. "Reckon Fred'd take a bit of Cockroach Cluster if I told him they were peanuts?"**

"He didn't" Ron answered the unasked question "he threw them out as soon as I gave them to him."

**When Ron and Hermione had paid for all their sweets, the three of them left Honeydukes for the blizzard outside. Hogsmeade looked like a Christmas card; **

"We'll have to go there this Christmas Eve for dinner," said Remus with a smile "nothing compares to Andy's dinners but just enjoying the night out as a family will be nice."

Hermione grinned, "I'm sure my parents would be okay with it! They were planning on going to see my grandmamma in the States this year anyhow."

**the little thatched cottages and shops were all covered in a layer of crisp snow; there were holly wreaths on the doors and strings of enchanted candles hanging in the trees. AJ shivered; unlike the other two, she didn't have her cloak.** **They headed up the street, heads bowed against the wind, Ron and Hermione shouting through their scarves.**

Bill let out a breath "Good thing you didn't get sick, Oliver would have a shit fit if you did."

**"That's the post office "Zonko's is up there -"**

**"We could go up to the Shrieking Shack -"**

**"Tell you what," said Ron, his teeth chattering, "shall we go for a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks?"**

Andy nodded "Yes that would be a good idea, it will prevent you lot from freezing to death."

**AJ was more than willing; the wind was fierce and his hands were freezing, so they crossed the road, and in a few minutes were entering the tiny inn. It was extremely crowded, noisy, warm, and smoky. A curvy sort of woman with a pretty face was serving a bunch of rowdy warlock' up at the bar.**

"She is going to love you," laughed Kingsley

Regulus nodded "She's always been a fan of compliments."

**"That's Madam Rosmerta," said Ron. "I'll get the drinks, shall I?" he added, going slightly red.**

"Why?" laughed Charlie "You have to get over your fear of women eventually if you ever want to date."

Ron glared "I don't have a fear of women. I hang out with AJ and Hermione all the time."

"They're your best friends though, yes they are women but it's not the same as actually talking to a female and taking them out on a date." Remarked Charlie calmly

**AJ and Hermione made their way to the back of the room where there was a small, vacant table between the window and a handsome Christmas tree, which stood next to the fireplace. Ron came back five minutes later, carrying three foaming tankards of hot butterbeer.**

Everyone smiled happily, hot butterbeer...nothing could beat the taste or the warmth that spread through you.

**"Merry Christmas!" he said happily, raising his tankard.** **AJ drank deeply. It was the most delicious thing she'd ever tasted and seemed to heat every bit of her from the inside. A sudden breeze ruffled her red and green hair. The door of the Three Broomsticks had opened again. AJ looked over the rim of her tankard and choked.**

"Oh no," groaned Regulus "what happened?"

Remus shook his head "I have no idea, I didn't hear of anything happening in Hogsmeade that weekend."

**Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had just entered the pub with a flurry of snowflakes, shortly followed by Hagrid, who was deep in conversation with a portly man in a lime-green bowler hat and a pinstriped cloak - Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic.**

"Get out of there!" yelled Sirius "You're going to be in so much trouble cub, just leave while they don't notice anything."

Ted groaned, "So screwed, and so screwed at this point. McGonagall is going to flip her little kitty cat shit."

**In an instant, Ron and Hermione had both placed hands on the top of AJ's head and forced her off her stool and under the table. Dripping with butterbeer and crouching out of sight, AJ clutched her empty tankard and watched the teachers' and Fudge's feet move toward the bar, pause, then turn and walk right toward her. **

"Please don't get caught," mumbled Tonks "if you get caught I don't know what will happen."

Charlie bit his lip, "She can't even leave now, and she has to stay because they'll notice her get up."

**Somewhere above her, Hermione whispered, Mobiliarbus!" The Christmas tree beside their table rose a few inches off the ground, drifted sideways, and landed with a soft thump right in front of their table, hiding them from view.**

AJ sent Hermione a grateful smile, she would have been suspended if it hadn't been for Hermione's quick thinking.

**Staring through the dense lower branches, AJ saw four sets of chair legs move back from the table right beside theirs, then heard the grunts and sighs as the teachers and minister as they sat down. Next she saw another pair of feet, wearing sparkly turquoise high heels, and heard a woman's voice.**

"Merlin, could this get any worse?" asked Bill

**"A small gillywater -"**

**"Mine," said Professor McGonagall's voice.**

Ginny grinned, "I love gillywater! It's delicious."

Ron gaged a little "That's really gross Gin, I can't believe you actually like that."

**"Four pints of mulled mead -"**

**"Ta, Rosmerta," said Hagrid.**

"Now that is actually really good," commented Sirius "it was a little pricey when we were students but the price must have dropped."

**"A cherry syrup and soda with ice and umbrella -"**

**"Mmm!" said Professor Flitwick, smacking his lips.**

Tonks grinned broadly "He always orders that, I had it once and it was okay."

"Is the cherry flavor really noticeable?" asked AJ

"Oh for sure," said Tonks "I don't like cherry that much but you make like it. We'll order it next time we go."

**"So you'll be the red currant rum, Minister."**

**"Thank you, Rosmerta, m'dear," said Fudge's voice. "Lovely to see you again, I must say. Have one yourself, won't you? Come and join us..."**

"Little early for alcohol isn't it?" asked Ted

Ron shrugged "I don't think he really cared what the time was."

**"Well, thank you very much, Minister."** **AJ watched the glittering heels march away and back again. Her heart was pounding uncomfortably in her throat. Why hadn't it occurred to her that this was the last weekend of term for the teachers to?**

Kingsley shrugged "Probably because we always assume teachers don't have lives outside of school."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Snape asked with anger

"Oh come on," snarked Kingsley "what could you possibly do outside of school? You don't date and I somehow doubt you have friends, so what does that leave? Nothing."

**And how long were they going to sit there? She needed time to sneak back into Honeydukes if she wanted to return to school tonight... Hermione's leg gave a nervous twitch next to her.**

"That's exactly what I was thinking." Admitted Hermione "I had no idea how we were going to get you back without being noticed."

**"So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?" came Madam Rosmerta's voice.** **AJ saw the lower part of Fudge's thick body twist in his chair as though he were checking for eavesdroppers.**

"He was," sighed Regulus "he's a paranoid man."

Ginny snickered "There was eavesdroppers so he must not have been that paranoid."

"That's not the point Ginny," growled Regulus "it could be an empty room and he would assume there was someone there that was trying to gather information."

**Then he said in a quiet voice, "What else, m'dear, but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Halloween?"**

"You're the talk of the town Siri," mumbled Remus in Sirius ear "you should be so proud of yourself."

**"I did hear a rumor," admitted Madam Rosmerta.**

**"Did you tell the whole pub, Hagrid?" said Professor McGonagall exasperatedly.**

Charlie snorted "It's Hagrid, he's going to tell everyone everything if he thinks there is an importance to it."

**"Do you think Blacks still in the area, Minister?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.**

Sirius grinned, "I wasn't, I believe I was in London around Christmas."

"Of course that's something you would brag about," snickered Bill

**"I'm sure of it," said Fudge shortly.**

**"You know that the dementors have searched the whole village twice?" said Madam Rosmerta, a slight edge to her voice. "Scared all my customers away... It's very bad for business, Minister."**

Ted winced "She's not someone you want to piss off. It always ends in a hex of some sort."

"You would know all about that wouldn't you Teddy?" Andy grinned at her husbands blush

**"Rosmerta, dear, I don't like them any more than you do," said Fudge uncomfortably. "Necessary precaution... unfortunate, but there you are... I've just met some of them. They're in a fury against Dumbledore - he won't let them inside the castle grounds."**

"Because he doesn't want his students to die!" yelled Tonks "He has no idea how many lives were in danger because of his little idea!"

**"I should think not," said Professor McGonagall sharply. "How are we supposed to teach with those horrors floating around?"**

Remus smirked "You go Minnie! Don't take the ministers shit!"

"I sill can't believe he thought it would be a good idea, to have them near Hogwarts." Sirius shuddered at the memory of them.

**"Hear, hear!" squeaked tiny Professor Flitwick, whose feet were dangling a foot from the ground.**

Everyone smiled Flitwick was small but extremely powerful.

**"All the same," demurred Fudge, "they are here to protect you all from something much worse... We all know what Black's capable of..."**

"Oh go to hell you jackass." Growled AJ "He has no idea what he's talking about, he has no concern for other people unless they will further his career as a Minister."

**"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," said Madam Rosmerta thoughtfully. "Of all the people to go over to the Dark Side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought... I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead."**

"I always liked her," remarked Sirius "she was always believed the good in people and believed that they were innocent until proven guilty."

Bill nodded "Maybe she should work for the ministry, we could use someone with brains in office."

**"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," said Fudge gruffly. "The worst he did isn't widely known."**

Charlie scowled "Maybe because he didn't do anything you dumbass."

**"The worst?" said Madam Rosmerta, her voice alive with curiosity, "Worse than murdering all those poor people, you mean?"**

"Here we go," muttered Hermione "he's going to fill her head with lies and have no proof to back any of it up."

**"I certainly do," said Fudge.**

**"I can't believe that. What could possibly be worse?"**

"Being accused of something you didn't do," mumbled Andy " and also sending the wrong person to jail."

**"You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta," murmured Professor McGonagall. "Do you remember who his best friend was?"**

Sirius and Remus tensed, they knew what was to come.

**"Naturally," said Madam Rosmerta, with a small laugh. "Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here - ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!"**

Regulus smiled sadly "James was a really great guy, I'm happy he and the rest of the Potters were there when Siri had no one."

**AJ dropped her tankard with a loud clunk. Ron kicked her.**

"That hurt by the way!" snarked AJ

Ron rolled his eyes "Well I didn't want you getting caught!"

**"Precisely," said Professor McGonagall. "Black and Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course - exceptionally bright, in fact - but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers -"**

Sirius grinned to himself; James was his brother just like Reggie was.

**"I dunno," chuckled Hagrid. "Fred and George Weasley could give 'em a run fer their money."**

**"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!" chimed in Professor Flitwick. "Inseparable!"**

Remus grinned, "Fred and George will love to hear that. We have to read that passage to them when they get back."

"This rest of the chapter won't be rainbows." Mumbled AJ

**"Of course they were," said Fudge. "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends.** **Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. **

Tonks smiled "Was it a big wedding?"

"No," admitted Andy "it was just a handful of their closest friends. Lily and James were only eighteen when the wed."

**Then they named him godfather to Alessandra. Alessandra has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment her."**

AJ scowled "Being called by my full name was also tormenting but who cares?"

**"Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know-Who?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.**

Remus bit his lip in anger; this chapter was going to cause him to commit murder.

**"Worse even than that, my dear..." Fudge dropped his voice and proceeded in a sort of low rumble. "Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them. **

"Well of course they didn't know," snarled Kingsley "it wasn't public knowledge you idiot! The less people that knew the better."

**Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once.**

Charlie groaned, "Too many spies can cause problems. One of them could have been a double agent and he never would have known."

"Maybe that's really what happened." Said AJ with a frown

**He advised them to go into hiding. Well, of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm."**

"Why is he talking about this in the open?" asked Ted "Wouldn't it make more sense to discuss this in his own private office?"

**"How does that work?" said Madam Rosmerta, breathless with interest.**

**Professor Flitwick cleared his throat.** **"An immensely complex spell," he said squeakily, "involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret-Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find - unless, of course, the Secret-Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret-Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting room window!"**

"Does it really work like that?" asked Hermione "I've read about it but the readings have never gone into depth."

Bill nodded "That's exactly how it works, it's really hard to do because of everything it entails."

**"So Black was the Potters' Secret-Keeper?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.**

Remus, Sirius and AJ rolled their eyes; they would go back into the past and change it all if they could.

**"Naturally," said Professor McGonagall. "James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were,** **that Black was planning to go into hiding himself... and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potters' Secret-Keeper himself."**

"Of course I would have died before helping that bastard!" yelled Sirius "James was my brother and AJ has always been my daughter at heart and for people to actually assume I would do something to harm my family is complete bullshit!"

**"He suspected Black?" gasped Madam Rosmerta.**

Sirius glared at the tired looking Headmaster.

**"He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements," said Professor McGonagall darkly. "Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who."**

"You never suspected him?" Ted asked

Sirius shrugged "He was always a little out there and always sneaky but he never gave any signs that he had joined the death eaters."

**"But James Potter insisted on using Black?"**

**"He did," said Fudge heavily. "And then, barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed -"**

"It's all lined up against Sirius, but you have to take into account the man Sirius is and you'll see that it could never ever happen under his watch." Griped Tonks

Regulus grunted, "His last name is Black that right there is enough for the entire ministry to gang up against him and not listen to a damn thing he says."

**"Black betrayed them?" breathed Madam Rosmerta.**

AJ shook her head in anger, what a crock of shit.

**"He did indeed. Black was tired of his double-agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this for the moment of the Potters' death. **

"That's his proof?" asked Charlie "He has absolutely nothing for proof."

Remus sighed, "Dumbledore didn't witness the switch."

"It doesn't matter, he should have been given a trial. This whole chapter is going to hell."

**But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Alessandra Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colors as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it -"**

"His master?" repeated Hermione "He sounds like a death eater."

**"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid said, so loudly that half the bar went quiet.**

**"Shh!" said Professor McGonagall.**

Andy snickered "When Hagrid gets angry everyone knows it."

"Scared the shit out of me." Laughed AJ

**"I met him!" growled Hagrid. "I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me what rescued AJ from Lily an' James's house after they was killed! **

"How did you three listen to this?" asked Kingsley

Ron rubbed his forehead "We didn't have a choice, we weren't about to leave AJ to listen to that."

**Jus' got him outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across her forehead, an' her parents dead...an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flyin' motorbike he used ter occurred ter me what he was doin' there. **

"Is this almost over?" asked Regulus a little chocked up "I'm really not interested in hearing anymore of this."

**I didn' know he'd bin Lily an' James's Secret-Keeper. Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attack an' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin', he was. An' yeh know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!" Hagrid roared.**

Remus hugged Sirius "It's almost over Padfoot and when we're done reading these books you're going to be a free man."

"I know Moony," Sirius sighed, "it just doesn't make reliving all this any easier."

**"Hagrid, please!" said Professor McGonagall. "Keep your voice down!"**

"**How was I ter know he wasn' upset abou' Lily an' James? It was You-Know-Who he cared abou'! An' then he says, 'Give AJ ter me, Hagrid, I'm her godfather, I'll look after her -'**

Tonks bit back a sob, "Why couldn't he have just given AJ to you? None of this would have happened if you were given AJ as soon as you got there."

"If not to Sirius, she was supposed to be in our custody." Said Andy with anger, "There was no reason why weren't informed of all this. We were told she went to extended family and that was it, we had no idea what had happened."

**Ha! But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore, an' I told Black no, Dumbledore said AJ was ter go ter her aunt an' uncle's. Black argued, but in the end he gave in. Told me ter take his motorbike ter get AJ there.**

"Lot of good that did." Scowled AJ

**'I won't need it anymore,' he says. "I shoulda known there was somethin' fishy goin' on then. He loved that motorbike, what was he givin' it ter me for? Why wouldn' he need it anymore? Fact was, it was too easy ter trace. Dumbledore knew he'd bin the Potters' Secret-Keeper.**

"Nope," snarked Hermione "he assumed. You know what happens when you assume things."

**Black knew he was goin' ter have ter run fer it that night, knew it was a matter o' hours before the Ministry was after him. But what if I'd given Harry to him, eh? I bet he'd 've pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea.** **His bes' friends' daughter! But when a wizard goes over ter the Dark Side, there's nothin' and no one that matters to em anymore..."** **A long silence followed Hagrid's story.**

Kingsley groaned, "Tell me it's finally over with. This needs to be over."

"Not yet," AJ suppressed a wince "soon though."

**Then Madam Rosmerta said with some satisfaction, "But he didn't manage to disappear, did he? The Ministry of Magic caught up with him next day!"**

"And they won't," bragged Sirius "it'll be a cold day in Hell before they catch me."

**"Alas, if only we had," said Fudge bitterly. "It was not we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew -another of the Potters' friends. Maddened by grief, no doubt, and knowing that Black had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper, he went after Black himself."**

"He was not a friend," snarled Remus "he was a pathetic little bastard that did more harm in his entire life then good."

Ted nodded "Pathetic excuse for a man, he's going to Azkaban after the readings."

**"Pettigrew... that fat little boy who was always tagging around after them at Hogwarts?" said Madam Rosmerta.**

AJ, Sirius and Remus laughed loudly at that, it was the perfect description for a person like him.

**"Hero-worshipped Black and Potter," said Professor McGonagall. "Never quite in their league, talent-wise. I was often rather sharp with him. You can imagine how I -how I regret that now..."** **She sounded as though she had a sudden head cold.**

"Did he have any talents?" asked Ron

Regulus rolled his eyes "Yeah he was good in potions, he actually helped a few people if they didn't understand the class."

**"There, now, Minerva," said Fudge kindly, "Pettigrew died a hero's death. Eyewitnesses - Muggles, of course, we wiped their, memories later - told us how Pettigrew cornered Black. They say he was sobbing, 'Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?' And then he went for his wand. Well, of course, Black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens..."**

"Oh please!" grouched Bill "None of this is even believable. No wonder Fudge believed this crap."

**Professor McGonagall blew her nose and said thickly, "Stupid boy ... foolish boy... he was always hopeless at dueling... should have left it to the Ministry..."**

Andy snickered "That's one way to talk about the supposed dead."

"Wouldn't matter if he was dead or no," argued Ted "he deserves every bit of our hatred and bad words said upon his stupid self."

**"I tell yeh, if I'd got ter Black before little Pettigrew did, I wouldn't 've messed around with wands - I'd 've ripped him limb - from - limb," Hagrid growled.**

AJ and Hermione swallowed thickly, Hagrid had a way with words.

**"You don't know what you're talking about, Hagrid," said Fudge sharply. "Nobody but trained Hit Wizards from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad would have stood a chance against Black once he was cornered.** **I was Junior Minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes at the time, and I was one of the first on the scene after Black murdered all those people. **

"Of course he throws it in Hagrid's face that he's not a trained Wizard." Growled Sirius

AJ nodded "He was being a major asshole throughout the entire conversation, but even for him that was a low blow."

**I - I will never forget it. I still dream about it sometimes. A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it had cracked the sewer below.** **Bodies everywhere. **

Kingsley huffed "He's bullshitting them now, you know damn well that man doesn't care about anyone but himself and he doesn't care what happened to those poor muggles."

**Muggles screaming. And Black standing there laughing, with what was left of Pettigrew in front of him... a heap of bloodstained robes and a few - a few fragments -"** **Fudge's voice stopped abruptly. There was the sound of five noses being blown.**

"He should write a book," Charlie said "he can really cause dramatic affect when he wants to."

Bill chuckled "No one would buy his books, especially after we're done with him."

**"Well, there you have it, Rosmerta," said Fudge thickly. "Black was taken away by twenty members of the Magical Law Enforcement 'Squad and Pettigrew received the Order of Merlin, First Class,** **which I think was some comfort to his poor mother. Black's been in Azkaban ever since."**

"He had a mother?" Ron asked

Hermione blinked "Of course he had a mother, how else would he be here?"

"I don't know," Ron said with heat "He could have had just a dad." Hermione shook her head a few times to block out what he said.

**Madam Rosmerta let out a long sigh.** **"Is it true he's mad, Minister?"**

Sirius laughed "No sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I'm just as sane as you are Rosie."

**"I wish I could say that he was," said Fudge slowly. "I certainly believe his master's defeat unhinged him for a while. The murder of Pettigrew and all those Muggles was the action of a cornered and desperate man - cruel... pointless. **

AJ smirked "I still can't believe he fell for what you told him."

**Yet I met Black on my last inspection of Azkaban. You know, most of the prisoners in there sit muttering to themselves in the dark; there's no sense in them... but I was shocked at how normal Black seemed. He spoke quite rationally to me. It was unnerving. You'd have thought he was merely bored -** **asked if I'd finished with my newspaper, cool as you please, said he missed doing the crossword. **

"He believed that?" laughed Regulus "What an idiot!"

"That's what I'm saying, I couldn't believe what he said!" laughed AJ

**Yes, I was astounded at how little effect the dementors seemed to be having on him - and he was one of the most heavily guarded in the place, you know. Dementors outside his door day and night."**

"They had an affect," muttered Sirius "but I refuse to let it overtake me."

**"But what do you think he's broken out to do?" said Madam Rosmerta. "Good gracious, Minister, he isn't trying to rejoin You-Know-Who, is he?"**

"No!" shouted Remus "He's trying to protect his daughter!"

**"I daresay that is his - er - eventual plan," said Fudge evasively. "But we hope to catch Black long before that. I must say, You-Know-Who alone and friendless is one thing…but give him back his most devoted servant, and I shudder to think how quickly he'll rise again..."** **There was a small chink of glass on wood. Someone had set down his or her glass.**

"He really has no idea what he's in for," remarked Ted "he's completely delusional if he thinks he can get his hands on Sirius."

Regulus smirked "We just have to make sure our little puppy doesn't break loose and cause more mayhem."

**"You know, Cornelius, if you're dining with the headmaster, he'd better head back up to the castle," said Professor McGonagall.**

Bill sighed in relief, "Good now you lot can leave and not get caught."

**One by one, the pairs of feet in front of AJ took the weight of their owners once more; hems of cloaks swung into sight, and Madam Rosmerta's glittering heels disappeared behind the bar. The door of the Three Broomsticks opened again, there was another flurry of snow, and the teachers had disappeared.**

"I can't imagine how you must have been feeling punk," Charlie hugged AJ tightly "I wish I had been there for you."

AJ smiled "You're here now and that's all that matters to me love. Maybe you could work alongside Hagrid this year, I'm going to miss you like crazy when you go back to Romania and Christmas is a long way off."

"I'll owl Hagrid after the readings, I don't want to leave you either." Charlie said before kissing AJ deeply.

**"AJ?" Ron and Hermione's faces appeared under the table. They were both staring at her, lost for words.**

Snape threw the book at Andy who caught it without even batting an eye.

"**The Firebolt…"**

**AN: Thank you so much for the amazing reviews and all the adds! If mistakes are made, I am sorry but I do try to catch them all. AJ and Charlie are not engaged yet. He said fiancé in the heat of the moment sort of thing. Question…should AJ's patronus still be a Stag or something else? I don't want to take away from James or his importance but then again I could see it being something more for Remus or Sirius. Feel free to ask questions or give suggestions. Read and Review please :)**


	54. The Firebolt

**AJ didn't have a very clear idea of how she had managed to get back into the Honeydukes cellar, through the tunnel, and into the castle once more. **

"That must have been really hard to make that trip by yourself. Why didn't you two go with her?" asked Tonks

Hermione snickered "How would we explain that to the professors? Of course we wanted to go back with AJ but there was no way."

**All she knew was that the return trip seemed to take no time at all, and that she hardly noticed what she was doing, because her head was still pounding with the conversation she had just heard.**

Ted sighed "That's understandable, that whole conversation must have made your heart hurt."

**Why had nobody ever told her? Dumbledore, Hagrid, Mr. Weasley, Cornelius Fudge... why hadn't anyone ever mentioned the fact that AJ's parents had died because their best friend had betrayed them?**

"Even if that had happened, you shouldn't have heard it that way." Stated Sirius

Ginny scowled "How was she supposed to hear it? Her parents are dead and their friend is the reason for it. Not much to tell in a delicate way."

"Why are you still in my house?" asked Sirius "There are plenty of ways to explain the situation that doesn't include being on your hands in knees in a damn restaurant!"

**Ron and Hermione watched AJ nervously all through dinner, not daring to talk about what they'd overheard, because Percy was sitting close by them.**

Remus nodded "Good, don't talk about anything you heard while you're in a crowd of that size."

**When they went upstairs to the crowded common room, it was to find Fred and George had set off half a dozen Dung bombs in a fit of end- of-term high spirits. AJ, who didn't want Fred and George asking her whether she'd reached Hogsmeade or not, snuck quietly up to the empty dormitory with Hermione and headed straight for her bedside cabinet.**

Andy smiled "I'm really happy that you have each other, having a group of friends that is as supportive as you have is important."

"Why didn't you let me come along?" Ron grouched

AJ snorted, "Because you're a guy and you can't get into the girls dorms and you wouldn't have understood what I needed at the time."

**They pushed their books aside and quickly found what she was looking for - the leather-bound photo album Hagrid had given her two years ago, which was full of wizard pictures of her mother and father.**

"Thanks for letting me see that," said Hermione "I know that it was really private and you aren't open when it comes to your personal life."

"Of course I let you see it. You're my best friend and I love you." Laughed AJ

**She sat down on her bed, patted to the seat next to her for Hermione and started turning the pages, searching, until... She stopped on a picture of her parents' wedding day.**

Regulus smiled "That must have been a fun day, nothing ever goes easy when it comes to the Potters."

"I'm noticing that," laughed Charlie "hopefully our wedding will go off without a hitch."

"Wedding? Something I don't know about?" asked Regulus with a fake smile

Charlie shrugged "It could happen in the near future. You never know." AJ beamed at her boyfriend, she didn't know if marriage was for her but it sounded nice with Charlie.

**There was her father waving up at her, beaming, the untidy black hair AJ had inherited standing up in all directions. There was her mother, alight with happiness, arm in arm with her dad.**

"You do look a lot like your dad." Remarked Kingsley "You have his temper also but you aren't as hyper as your dad was and thank Merlin for that. He would get into so much trouble for disrupting classes because he didn't know how to stop talking."

Bill cocked his head "Were you friends with James?"

"Not so much but he had a reputation that has lived on throughout the years." Laughed the Auror

**And there ... that must be him. Their best man... AJ had never given him a thought before.**

Andy smiled "You can't really blame yourself on that account, when you're looking at pictures you look for familiar faces."

**If she hadn't known it was the same person, she would never have guessed it was Sirius Black in this old photograph. His face wasn't sunken and waxy, but handsome, full of laughter.** **She knew that he was the man in her memories it was for certain now.**

"I still look damn good," argued Sirius "sure when I had first broken out I looked like death run over twice. But now I'm back to my handsome good looking self."

Remus kissed him, "Lets not forget cocky. You are very cocky Padfoot."

**Had he really been working for Voldemort when this picture had been taken? Was he already planning the deaths of the two people next to him? **

"Bastard," muttered Ted "he probably had it all planned from the very beginning."

**Did he realize he was facing twelve years in Azkaban, twelve years that would make him unrecognizable?** **But the dementors don't affect him, AJ thought, staring into the handsome, laughing face. He doesn't have to hear my mum screaming if they get too close – **

"I can't believe that's what you hear," muttered Regulus "no one especially someone as good and sweet as you."

**AJ slammed the album shut, reached over and stuffed it back into her cabinet and pulled her green hair into a makeshift ponytail.**

"Why green?" sneered Ginny

AJ smirked "The color green makes me happy, I suppose."

"**AJ?" asked Hermione.**

**AJ bit her lip, "I don't know what to believe anymore. I'm having all these memories flood back to me and then I hear that Sirius Black is the reason my parents are dead. Every time a Dementor gets close I can hear my mother dying, I literally here her last words."**

"How did you do that?" asked Bill

AJ looked around "Do what? Form complete sentences? It's rather simple, I'll show you sometime."

"Not that," scowled Bill "just know what Hermione was asking before she even said anything."

"We've always been like that, we just know what the other is thinking or what we need to say." Shrugged AJ

"**I don't know what to say," whispered Hermione "but bug, we're going to get through this together. You aren't alone anymore and as your best friend I'm going to stand beside you no matter what you decide to believe. If you think he's innocent, he's innocent in my eyes too. If you think he's guilty, then he's guilty and we'll make sure justice is served. As far as the Dementors go, we'll figure out how to fight them off if it's possible. Just don't shut me out."**

"Wow," said Tonks "you guys have a really strong friendship. I don't even have friends like that."

Remus hugged the teen; "Thank you for being there for AJ, that year was not an easy year to get through but with you and even Ron there for her made it a lot easier."

"**Thanks goob, can we end this chick flick moment now and just go to bed?" asked AJ with a smirk.**

**Hermione rolled her eyes. "Just ruin the moment like usual."**

"You sleep together?" asked Molly shocked

AJ stared "Well yeah, who else would I sleep with? Your son and I weren't dating at the time." The women besides Ginny and Molly turned away in fear of laughing; the men on the other hand showed no courtesy whatsoever and laughed loudly at the look Molly was sporting.

"That was very rude Alessandra," growled Molly "you shouldn't be sleeping with anyone at such a young age. And further more, sleeping in the same bed as a dorm mate is ridiculous."

AJ glared "It's AJ, not Alessandra and if you hadn't noticed I only allow my parents or uncles to call me that. Also my sex life and any other part of my life are completely off limits to you. I will sleep with whomever I want whenever I want and you will have no say in that. Mio and I sleep in the same bed because we don't like the feeling of aloneness in a room with other people and it gives us comfort. So please before you attack me over nothing make sure your facts are straight."

**AJ hadn't gotten to sleep until daybreak. She had awoken to find the dormitory deserted, dressed, and gone down the spiral staircase to a common room that was completely empty except for Ron, who was eating a Peppermint Toad and massaging his stomach, and Hermione, who had spread her homework over three tables.**

Remus looked sick, "That's really disgusting."

"What is?" asked Ron

"Peppermint Toads," mumbled Ted "those are not good first thing in the morning. Or anytime for that matter."

**"Where is everyone?" said AJ.**

AJ shook her head; "Time seemed to have escaped me for a little bit there."

**"Gone! It's the first day of the holidays, remember?" said Ron, watching AJ closely. "It's nearly lunchtime; I was going to have Hermione and wake you up in a minute."**

Tonks rolled her lavender eyes, "She needed to sleep, not to be badgered with questions."

"How do you know he was going to badger her?" asked Ginny "Maybe he just wanted to see if she was feeling well."

"Right, because all men are that considerate and understanding." Deadpanned Tonks

**AJ slumped into a chair next to the fire. Snow was still falling outside the windows. Crookshanks was spread out in front of the fire like a large, ginger rug.**

Charlie snickered "Be careful or that cat will claw your eyes out."

**"You didn't sleep well," Hermione said, peering anxiously into her face.**

"When is the last time you slept well?" asked Regulus

AJ scoffed "I think it was right after I was born and a mad man wasn't after my blood."

**"I'm fine," said AJ.**

Charlie hugged AJ; she always said she was fine when she wasn't.

**"Black's not worth dying for," said Ron.**

Bill pulled a face "Why would you say that? You sound like a wacko."

"Not the first time," laughed Kingsley "just goes to show you how clueless he is."

"**I'm not going to go after Sirius Black, I'm not a complete idiot Ron." Snarked AJ.**

Hermione snickered at her friend's choice of words.

**Ron sighed. "You just seem to be really angry all of a sudden."**

"All of a sudden?" asked Sirius "I somehow doubt it was all of a sudden."

Andy rolled her eyes, "Men never understand when a women is mad or upset, it's as if you completely shut that part of your brain off."

"Well if you lot didn't have so many emotions it wouldn't be a problem." Argued Sirius

"Excuse me?" laughed Andy

"Really? Okay when you are in a relationship and you get mad you don't tell your partner because they're supposed to know and you get mad when they don't know. Like its some big secret, you're all nuts." Ranted Sirius, much to the amusement of the room.

**AJ glared. "I just found out that this man could have been the reason why I don't have a family! I have the right to be a little pissed off Ron."**

"**Just don't do something stupid AJ!" shouted Ron.**

Kingsley shook his head "Good thing you're alone during this fight."

"**She's not going to Ron!" said Hermione. "Just calm down, both of you!"**

"The little peace maker," smiled Bill "you're such a sweetheart."

**There was a silence in which Crookshanks stretched luxuriously flexing his claws. Ron's pocket quivered.**

"That must have been a sight." Snickered Charlie

AJ smirked "Anytime that rat is scared is a good time for me."

**"Look," said Ron, obviously casting around for a change of subject, "it's the holidays! It's nearly Christmas! Let's - let's go down and see Hagrid. We haven't visited him for ages!"**

"That'll cheer you all up," smiled Regulus "he always comes bearing some sort of interesting news."

**"No!" said Hermione quickly. "AJ isn't supposed to leave the castle, Ron -"**

Remus sighed "You really should stay in the castle, but getting out and seeing Hagrid may bring some sunshine to your day."

**"Yeah, let's go," said AJ, sitting up, "and I can ask him how come he never mentioned Sirius Black when he told me all about my parents."**

"I don't think he was allowed to," admitted Tonks "it was very big at the ministry and I'm pretty sure anything that happened that night was a need to know basis."

AJ raised a brow "Pretty sure I would need to know about that."

**Further discussion of Sirius Black plainly wasn't what Ron had had in mind.** **"Or we could have a game of chess, he said hastily, "or Gobstones. Percy left a set -"**

"That won't work," laughed Charlie "once she gets an idea in her head there's no turning back."

**"No, let's visit Hagrid," said AJ firmly.**

Hermione and Ron smirked, if AJ was one thing it was persuasive.

**So they got their cloaks from their dormitories and set off through the portrait hole ("Stand and fight, you yellow-bellied mongrels!"), down through the empty castle and out through the oak front doors. **

"He's not guarding the door anymore right?" asked Ted

Hermione laughed "No and thank God for that."

**They made their way slowly down the lawn, making a shallow trench in the glittering, powdery snow,** **their socks and the hems of their cloaks soaked and freezing. **

Andy bit her lip to prevent herself from turning into a mother hen.

**The Forbidden Forest looked as though it had been enchanted, each tree smattered with silver, and Hagrid's cabin looked like an iced cake.** **Ron knocked, but there was no answer.**

"Where could he be?" Remus asked "Nothing is open on Christmas in the Wizarding world."

**"He's not out, is he?" said Hermione, who was shivering under her cloak.**

**Ron had his ear to the door.** **"There's a weird noise," he said. "Listen - is that Fang?"**

Sirius looked puzzled, "If Fang is there Hagrid can't be too far away. He doesn't like to leave his pets for too long unless it's necessary."

"Maybe he's sick or just doesn't want company." Suggested Kingsley

**AJ and Hermione put their ears to the door too. From inside the cabin came a series of low, throbbing moans.** **"Think we'd better go and get someone?" said Ron nervously.**

Andy sighed, "Get Dumbledore if he doesn't come to the door, he could be really hurt."

**"Hagrid!" called AJ, thumping the door. "Hagrid, are you in there."**

"Or just continue to bang on the door like your lives depend on it." Laughed Ted

**There was a sound of heavy footsteps, than the door creaked open. Hagrid stood there with his eyes red and swollen, tears splashing down the front of his leather vest.**

"Did someone die?" asked Ginny with an eye roll.

AJ punched her in the arm, "Just shut up Ginny!"

**"You've heard?" he bellowed, and he flung himself onto AJ's neck.**

"What happened?" asked Tonks "Did someone die or something?"

Ron blinked "In a manner of speaking someone did die well was supposed to."

"Thanks Weasley, that makes me feel better." Snarled Tonks

**Hagrid being at least twice the size of a normal man, this was no laughing matter. AJ, about to collapse under Hagrid's weight, was rescued by Ron and Hermione, who each seized Hagrid under an arm and heaved him back into the cabin.**

"I never did thank you for that," mumbled AJ "he was cutting off my air supply."

**Hagrid allowed himself to be steered into a chair and slumped over the table, sobbing uncontrollably, his face glazed with tears that dripped down into his tangled beard.**

Kingsley looked worried, "He didn't get fired did he? He did absolutely nothing to get fired."

"He wasn't fired." Assured Hermione

**"Hagrid, what is it?" said Hermione, aghast.**

**AJ spotted an official-looking letter lying open on the table.** **"What's this, Hagrid?"**

"Is this about big bird?" asked Regulus "They aren't going to make Hagrid get rid of it are they?"

**Hagrid's sobs redoubled, but he shoved the letter toward AJ, who picked it up and read aloud:** _**Dear Mr. Hagrid,**_

_**Further to our inquiry into the attack by a hippogriff on a student in your class, we have accepted the assurances of Professor Dumbledore that you bear no responsibility for the regrettable incident.**_

"That's fantastic!" said Remus "I was there for it but Hagrid never said that he wasn't going to be suspended or not. He just shut himself off to everyone."

Bill sighed, "If Hagrid would have been fired it would have killed him. But I have a feeling that something is going to happen to Buckbeak."

**"Well, that's okay then, Hagrid!" said Ron, clapping Hagrid on the shoulder.** **But Hagrid continued to sob, and waved one of his gigantic hands, inviting AJ to read on.**

Regulus rubbed his eyes, "Draco Malfoy ran to his daddy who ran to the ministry. Not good."

_**However, we must register our concern about the hippogriff in question. We have decided to uphold the official complaint of Mr. Lucius Malfoy,**_ _**and this matter will therefore be taken to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. The hearing will take place on April 20th, and we ask you to present yourself and your hippogriff at the Committee's offices in London on that date. In the meantime, the hippogriff should be kept tethered and isolated.**_

"That bastard!" shouted Charlie "That animal was just defending himself and Malfoy knew damn well that if he insulted the hippogriff he would get harmed! He just wanted to cause Hagrid harm. Pathetic little prick."

Sirius snorted, "I'm talking to my cousin and her son. Obviously they need a reminder how the real world works."

_**Yours in fellowship...**_

**There followed a list of the school governors.**

"They can all go fuck themselves." Muttered Andy "After what they're putting poor Hagrid through, they deserve to all be fired."

**"Oh," said Ron. "But you said Buckbeak isn't a bad hippogriff, Hagrid. I bet he'll get off -"**

Hermione and AJ shared smirks, they wouldn't let Hagrid's pet be harmed in any way.

**"Yeh don' know them gargoyles at the Committee fer the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures!" choked Hagrid, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "They've got it in fer interestin' creatures!"**

"Interesting creatures?" scoffed Remus "Try anything that may be different. They don't care anyone but the purebloods."

Ted nodded "Got that right mate, but it's just another change we'll have to make after the readings are over."

**A sudden sound from the corner of Hagrid's cabin made AJ, Ron, and Hermione whip around.** **Buckbeak the hippogriff was lying in the corner, chomping on something that was oozing blood all over the floor.**

"His leg?" asked Tonks

AJ laughed "No Tonks, not his leg. I think it was a dead ferret or something."

**"I couldn' leave him tied up out there in the snow!" choked Hagrid. "All on his own! At Christmas."**

Ron shook his head, "It's just an animal."

"It's not just an animal Ronald." Groaned Hermione "That animal was a big part of Hagrid's life and he loved Buckbeak just like he loves all his random and dangerous creatures."

**AJ, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another. They had never seen eye to eye with Hagrid about what he called "interesting creatures" and other people called "terrifying monsters." On the other hand, there didn't seem to be any particular harm in Buckbeak.** **In fact, by Hagrid's usual standards, he was positively cute.**

Regulus nodded "Compared to what we've been hearing that animal is amazing and there should be a framed picture of him one someone's mantle."

**"You'll have to put up a good strong defense, Hagrid," said Hermione, sitting down and laying a hand on Hagrid's massive forearm. "I'm sure you can prove Buckbeak is safe."**

"How though?" asked Charlie "You're putting Hagrid against the son of a death eater. I love Hagrid but honestly having him against Malfoy isn't going to end well."

**"Won't make no diff'rence!" sobbed Hagrid. "Them Disposal devils, they're all in Lucius Malfoy's pocket! Scared o' him! And if I lose the case, Buckbeak -" Hagrid drew his finger swiftly across his throat, then gave a great wail and lurched forward, his face in his arms.**

"I really don't know how this would play out," muttered Kingsley "all the odds are against him. The entire ministry is being paid off by Lucius so no one would ever go against him."

**"What about Dumbledore, Hagrid?" said AJ.**

Andy shrugged "I'm not sure what the Headmaster could do."

"I was not able to succeed but others had." Remarked Dumbledore

**"He's done more'n enough fer me already," groaned Hagrid. "Got enough on his plate what with keepin' them dementors outta the castle, an' Sirius Black lurkin' around -"** **Ron and Hermione looked quickly at AJ, as though expecting her to start berating Hagrid for not telling her the truth about Black.**

"Well, you really mad and Hagrid could have told you something." Said Ron

AJ rolled her eyes, "He was extremely upset over the Buckbeak situation so I wasn't going to make him even more upset by asking him about a supposed murderer."

**But AJ couldn't bring herself to do it, not now that she saw Hagrid so miserable and scared.**

"He's usually so happy and carefree," mumbled Tonks "this just isn't fair."

**"Listen, Hagrid," she said, "you can't give up. Hermione's right, you just need a good defense. You can call us as witnesses -"**

Remus shook his head, "Even if there was a trial you three wouldn't be able to testify against the allegations."

"Why?" asked Hermione

"You're all too close to Hagrid and it's no secret that you all don't get along with Malfoy." Explained Remus

**"I'm sure I've read about a case of hippogriff-baiting," said Hermione thoughtfully, "where the hippogriff got off I'll look it up for you, Hagrid, and see exactly what happened."**

Regulus shrugged, "Couldn't hurt any if you tried to find a case but it seems really doubtful."

**Hagrid howled still more loudly. Harry and Hermione looked at Ron to help them.** **"Er - shall I make a cup of tea?" said Ron.** **AJ stared at him.** **"It's what my mum does whenever someone's upset," Ron muttered, shrugging.**

Molly smiled, "Calming drought is always helpful in times like this."

"Right," agreed Andy "because drugging someone is always the answer."

**At last, after many more assurances of help, with a steaming mug of tea in front of him, Hagrid blew his nose on a handkerchief the size of a tablecloth and said, "Yer right. I can' afford to go ter pieces. Gotta pull meself together..." Fang the boarhound came timidly out from under the table and laid his head on Hagrid's knee.**

"He knows that Hagrid is upset," mumbled Sirius "poor pup wants to make it better."

Charlie nodded, "I don't think Hagrid has ever had an animal where he didn't have some sort of special bond with them."

**"I've not bin meself lately," said Hagrid, stroking Fang with one hand and mopping his face with the other. "Worried abou' Buckbeak, an' no one likin' me classes -"**

"How could anyone not like his class?" asked Bill "It has to be one of the most interesting classes ever. Hagrid teaches the class, that right there makes it a good class."

Ginny scowled "The whole animal attacking a student probably had something to do with the decline in class appeal."

**"We do like them!" lied Hermione at once.**

**"Yeah, they're great!" said Ron, crossing his fingers under the table.** **"Er - how are the flobberworms?"**

Kingsley snorted, "I'm sure he's going to believe you guys now."

**"Dead," said Hagrid gloomily. "Too much lettuce."**

**"Oh no!" said Ron, his lip twitching.**

"Learn to lie if you want to be an Auror." Stated Kingsley "You can't work in any form of the Ministry and not know how to lie."

Tonks nodded, "You can work for them but you won't get very far."

**"An' them dementors make me feel ruddy terrible an' all," said Hagrid, with a sudden shudder. "Gotta walk past 'em ev'ry time I want a drink in the Three Broomsticks. 'S like bein' back in Azkaban -"**

"Ouch," muttered Remus "he must be having a hard time."

**He fell silent, gulping his tea. AJ, Ron, and Hermione watched him breathlessly. They had never heard Hagrid talk about his brief spell in Azkaban before.**

Sirius shifted, "It's not something that is the big topic of discussion. You pretty much close your eyes and pretend your time spent there was just a bad dream."

**After a pause, Hermione said timidly, "Is it awful in there, Hagrid?"**

"No it's pure rainbows and butterfly's." snarked Ginny "Of course it's awful."

Hermione glared, "I didn't know anything about Azkaban at the time and it's not as if us muggle born are taught about it in our schools."

**"Yeh've no idea," said Hagrid quietly. "Never bin anywhere like it. Thought I was goin' mad. Kep' goin' over horrible stuff in me mind... the day I got expelled from Hogwarts... day me dad died... day I had ter let Norbert go..." **

"I didn't know he had a father," remarked Ron "kind of hard to believe it."

AJ let out a breath, "Seriously Ron, sometime in the near future you need to have the sex talk with your parents. You obviously have no idea how it happens."

**His eyes filled with tears. Norbert was the baby dragon Hagrid had once won in a game of cards.** **"Yeh can' really remember who yeh are after a while. An' yeh can' really see the point o' livin' at all. **

Regulus saw his brother suppress a shudder; he hoped that this chapter was almost over. Sirius didn't need to hear about Azkaban more then necessary.

**I used ter hope I'd jus' die in me sleep. When they let me out, it was like bein' born again, ev'rythin' I came floodin' back, it was the bes' feelin' in the world. Mind, the dementors weren't keen on lettin' me go."**

Ted glared "Of course not, they wanted to keep his soul for their own sick hunger. Every time someone leaves Azkaban the hungrier they get."

"That is just sick," mumbled AJ "and to think that Voldemort wants to control them."

**"But you were innocent!" said Hermione.**

"So was I." Sirius said with malice, "Do you honestly think they give a damn about whose innocent and who's guilty? They only care about how they can get more money and more power."

**Hagrid snorted.** **"Think that matters to them? They don' care. Long as they've got a couple o' hundred humans stuck there with 'em, so they can leech all the happiness out of 'em, they don' give a damn who's guilty an' who's not." **

"You and Hagrid think a like," remarked Andy trying to lighten the mood, "that's gotta count for something."

**Hagrid went quiet for a moment, staring into his tea. Then he said quietly, "Thought o' jus' letting Buckbeak go... tryin' ter make him fly away... but how d'yeh explain ter a hippogriff it's gotta go inter hidin'?**

AJ smirked while Hermione looked at her nails whistling a random tune.

**An' -an' I'm scared o' breakin' the law..." He looked up at them, tears leaking down his face again. "I don' ever want ter go back ter Azkaban."**

"They wouldn't send him there for something like that. Would they?" asked Charlie

Remus shrugged, "If they have enough hatred for Hagrid they'll find some reason to lock him up and keep him there."

**The trip to Hagrid's, though far from fun, had nevertheless had the effect Ron and Hermione had hoped. Though AJ had by no means forgotten about Sirius Black, she couldn't brood constantly on memories if she wanted to help Hagrid win his case against the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures.**

Charlie kissed AJ's head. "You're amazing punk, I can't get over how selfless you are when it comes to the people you care about."

"I don't like seeing the people I love suffering over things that they have done nothing to deserve." Smiled AJ

**Sh****e, Ron, and Hermione went to the library the next day and returned to the empty common room laden with books that might help prepare a defense for Buckbeak. The three of them sat in front of the roaring fire, slowly turning the pages of dusty volumes about famous cases if marauding beasts, speaking occasionally when they ran across something relevant.**

"That must have been hard for you," smiled Regulus "having everything you read that day burned in your brain for ever."

AJ rolled her eyes, "Yeah having the execution of a defenseless animal in my head is something that I try every day to over up with other random crap."

**"Here's something... there was a case in 1722... but the hippogriff was convicted - ugh, look what they did to it, that's disgusting -"**

"Don't they cut the heads off?" asked Bill looking green.

Charlie nodded, "Yeah they chain the animal down and just do the deed without any warning of any kind."

**"This might help, look - a manticore savaged someone in 1296, and they let the manticore off - oh - no, that was only because everyone was too scared to go near it."**

"Buckbeak could maybe scare off this person." Said Tonks

Kingsley scoffed, "Please. Malfoy is in charge of all this so you know as well as I do he would do anything to make this happen."

**Meanwhile, in the rest of the castle, the usual magnificent Christmas decorations had been put up, despite the fact that hardly any of the students remained to enjoy them. **

"Why?" asked Regulus "Wait is this because of Sirius?"

Remus grinned "You know that your brother has never done anything without causing some sort of scene."

**Thick streamers of holly and mistletoe were strung along the corridors, mysterious lights shone from inside every suit of armour, and the Great Hall was filled with its usual twelve Christmas trees, glittering with golden stars.**

Sirius and AJ shared smiles; they loved the Castle at Christmas time.

**A powerful and delicious smell of cooking pervaded the corridors, and by Christmas Eve, it had grown so strong that even Scabbers poked his nose out of the shelter of Ron's pocket to sniff hopefully at the air.**

The Golden Trio all scowled, while Remus and Sirius growled. That was typical Peter.

**On Christmas morning AJ was awoken by Hermione throwing her pillow at AJ.**

Hermione snickered; she loved Christmas morning with her friends.

**"Happy Christmas!"**

**AJ hugged Hermione tightly before changing her hair green, red and gold. They both went to the common room to see Ron already opening presents. **

Ron blushed "Sorry, I just get excited during the holidays."

"We know Ron, trust me we know." Laughed Hermione

**'Another sweater from Mum... maroon again... see if you two got one."**

Molly groaned, she had so many children to make sweaters for she couldn't keep track of who liked what color and who didn't like them.

**They both had. Mrs. Weasley had sent AJ a scarlet sweater with the Gryffindor lion knitted on the front, also a dozen home-baked mince pies, some Christmas cake, and a box of nut brittle.** **Hermione got a pink sweater also with the lion and some homemade treats as well.**

"Thanks again for that." AJ said with a slight scowl.

Hermione smiled, "Yes, thanks again Mrs. Weasley." What Hermione left out was that she hated pink.

**As she moved all these things aside, she saw a long, thin package lying underneath.**

Sirius looked positively gleeful at the thought of his daughter opening up the nice broomstick.

**"What's that?" said Ron, looking over; a freshly unwrapped pair of maroon socks in his hand.**

**"Dunno..."**

"Just the most amazing broom ever." Smiled AJ "Best Christmas present ever."

Bill gaped "That's how you got the Firebolt? For a Christmas present? You are so lucky!"

**AJ ripped the parcel open and gasped as a magnificent, gleaming broomstick rolled out onto the carpet. Ron dropped his socks and jumped off the chair for a closer look. Hermione just stared open mouthed.**

"I would have the same look," admitted Tonks "that had to of been a big surprise."

**"I don't believe it," she said hoarsely.**

"Believe it!" grinned Sirius "You have no idea how hard it was to get that during Christmas time, but you're worth it pup."

**It was a Firebolt; identical to the dream broom AJ had gone to see every day in Diagon Alley. **

Remus smiled at his husband, "Good job Siri."

**Its handle glittered as she picked it up. She could feel it vibrating and let go; it hung in midair, unsupported, at exactly the right height for her to mount it. **

"Wow," breathed Regulus "you didn't even have to get it fitted."

Ron nodded a little jealous, "That does cost a lot of money. AJ was really lucky."

**She eyes moved from the golden registration number at the top of the handle, right down to the perfectly smooth, streamlined birch twigs that made up the tail.**

"I thought I had died and gone to Heaven." Remarked AJ

Ginny snickered "That should have alerted you that it was real."

"Are you telling me I'm going to Hell?" asked AJ "I assure you if anyone in this room is going to Hell it won't be me. Why don't you go write in your diary? Oh wait you only write in diaries that talk back."

**"Who sent it to you?" said Hermione in a hushed voice.**

Bill grinned, "I do that all the time. Especially when I get excited or something."

**"Look and see if there's a card," said AJ.**

**Ron ripped apart the Firebolt's wrappings before Hermione could.** **"Nothing! Blimey, who'd spend that much on you?"**

"Why not?" asked Andy "Oh right, Sirius obviously wouldn't sign the card,"

Ted kissed Andy, "That would have been really hard to explain especially if the package was intercepted."

**"Well," said AJ, feeling stunned, "I'm betting it wasn't the Dursleys."**

Regulus scowled, "Of course those assholes wouldn't get you anything for Christmas."

**"I bet it was Dumbledore," said Ron, now walking around and around the Firebolt, taking in every glorious inch. "He sent you the Invisibility Cloak anonymously..."**

Dumbledore nodded, "That was James and it was rightfully AJ's. I would never keep that from her."

"He would never buy something for just one student." Muttered Snape. Gryffindor's are all idiots.

**"That was her dad's, though," said Hermione. "Dumbledore was just passing it on to AJ. He wouldn't spend hundreds of Galleons on her. He can't go giving students stuff like this -"**

Charlie smiled, "Very true. Kind of scary that you and Snape think a like."

"Low blow dragon boy." Laughed Kingsley

**"That's why he wouldn't say it was from him!" said Ron. "In case some git like Malfoy said it was favoritism. Hey, AJ" - Ron gave a great whoop of laughter - "Malfoy! Wait till he sees you on this! He'll be sick as a pig! This is an international standard broom, this is!"**

"That's always a plus," laughed Remus "I'm sure the minute he saw that broom he flipped out."

**"I can't believe this," AJ muttered, running a hand along the Firebolt, while Ron sank into the chair, laughing his head off at the thought of Malfoy. "Who -?"**

Regulus laughed, "You really didn't make it easy on them."

"What was I supposed to do Reggie?" grinned Sirius "I didn't have a lot of options."

**"I know," said Ron, controlling himself, "I know who it could've been - Lupin!"**

Remus laughed, "Sorry Ron, I would have if I could but at the time money was tight and I couldn't show favoritism."

**"What?" said Hermione, now starting to laugh herself "Professor Lupin?"**

"Your ideas just keep getting better and better," laughed Ted "keep them coming."

**"Yeah, but he likes AJ," said Ron. "And he was away when your Nimbus got smashed, and he might've heard about it and decided to visit Diagon Alley and get this for you -"**

Charlie snickered "Does anyone suspect that Sirius was involved? It makes the most sense."

"How do you figure that?" Molly asked sharply

"Well it could be the fact that he was supposedly after her and the best way to take someone out is on their broom when they're pretty much defenseless." Charlie said calmly

**"What d'you mean, he was away?" said AJ. "He was ill when I was playing in that match."**

"Someone is going to get caught." Laughed Kingsley "For a former prankster you aren't very sneaky anymore."

**"Well, he wasn't in the hospital wing," said Ron. "I was there, cleaning out the bedpans on that detention from Snape, remember?"**

"Thanks for the reminder." Muttered Regulus

Ron scowled "Try doing it for hours and then we'll talk."

**AJ frowned at Ron.** **"I can't see Professor Lupin affording something like this."**

AJ smiled, "I don't need an expensive broom to know how much both of you love and care for me."

**"Listen, AJ, can I have a go on it? Can I?" asked Ron.**

**"I don't think anyone should ride that broom just yet!" said Hermione shrilly.**

"Why?" asked Andy

Hermione sighed, "I was really worried that it was jinxed or something like that. The thought of something happening to AJ makes my heart hurt. She's my best friend."

"I understand completely," agreed Andy "but I doubt Ron or AJ are going to be too happy."

**AJ and Ron looked at her.** **"What d'you think AJ's going to do with it - sweep the floor?" said Ron.**

Ted snorted, "It's not a crazy concept Ron. Plenty of muggles use a broom to sweep with. That's considered normal."

**But before Hermione could answer, Crookshanks sprang from the floor, right at Ron's chest.**

Everyone burst out into laughter while Ron scowled at the entire room.

**"GET - HIM - OUT - OF - HERE!" Ron bellowed as Crookshanks' claws ripped his pajamas and Scabbers attempted a wild escape over his shoulder.**

Remus glared, "Just let the cat eat your damn rat and we'll all live happy lives. Piece of garbage that damn rat is."

**Ron seized Scabbers by the tail and aimed a misjudged kick at Crookshanks that hit the chair AJ was sitting on, causing Ron to hop up and down, howling with pain. **

Sirius grinned broadly "Nice move. Can you teach that to me?"

"It was hilarious thinking back on it," laughed AJ "he was freaking out so bad."

**Crookshanks' fur suddenly stood on end.**

Tonks shook her head, "Don't piss off that cat Ron. When their fur stands on end like that it means they're mad and waiting to attack."

**"You'd better take that cat out of here, Hermione," said Ron furiously. Crookshanks' yellow eyes still fixed maliciously on Ron.**

"Can we meat this cat sometime soon?" asked Regulus "He seems really fun."

Charlie grinned, "We'll have to bring him down here next chapter for entertainment."

**All that could be heard now were Ron's stifled moans of pain and rage. Scabbers was huddled in Ron's hands. It had been a while since AJ had seen him out of Ron's pocket, and she was unpleasantly surprised to see that Scabbers, once so fat, was now very skinny; patches of fur seemed to have fallen out too.**

"He's pulling his little death act," growled AJ "it's the only thing he's actually good at."

Ted snickered "How did he end up working for Voldemort anyhow? You would think that Voldemort would have been more choosy when it came to his supporters."

**"He's not looking too good, is he?" AJ said.**

"What gave you the first clue?" growled Ron. Everyone eyed Ron warily, it seemed he hadn't gotten over his jealous tendencies.

**"It's stress!" said Ron. "He'd be fine if that big stupid fur ball left him alone!"**

"There ya go," snarked Bill "keep insulting the animal. Have you learned nothing from the Malfoy situation?"

**But AJ, remembering what the woman at the Magical Menagerie had said about rats living only three years, couldn't help feeling that unless Scabbers had powers he had never revealed, he was reaching the end of his life. And despite Ron's frequent complaints that Scabbers was both boring and useless, he was sure Ron would be very miserable if Scabbers died.**

"Of course I would be upset!" yelled Ron "Why would you doubt that?"

Hermione glared "She wasn't doubting it Ronald. You were constantly mocking the rat and saying how fat or stupid he was. What did you expect from her?

**Christmas spirit was definitely thin on the ground in the Gryffindor common room that morning. Hermione had shut Crookshanks in the girl's dormitory, but was furious with Ron for trying to kick him; Ron was still fuming about Crookshanks' fresh attempt to eat Scabbers. **

Sirius sighed, "Here we go, another fight in the works."

**AJ gave up trying to make them talk to each other** **and devoted himself to examining the Firebolt. For some reason this seemed to annoy Hermione as well; she didn't say anything, but she kept looking darkly at the broom as though it too had been criticizing her cat. **

"You were really worried?" asked Kingsley "I can understand that but try to talk to AJ about it first."

Ron scowled "She didn't, she went behind her back."

**Before lunchtime they went up to their respective dorms to change. Hermione turned to AJ "I think Sirius Black had something to do with the broom."**

"You did talk to her!" gaped Ron "Why didn't you tell me?"

AJ snorted, "Like it would have mattered to you anyhow. You take everything to an extreme so we kept that talk to ourselves."

"**Okay," stated AJ. "What do you want me to do? Give it back or something?"**

Bill shrugged "You could or just give it to Flitwick to look at. Or any other of the professors, they would know what to look for."

**Hermione smiled. "Let McGonagall look at it. Please? I'm really worried and I know you're still on the fence about his innocence but please just do this for me bug."**

AJ smiled, "I knew you were worried and had a valid point. No use in arguing over it."

"**Okay. But I better it get back before a game goob." Mumbled AJ.**

Ted smiled, "Good, having the conversation before you do anything prevented a fight."

"It didn't prevent a fight. Trust me." Muttered Hermione

Ron glared "You should have told me something before I went off on you!"

"Something's are private between AJ and myself!" yelled Hermione "We don't tell you everything Ronald."

**AJ, Ron and Hermione walked down to the Great Hall, to find that the House tables had been moved against the walls again, and that a single table, set for twelve, stood in the middle of the room. **

"Wow, only twelve people stayed behind?" asked Regulus "You sure know how to clear out a school."

Sirius scoffed "It wasn't all my fault. I'm sure families actually want to spend time with their kids during the holidays."

**Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout, and Flitwick were there, along with Filch, the caretaker, who had taken off his usual brown coat and was wearing a very old and rather moldy looking tailcoat. **

"That's disgusting," muttered Andy "that man needs help."

**There were only three other students, two extremely nervous-looking first years and a sullen-faced Slytherin fifth year.**

Remus sighed, "I actually feel bad for the Slytherin."

**"Merry Christmas!" said Dumbledore as AJ, Ron, and Hermione approached the table. "As there are so few of us, it seemed foolish to use the House tables... Sit down, sit down!" AJ, Ron, and Hermione sat down side by side at the end of the table.**

"Did a lot of people go home during the last war?" asked Hermione

Sirius shook his head, "No a lot of people stayed at the castle because of the fear of something happening outside of the castle."

**"Crackers!" said Dumbledore enthusiastically, offering the end of a large silver noisemaker to Snape, who took it reluctantly and tugged.**

Snape glared at the smiling Headmaster, he hated the holidays more the teaching students.

**With a bang like a gunshot, the cracker flew apart to reveal a large, pointed witch's hat topped with a stuffed vulture. AJ, remembering the boggart, caught Ron's eye and they both grinned; Snape's mouth thinned and he pushed the hat toward Dumbledore, who swapped it for his wizard's hat at once.**

"Oh come one," laughed Bill "you would look great in a hat like that! Spread the Christmas cheer Snape."

Charlie snickered, "You know you want to wear it. It would cheer up the students that didn't go home."

**"Dig in!" he advised the table, beaming around.** **As AJ was helping herself to roast potatoes, the doors of the Great Hall opened again. It was Professor Trelawney, gliding toward them as though on wheels. **

"She's a weird one alright." Laughed Kingsley

**She had put on a green sequined dress in honor of the occasion, making her look more than ever like a glittering, oversized dragonfly.**

Tonks made a face, "An oversized dragonfly? What an insult to the dragonflies."

"There are plenty of other ways I could have described her but that was the nicest." Remarked AJ

**"Sibyll, this is a pleasant surprise!" said Dumbledore, standing up.**

Regulus rolled his eyes "She was lonely and wanted company. Simple as that."

**"I have been crystal gazing, Headmaster," said Professor Trelawney in her mistiest, most faraway voice, "and to my astonishment, I saw myself abandoning my solitary luncheon and coming to join you. Who am I to refuse the promptings of fate? I at once hastened from my tower, and I do beg you to forgive my lateness..."**

"Crystal gazing?" asked Ted

Hermione scoffed, "She is so dramatic over everything."

**"Certainly, certainly," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "Let me draw you up a chair -"**

Dumbledore smiled, he knew Sibyll would join them but he played her game knowing she took her profession seriously.

**And he did indeed draw a chair in midair with his wand, which revolved for a few seconds before falling with a thud between Professors Snape and McGonagall. **

"McGonagall must have loved that!" laughed Sirius "Those two are going to have a great conversation."

Ron snorted, "She couldn't sit down."

**Professor Trelawney, however, did not sit down; her enormous eyes had been roving around the table, and she suddenly uttered a kind of soft scream.**

"Why?" asked Kingsley "Is there something wrong with sitting down at a table like a normal person?"

AJ scoffed, "She said something about a bad number or something."

**"I dare not, Headmaster! If I join the table, we shall be thirteen! Nothing could be unluckier! Never forget that when thirteen dine together, the first to rise will be the first to die!"**

"So how are you supposed to leave the table?" asked Regulus "Or are you just supposed to sit there and never move?"

**"We'll risk it, Sibyll," said Professor McGonagall impatiently. "Do sit down, the turkey's getting stone cold."**

Regulus sighed sadly, "Now she's going to be the first to die. How sad."

**Professor Trelawney hesitated, than lowered herself into the empty chair, eyes shut and mouth clenched tight, as though expecting a thunderbolt to hit the table. Professor McGonagall poked a large spoon into the nearest tureen.**

Everyone snickered at Trelawney and McGonagall. Those two would never see eye to eye on anything.

**"Tripe, Sibyll?"** **Professor Trelawney ignored her.** **Eyes open again, she looked around once more and said, "But where is dear Professor Lupin?"**

Remus smiled, "Seems I have another admirer at the school."

"Too bad she can't have you." Remarked Sirius with jealousy.

**"I'm afraid the poor fellow is ill again," said Dumbledore, indicating that everybody should start serving themselves. "Most unfortunate that it should happen on Christmas Day."**

Hermione grinned, "Why didn't Sibyll know about this?"

**"But surely you already knew that, Sibyll?" said Professor McGonagall, her eyebrows raised.** **Professor Trelawney gave Professor McGonagall a very cold look.**

Hermione turned red while everyone else laughed.

**"Certainly I knew, Minerva," she said quietly. "But one does not parade the fact that one is All- Knowing. I frequently act as though I am not possessed of the Inner Eye, so as not to make others nervous."**

"You make people nervous when you are constantly telling them they are going to die." Argued Andy "And maybe your creepy eyes and that weird voice, but mostly your death omens."

**"That explains a great deal," said Professor McGonagall tartly.**

**Professor Trelawney's voice suddenly became a good deal less misty.** **"If you must know, Minerva, I have seen that poor Professor Lupin will not be with us for very seems aware, himself, that his time is short. He positively fled when I offered to crystal gaze for him -"**

Remus rolled his eyes, "Of course I ran. She is always coming on to me when I'm alone with her."

**"Imagine that," said Professor McGonagall dryly.**

Everyone started to laugh; they loved her sense of humor.

**"I doubt," said Dumbledore, in a cheerful but slightly raised voice, which put an end to Professor McGonagall and Professor Trelawney's conversation, "that Professor Lupin is in any immediate danger. Severus, you've made the potion for him again?"**

"You're really not being very quiet," remarked Ted "you did realize that there was twelve students around that were probably listening in right?"

Snape rolled his eyes "They shouldn't be listening anyhow."

**"Yes, Headmaster," said Snape.**

"**Good," said Dumbledore. "Then he should be up and about in no time… Derek, have you had any of the chipolatas? They're excellent."**

"Whose Derek?" Kingsley asked

Dumbledore smiled, "He was a first year at the time."

**The first-year boy went furiously red on being addressed directly by Dumbledore, and took the platter of sausages with trembling hands.** **Professor Trelawney behaved almost normally until the very end of Christmas dinner, two hours later.** **Full to bursting with Christmas dinner and still wearing their cracker hats, AJ and Ron got up first from the table and she shrieked loudly.**

Charlie scowled "Here we go, another death threat in the works."

"And Ron will take it all seriously and panic." Added Bill

"**My dears! Which of you left their seat first? Which?"**

"**Dunno," said Ron, looking uneasily at AJ.**

Charlie and Bill shared snickers while Ron silently fumed about AJ and Hermione.

"**I doubt it will make much difference," said Professor McGonagall coldly, "unless a mad axe-man is waiting outside the doors to slaughter the first into the Entrance Hall."** **Even Ron laughed. Professor Trelawney looked highly affronted.**

Sirius laughed, "When Trelawney snaps, I guarantee that McGonagall is going to be the first to go."

"Do you think she has a list?" asked AJ with humor

"**Coming?" Ron said to Hermione.**

Ron glared darkly at AJ and Hermione.

"**No," Hermione muttered. "I want a quick word with Professor McGonagall."**

AJ and Hermione shared looks while Ron went red in anger.

"**Probably trying to see if she can take any more classes," yawned Ron.** **As they make their way into the Entrance Hall, which was completely devoid of mad axe-men.**

Tonks snickered "What a big shocker, Trelawney will be happy to hear that."

**When they reached the portrait hole they found Sir Cadogan enjoying a Christmas part with a couple of monks, several previous headmasters of Hogwarts and his fat pony.**

"It was getting drunk?" said Molly "That is completely ridiculous in front of a bunch of children."

Remus groaned, "It's a painting Molly, you can't tell them what to do and what not to do. You're being ridiculous over this."

**He pushed up his visor toasted them with a flagon of mead.** "**Merry — hic — Christmas! Password?"**

"Now would have been a good time to break in Sirius," laughed Hermione "he wouldn't know who you were and would've just let you in."

"**Scurvy cur," said Ron.**

Kingsley rolled his eyes, no wonder people were always getting locked out of that tower. Who would remember that password?

"**And the same to you, sir!" roared Sir Cadogan, as the painting swung forward to admit them.**

"I miss the fat little guy," said AJ sadly "he was always brightening our days."

**AJ went straight up to the dormitory, collected her Firebolt; she knew what Hermione went to do.** **She and Ron simply sat admiring it from every angle, until the portrait hole opened, and Hermione came in, accompanied by Professor McGonagall.**

"Were you nervous?" asked Charlie

AJ shrugged "A little, I was just scared that I wouldn't get it back in time for a game."

**Though Professor McGonagall was Head of Gryffindor House, AJ had only seen her in the common room once before, and that had been to make a very grave announcement. **

Ron rolled his eyes, "Would've been nice to hear about what was to happen before she came in."

**Hermione walked around AJ and Ron, sat down, picked up the nearest book and hid her face behind it.**

Hermione bit her lip, "I had no idea how Ron would react and judging by how he usually reacts I knew he would flip."

"I had a right to react the way I did, you lot were keeping secrets from me." Scowled Ron

"**So that's it, is it?" said Professor McGonagall beadily, walking over to the fireside and staring at the Firebolt. "Miss Granger has just informed me that you have been sent a broomstick, Potter."**

"Why does she always have to sound like someone died?" asked Bill "She always didn that during my time at Hogwarts."

Sirius shrugged "Pretty sure she does that no matter what, it is really scary and unnecessary but it's who she is."

**Ron looked around at Hermione. He could see her forehead reddening over the top of her book, which was upside-down.**

"Smooth," laughed Regulus "you must have been really nervous."

Remus smiled, "It won't take long before Ron comes to his senses and realizes it was for AJ's own good. I think anyhow."

"**May I?" said Professor McGonagall, but she didn't wait for an answer before pulling the Firebolt out of AJ's hands. She examined it carefully from handle to twig-ends. "Hmm. And there was no note at all, Potter? No card? No message of any kind?"**

"I would have lied," remarked Ted "I would be too scared to not get it back."

Tonks bit her lip, "Yeah but how is she supposed to lie about not getting a note? She couldn't say she tossed it out and she can't forge one."

"Just let McGonagall do what she needs to do," advised Andy "the package could have been jinxed when the order was being processed. You can't be too safe with these things."

"**No," said AJ.**

"**I see," said Professor McGonagall. "Well, I'm afraid I will have to take this, Potter."**

Charlie huffed "Seriously? She couldn't just tell you it would only be gone for a few weeks at most?"

**"W - what?" said Ron, scrambling to his feet. "Why?"**

Hermione snickered, "Did you notice that Ron was more upset then you?"

"I did," laughed AJ "it was probably throwing McGonagall off."

**"It will need to be checked for jinxes," said Professor McGonagall. "Of course, I'm no expert, but I daresay Madam Hooch and Professor Flitwick will strip it down -"**

Regulus groaned, "Why is she talking like this? She's making everything so much worse then it really is."

**"Strip it down?" repeated AJ, feeling sick.**

"I really thought I was going to be sick." Admitted AJ "She made it seem like it was going to be ripped to pieces with no hope for salvation."

Remus nodded, "She wouldn't have even explained what would happen if it couldn't have been returned to you. She would have just taken it and burned it or something."

**"It shouldn't take more than a few weeks," said Professor McGonagall. "You will have it back if we are sure it is jinx-free."**

Kingsley smiled, "There now everyone can calm down. It'll be back soon and no one will even notice that it was stripped down at one point."

**Professor McGonagall turned on her heel and carried the Firebolt out of the portrait hole, which closed behind her. AJ sighed and silently prayed it would come back quickly. **

"I would be too," sighed Bill "once Oliver finds out he's going to be hounding those teachers to hurry up."

Ted laughed, "I forgot he was going to know about it! This should prove to be an interesting task for the professors."

**Ron, however, rounded on Hermione.** **"What did you go running to McGonagall for?"**

"You need to calm down," advised Sirius "she was concerned for a friend. And that's no way to speak to a lady."

Ron scoffed, "She could have told me what was going on and it's not a lady! It's Hermione!"

Remus cut Sirius off before he could respond, "Ron she is a young women and she deserves to be treated with respect. You need to watch your attitude while you're in our home."

**Hermione threw her book aside. She was still pink in the face, but stood up and faced Ron defiantly.** **"Because I thought - and Professor McGonagall agrees with me - that that broom was probably sent to AJ by Sirius Black!"**

Hermione nodded "And I stand by everything I said and did!" Andy handed the book to Bill before Ron could dig a hole that he couldn't get out of.

"**The Patronus…"**

**AN: Sorry this took a little bit to get out, I had to tweak the chapter a bit to get it how I wanted, I'd love to know what you all thought of it. Ron always bothered me in the stories, one minute he was a best friend and then he was a jealous jerk, so there will be a stronger friendship between AJ and Hermione rather then the three of them. If mistakes are made, I'm sorry but I do try to catch them all. Thank you so much for all the reviews and adds, it means a lot to me! Feel free to ask questions or give suggestions. Read and Review :)**


	55. The Patronus Charm

**AJ knew that Hermione had meant well, but that didn't stop her from being worried for her new broom.**

Ron scowled, "At least you knew what Hermione was going to do before she did it."

"Even if you had known you would have been pissed. And I still don't know why you're mad considering the fact it was my broom to begin with." Bit out AJ

**She was positive that there was nothing wrong with the Firebolt now, but what sort of state would it be in once it had been subjected to all sorts of anti-jinx tests?**

"It better have been in mint condition," Sirius joked, "I really don't want to have to go to the school and raise hell for ruining your present."

**Much to AJ's annoyance Ron was furious with Hermione.** **As far as he was concerned, the stripping-down of a brand- new Firebolt was nothing less than criminal damage.**

Kingsley blinked, "You're making it seem like the broom was going to burned or something. They're just going to use some counter curses and jinxes to make sure nothing is wrong with it."

"You have to realize that Ron never sees reason, he only sees what he wants to and judges everyone else." Muttered Charlie

**AJ and Hermione had all they could take between Ron's glairing and his rants about how unjust the whole situation was. They decided to spend most of their time in the library, a place where Ron would rather die then go into. **

Molly huffed, "If you had invited him he may have joined you. You were excluding my son for no reason. He has just as much of a right to be in the library as any other student and it sickens me to know that you weren't encouraging him to go and study!"

"What in the hell is that supposed to mean?" asked Sirius "AJ and Hermione are only responsible for their studies, just like Ron is only responsible for his studies. You're spending an awful lot of time blaming AJ and everyone else for Ron's inability to understand anything. Ever think that maybe it's your fault? Molly you point the finger at Remus and myself all the time when it comes to our parenting style. Yet our daughter has managed to not fail, not have a temper tantrum when things don't go her way and she doesn't seem to be a jealous brat. Take a good look at your parenting views before you continue with this judgmental attitude. And if you ever blame something like this on my daughter or her friend, you can get the hell out of my house and not come back."

**All in all, they were glad when the rest of the school returned shortly after New Year, and Gryffindor Tower became crowded and noisy again.**

Hermione smiled, "We may not see eye to eye wit a lot of the Gryffindor girls but it was nice to see everyone again."

**Wood sought AJ out on the night before term started.** **"Had a good Christmas?" he said, and then, without waiting for an answer, he sat down, lowered his voice, and said, **

"Doesn't waste anytime does he?" snorted Regulus

AJ smirked, "He was just excited…I think."

**"I've been, doing some thinking over Christmas, AJ. After last match, you know. If the dementors come to the next one... I mean... we can't afford you to - well -" Wood broke off, looking awkward.**

"He's still upset over this?" asked Andy "It's not your fault!"

Ted shrugged, "I think we should just be glad he didn't off himself during the winter holiday."

**"I'm working on it," said AJ quickly. "Professor Lupin said he'd train me to ward off the dementors. We should be starting this week. He said he'd have time after Christmas."**

Remus smiled, "I'm happy that I didn't cause him to have heart failure."

"More like replace AJ," groaned Hermione "he was such a spaz that entire year over Quidditch."

**"Ah," said Wood, his expression clearing. "Well, in that case - I really didn't want to lose you as Seeker, AJ.** **And have you ordered a new broom yet?"**

Tonks scowled "He didn't want to lose the seeker? How about he didn't want to lose his friend."

"They weren't friends." Muttered Ron

"I'm sure that they had some sort of friendship," glared Tonks "AJ had been on the team for three years."

**"No," said AJ.**

**"What! You'd better get a move on, you know - you can't ride that Shooting Star against Ravenclaw!"**

"Do you get the feeling he wants someone to just punch him in the face for being an idiot?" asked Regulus

Charlie snickered, "He does throw off the punch me in the face vibe."

**"She got a Firebolt for Christmas," said Ron.**

**"A Firebolt? No! Seriously? A - a real Firebolt?"**

Sirius made a face, "Is there a fake Firebolt that I wasn't aware of?"

"Apparently," deadpanned Ted "just wait till AJ explains that she doesn't have it back yet. Someone is going to panic."

**"Don't get excited, Oliver," said AJ with heat.** **And she explained all about how the Firebolt was now being checked for jinxes.**

Bill took a deep breath trying to prevent him from laughing at what was to come.

**"Jinxed? How could it be jinxed?"**

"Apparently he doesn't remember what the entire world is worried about." Said Kingsley

Sirius smirked, "It's doubtful that he even knew what was going on because it wasn't Quidditch related."

**"Sirius Black" AJ said with humor. "He's supposed to be after me. So McGonagall reckons he might have sent it."**

Hermione and AJ shared laughter; only AJ could talk about a supposed murderer with humor.

**Waving aside the information that a famous murderer was after his Seeker,** **Wood said, "But Black couldn't have bought a Firebolt! He's on the run! The whole countries on the lookout for him! How could he just walk into Quality Quidditch Supplies and buy a broomstick?"**

"There is such a thing as catalogue," suggested Remus "all he has to do is put down the vault number and the personal passcode and you're done. They never know which Black sent it."

Hermione gaped, "I didn't think to look up other members of the Black family to see if there was a relation between them and AJ."

**"I get it Oliver," said AJ, "but McGonagall still wants to strip it down -"**

Tonks winced "Bad move I'm assuming."

**Wood went pale. "I'll go and talk to her, AJ," he promised. "I'll make her see reason... A Firebolt... a real Firebolt, on our team... She wants Gryffindor to win as much as we do... I'll make her see sense. A Firebolt..."**

"This is McGonagall we're talking about," said Bill "she's not going to back down because Wood doesn't understand there are more important things than Quidditch."

**Classes started again the next day. The last thing anyone felt like doing was spending two hours on the grounds on a raw January morning, but Hagrid had provided a bonfire full of salamanders for their enjoyment, and they spent an unusually good lesson collecting dry wood and leaves to keep the fire blazing while the flame-loving lizards scampered up and down the crumbling, white-hot logs.**

"Fun class that must have been." Grumbled Ginny

Charlie scowled, "Back off Ginny, I'm warning you."

**The first Divination lesson of the new term was much less fun; Professor Trelawney was now teaching them palmistry, and she lost no time in informing AJ that she had the shortest lifeline she had ever seen.**

Andy sighed, "Were you at all nervous? I know I would have been."

"We're all going to die eventually whether Trelawney predicts it or not. Doesn't matter to me either way." Shrugged AJ

**It was Defence Against the Dark Arts that AJ was keen to get to; after her conversation with Wood; she wanted to get started on her anti-Dementor lessons as soon as possible.**

Remus grinned, "I was looking forward to teaching you the charm, I heard great things about your abilities in Charms and I wanted to see for myself."

**"Ah yes," said Lupin, when AJ reminded him of his promise at the end of class. "Let me see... how about eight o'clock on Thursday evening? The History of Magic classroom should be large enough... I'll have to think carefully about how we're going to do this... We can't bring a real Dementor into the castle to practice on..."**

"Well you could have," argued Sirius "it just would have been frowned upon."

Ted snorted, "Right, frowned upon is the choice of words I would have used."

**"Still looks ill, doesn't he?" said Ron as they walked down the corridor, heading to dinner. "What d'you reckons the matter with him?"**

Snape fought the urge to shake the dim boy, how he didn't see the symptoms was beyond him.

**There was a loud and impatient "tuh" from behind them. It was Hermione, who had been sitting at the feet of a suit of armour, repacking her bag, which was so full of books it wouldn't close.**

"You figured it out." Stated Regulus

Hermione nodded, "I did and it didn't change my opinion on him at all if that's what you're thinking."

"Can't really blame me," remarked Regulus "he is my brother in-law and I do worry about how people especially people that are considered family, look at him."

**"And what are you tutting at us for?" said Ron irritably.**

AJ rolled her eyes; fight number two on its way.

**"Nothing," said Hermione in a lofty voice, heaving her bag back over her shoulder.**

"You didn't tell them what you knew? That's a shocker." Snickered Ginny

**"Yes, you were," said Ron. "I said I wonder what's wrong with Lupin, and you -"**

"She was being sarcastic," said Kingsley "she really didn't care what you were saying."

**"Well, isn't it obvious?" said Hermione, with a look of maddening superiority.**

Ron scowled "How was it obvious?"

"If you had done the damn report you would know!" growled Snape

**"If you don't want to tell us, don't," snapped Ron.**

**"Fine," said Hermione haughtily, and she marched off.**

"If you would have asked nicely and didn't act like such a brat, I would have told you!" snapped Hermione

Bill glared at Ron, "You and I need to have a talk later about how to talk to your friends and how you should treat them."

**"She doesn't know," said Ron, staring resentfully after Hermione. "She's just trying to get me to talk to her again."**

Charlie scowled, "Doubtful Ron."

**AJ glared before running after her sister in all but blood. "You can be such an asshole Ron!" she shouted**

Remus smiled sweetly before Molly could open her mouth, "Choose your words very carefully Molly. I have no problems kicking you out of our home and not letting you back in."

**AJ caught up with Hermione in the deserted girls dorm. "What's up with Professor Lupin? Does he have cancer or something?"**

Tonks smiled, "Wizards and Witches can't get sick in those kind of terms, our magic protects us."

"I was really worried," admitted AJ "I didn't know what the Wizarding world was like when it came to getting a disease or something."

"**No. No nothing like that." Said Hermione. "Look if I tell you what I found out you can't tell anyone and just know that this doesn't change who is…well it does but not in the way you think."**

"Were you nervous of what AJ would think?" asked Bill

Hermione smiled, "No, AJ is very open minded but hearing what I was about to say was going to come as a shock."

**Seeing AJ nod, Hermione continued. "Okay, Professor Lupin is a werewolf but he only changes once a month and that's it. He's completely in control of his mind any other day of the month. What do you think?"**

Remus tensed slightly he didn't know how AJ would react, they never talked about it.

"**That's it? You made it seem like he was a vampire or something!" laughed AJ. "I'm cool with it, and I still trust him so it's not like I'm going to go running to the professors." Hermione smacked AJ with a pillow, which caused a round of laughter.**

AJ grinned, "You didn't really think I was going to react badly did you? "

"Not many people approach the subject of Werewolves with an open mind cub." Remus admitted

Sirius kissed his husband, "When will you realize that you have a family that loves you now and would never trade you for anything."

**At eight o'clock on Thursday evening, AJ left Gryffindor Tower for the History of Magic classroom. It was dark and empty when she arrived, but she lit the lamps with her wand and had waited only five minutes when Professor Lupin turned up, carrying a large packing case, which he heaved onto Professor Binn's desk.**

"It looked like you were carrying a dead body." Laughed AJ

**"What's that?" said AJ.**

Charlie smiled, "A boggart. AJ fears Dementors most, so the boggart would obviously turn into a Dementor."

"Thanks for lesson Professor Weasley," smiled Andy "maybe we can continue on the reading now."

**"Another boggart," said Professor Lupin, stripping off his cloak. "I've been combing the castle ever since Tuesday, and very luckily, I found this one lurking inside Mr. Filch's filing cabinet. It's the nearest we'll get to a real Dementor. The boggart will turn into a Dementor when he sees you, so we'll be able to practice on him. I can store him in my office when we're not using him; there's a cupboard under my desk he'll like."**

Regulus glared "Good choice of words."

"It's not like he knew what AJ had been through Reggie," stated Ted "just chill for a bit more and then we'll take down the Dursleys. Promise."

**"Okay," said AJ, trying to sound as though she wasn't apprehensive at all and merely glad that Professor Lupin had found such a good substitute for a real Dementor.**

Kingsley smiled "I doubt Remus would let you face a Dementor on your own anyhow."

**"So..." Professor Lupin had taken out his own wand, and indicated that AJ should do the same. "The spell I am going to try and teach you is highly advanced magic, AJ- well beyond ordinary Wizarding Level. It is called the Patronus Charm."**

"Yeah but AJ is obviously very advanced," smiled Tonks "can't forget that."

Andy grinned, "It still takes a lot of you magically because of the strength it takes to produce."

**"How does it work?" said AJ.**

**"Well, when it works correctly, It conjures up a Patronus," said Lupin, "which is a kind of anti- Dementor - a guardian that acts as a shield between you and the Dementor."**

Bill smiled, "That's actually a really good way to describe it. It's like your own personal body guard that you can call on in a moments notice."

**AJ had a sudden vision of herself crouching behind a Hagrid-sized figure holding a large club.**

AJ snickered at her past self, thank Merlin her Patronus wasn't something like that.

**Professor Lupin continued, "The Patronus is a kind of positive force, a projection of the very things that the Dementor feeds upon - hope, happiness, the desire to survive - but it cannot feel despair, as real humans can, so the dementors can't hurt it. But I must warn you, AJ, that the charm might be too advanced for you. Many qualified wizards have difficulty with it."**

Remus held up his hands in defense. "I stand corrected!"

**"What does a Patronus look like?" said AJ curiously.**

"Mines a husky," remarked Charlie "I'm not at all sure why but it is."

Hermione's brow furrowed "Usually the Patronus takes the shape of something important to you."

**"Each one is unique to the wizard who conjures it."**

**"And how do you conjure it?"**

"By using a very simple charm." Remarked Tonks

Sirius gaped, "Really Tonks? Like for real? I think she knows that now." Tonks tried to hide a laugh but it was no use.

**"With an incantation, which will work only if you are concentrating, with all your might, on a single, very happy memory."**

"That was more difficult than actually doing the damn charm." Muttered AJ

Remus nodded, "It's really hard to think of a memory that is happy enough to withstand a Dementor."

**AJ cast her mind about for a happy memory. Certainly, nothing that had happened to her at the Dursleys' was going to do.** **Finally, she settled on the moment when she had first ridden a broomstick.**

"I don't know if that's going to be powerful enough," said Regulus "I mean, it could be. But usually it has to be more then that."

**"Right," she said, trying to recall as exactly as possible the wonderful, soaring sensation of her stomach.**

All the flyers in the room smiled wistfully, the feeling of being on a broom was the best feeling ever.

**"The incantation is this -" Professor Lupin cleared his throat. "Expecto patronum!"**

**"Expecto patronum," AJ repeated under her breath, "Expecto patronum."**

"I'm getting nervous," laughed Bill "just having to hear about this makes me a little jumpy."

Kingsley bit his lip, "I know what you mean mate, obviously she knows the incantation but who knows how well this will work."

**"Concentrating hard on your happy memory?"**

**"Oh - yeah -" said AJ; quickly forcing her thoughts back to that first broom ride. "** **Expecto patronum, expecto patronum" Something whooshed suddenly out of the end of his wand; it looked like a wisp of silvery gas.**

Everyone was smiling at the teen, she was already getting the hang of it and she didn't even need to do it more then once.

**"Did you see that?" said AJ excitedly. "Something happened!"**

AJ rolled her eyes at the smiling people in the room; she hated being the center of attention.

**"Very good," said Lupin, smiling. "Right, then - ready to try it on a Dementor?"**

Sirius kept fidgeting, he was worried AJ wouldn't be able to do it right away and she would beat herself up over it.

**"Yes," AJ said, gripping her wand very tightly, and moving into the middle of the deserted classroom.**

"Take all the time you need," advised Andy. "You don't want to overdue it."

**She tried to keep her mind on flying, but something else kept intruding... Any second now, she might hear her mother again... but she shouldn't think that.**

Hermione looked down, "It's hard not to think of that. That's something huge and pushing it out of a mind like yours is probably too difficult to do."

**Professor Lupin grasped the lid of the packing case and pulled. A Dementor rose slowly from the box, its hooded face turned toward AJ, one glistening, scabbed hand gripping its cloak. The lamps around the classroom flickered and went out. The Dementor stepped from the box and started to sweep silently toward AJ, drawing a deep, rattling breath. A wave of piercing cold broke over her –**

Charlie hugged AJ reminding himself that she was here and alive. The Dementors couldn't reach her in Grimauld let alone past her fathers.

**"Expecto patronum!" AJ yelled. "Expecto patronum! Expecto -"** **But the classroom and the Dementor were dissolving... AJ was failing again through thick white fog, and her mother's voice was louder than ever, echoing inside her head –**

Everyone looked sick while AJ pretended to be on a warm beach with Charlie by her side.

**"Not AJ! Not AJ! Please - I'll do anything!"**

**"Stand aside. Stand aside, girl!"**

"Was that Voldemort?" asked Tonks timidly

AJ nodded, "The one and only."

**"AJ!"**

**AJ jerked back to life. She was lying flat on her back on the floor. The classroom lamps were alight again. She didn't have to ask what had happened.** **"Sorry," she muttered, sitting up and feeling cold sweat trickling down her forehead.**

"I was really worried," admitted Remus "my urge was to just wrap you in a tight hug but I knew that probably wouldn't have gone well."

Ted sighed, "You never know mate, but it's probably for the best that you didn't just because you were a professor at the time."

**"Are you all right?" said Professor Lupin.**

**"Yes." AJ pulled herself up on one of the desks and leaned against it.**

Regulus scowled, "You aren't weak if you admit that you weren't okay sweets. It's completely understandable to not be okay after that."

**"Here -" Professor Lupin handed her a Chocolate Frog. "Eat this before we try again. I didn't expect you to do it your first time; in fact, I would have been astounded if you had."**

Hermione smiled, "There has never been a case of being able to handle the charm at a first chance. It's just unheard of."

"How would you know?" scowled Ron

"Because I read," growled Hermione "I actually try to gain facts and information from books rather then here say."

**"It's getting worse," AJ muttered, biting off the Frog's head. "I could hear her louder that time - and him - Voldemort."**

Bill made a face; "Don't take it out on the poor defenseless frog."

**Professor Lupin looked paler than usual.** **"AJ, if you don't want to continue, I will more than understand -"**

"I think he would rather you didn't continue at the time, you were going through a lot and it was probably emotionally draining." Remarked Charlie

Sirius nodded, "Takes a lot out of a person to hear their persons last words."

**"I do!" said AJ pulling her black hair into a messy bun. "I've got to! What if the dementors turn up at our match against Ravenclaw? I can't afford to fall off again. If we lose this game we've lost the Quidditch Cup!"**

Kingsley rubbed his forehead, "Why are you so obsessed! You're turning into a women version of Oliver! Soon you're going to be having panic attacks over the game and trying to drown yourself in the showers."

"It's an important game!" laughed Tonks "You know how important the game was when you were in school."

**"All right then..." said Professor Lupin. "You might want to select another memory, a happy memory, I mean, to concentrate on... That one doesn't seem to have been strong enough..."**

"Obviously," laughed AJ "I did practically pass out after all."

**AJ thought hard and decided her feelings when Gryffindor had won the House Championship last year had definitely qualified as very happy. She gripped his wand tightly again and took up her position in the middle of the classroom.**

"I don't think that will be strong enough," mumbled Charlie "it just doesn't have the power."

Sirius nodded, "Of course it's happy but it's not enough to get rid of those vial creatures."

**"Ready?" said Professor Lupin, gripping the box lid.**

**"Ready," said AJ; trying hard to fill her head with happy thoughts about Gryffindor winning, and not dark thoughts about what was going to happen when the box opened.**

Ginny rolled her eyes, "It doesn't seem that hard. You're just making it difficult."

"Then why don't you have a go at it?" yelled Ted "You obviously have superior knowledge then the rest of us."

**"Go!" said Professor Lupin, pulling off the lid.**

Everyone waited with baited breath, they weren't sure if the memory AJ had was powerful enough or not.

**The room went icily cold and dark once more. The Dementor glided forward, drawing its breath; one rotting hand was extending toward AJ- "Expecto patronum!" AJ yelled. "Expecto patronum! Expecto Pat -"**

"Keep going!" yelled Hermione "Just don't give up!"

Tonks nodded, "Just keep thinking happy thoughts! It'll work!"

**White fog obscured her senses... big, blurred shapes were moving around him... then came a new voice, a man's voice, shouting, panicking –**

"A mans voice?" asked Regulus

Remus nodded, "She's going to hear James."

**"Lily, take AJ and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off -" The sounds of someone stumbling from a room - a door bursting open - a cackle of high- pitched laughter –**

AJ ignored the looks of pity to once again join Charlie on a beach. On the beach it was just the two of them, no one else was around and no one could ruin their happiness.

**"AJ! AJ... wake up..."** **Professor ****Lupin was tapping AJ hard on the face. This time it was a minute before AJ understood why she was lying on a dusty classroom floor.**

Andy sniffed, "This just isn't fair. She doesn't need to be going through this. This is your entire fault Albus! You know damn well that you could have forced Fudges idea away but no! Now look at what you're causing!"

"I had no choice Andromeda." Said Dumbledore softly.

**"I heard my dad," AJ muttered. "That's the first time I've ever heard him - he tried to take on Voldemort himself, to give my mum time to run for it..." She wanted to cry, wanted to scream but she held it in. She did what she did best; she placed all the pain in a pretend box where she could deal with it when she was ready…or never if she chose.**

Sirius sighed, "Please don't block your emotions anymore pup, it's all going to come out at the worse possible time. You can come to any of us day or night and we'll listen to you."

"I'll try daddy." Promised AJ

**"You heard James?" said Lupin in a strange voice.**

"I wasn't expecting you to say that." Commented Remus "It was a shock to say the least."

**"Yeah..." Face void of emotion AJ looked up. "Did you know my dad?"**

Remus and Sirius grinned; they had so many stories to tell AJ about their time with James.

**"I - I did, as a matter of fact," said Lupin. "We were friends at Hogwarts. Listen, AJ - perhaps we should leave it here for tonight. This charm is ridiculously advanced... I shouldn't have suggested putting you through this..."**

"You didn't think that would work did you?" laughed Charlie "AJ is determined to get the charm right and she won't stop until she does."

**"No!" said AJ. She got up again.**

Hermione and Charlie laughed, that was the AJ they knew and loved.

**"I'll have one more go! I just have to come up with a happier memory."** **Sh****e racked her brains. A really, really happy memory... one that she could turn into a good, strong Patronus... **

"How about when you set the snake on your cousin?" Tonks laughed, "That would make me produce a good one."

Kingsley smirked "Maybe she needs one a little more powerful, crazy I know. But that may not be the best."

**The moment when she'd first found out she was a wizard, and would be leaving the Dursleys for Hogwarts! If that wasn't a happy memory, she didn't know what was...**

Bill nodded, "Great! That could actually work really well."

**Concentrating very hard on how she had felt when she'd realized she'd be leaving Privet Drive, AJ got to her feet and faced the packing case once more. "Ready?" said Professor Lupin, who looked as though he were doing this against his better judgment.**

"I was!" laughed Remus "I wanted you to take a break before you drained yourself."

AJ snickered, "Not until I got it right, I would have worked on it myself if I had to."

**"Concentrating hard? All right - go!"** **He pulled off the lid of the case for the third time, and the Dementor rose out of it; the room fell cold and dark.**

Everyone was sitting forward, even Snape wanted to know what was to come.

**"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" AJ bellowed. "EXPECTO PATRONUM! EXPECTO PATRONUM!"** **The screaming inside AJ's head had started again - except this time, it sounded as though it were coming from a badly tuned radio - softer and louder and softer again - and she could still see the Dementor - it had halted - and then a huge, silver shadow came bursting out of the end of AJ's wand, to hover between her and the Dementor,** **and though AJ's legs felt like water, he was still on his feet - though for how much longer, she wasn't sure –**

"You did it!" shouted Sirius "My baby produced a Patronus after her first lesson!"

Regulus was laughing, "I can't believe it! I knew you could do it but at fourteen? That's just incredible! You are amazing sweets! Simply amazing!"

**"Riddikulus!" roared Professor Lupin, springing forward.**

"Wow," breathed Ted "that must have been awesome to witness."

**There was a loud crack, and AJ's cloudy Patronus vanished along with the Dementor; she sank into a chair, feeling as exhausted as if she'd just run a mile,** **and felt her legs shaking. **

"Your adrenaline is draining," said Hermione "eat some chocolate and when I say some I mean a lot."

**Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Professor Lupin forcing the boggart back into the packing case with his wand; it had turned into a silvery orb again.**

AJ and Hermione shared looks; thankfully no one else in the school knew what he was truly afraid of.

**"Excellent!" Lupin said, striding over to where AJ sat. "Excellent, AJ! That was definitely a start! Here -"** **He handed AJ a large bar of Honeydukes' best chocolate.**

"Nothing but the best for AJ Potter." Grumbled Ron under his breath.

**"Eat the lot, or Madam Pomfrey will be after my blood.** **Same time next week?"**

**"Okay," said AJ.** **Sh****e took a bite of the chocolate and watched Professor Lupin extinguishing the lamps that had rekindled with the disappearance of the Dementor.**

Kingsley shook his head, "How were you no dead on your feet after that? I would have fallen asleep and not have woken up for days."

"That makes me feel safe," snorted Ted "thank Merlin you're an Auror."

**The memories from before seemed to come back.** **"Professor Lupin?" she said. "If you knew my dad, you must've known Sirius Black as well."**

"Geez way to sugar coat it." Laughed Hermione

**Lupin turned very quickly.** **"What gives you that idea?" he said sharply.**

"I didn't mean to snap," apologized Remus "you just caught me off guard."

AJ shrugged it off, "I understand. That's not something that is really talked about on a daily basis."

**"Nothing - I mean, I just knew they were friends at Hogwarts too..."**

**Professor Lupin's face relaxed.** **"Yes, I knew him," he said shortly. "Or I thought I did. You'd better be off, AJ, it's getting late."**

"You guys are really slick in this chapter," giggled Andy "no wonder AJ and Hermione were able to figure out all your dirty little secrets."

**AJ left the classroom, walking along the corridor and around a corner, then took a detour behind a suit of armour and sank down on its plinth to finish her chocolate, wishing she hadn't mentioned Sirius Black, as Lupin was obviously not keen on the subject.**

Regulus scoffed, "He just hadn't gotten any in awhile so he was a little sensitive to hear about his mate. Nothing against you sweets."

"You're an ass!" shouted Sirius over the laughter.

**Then AJ's thoughts wandered back to her mother and father... She felt drained and strangely empty, even though she was so full of chocolate. **

Charlie kissed AJ's head, "You're not alone anymore though punk."

"I know that love," smiled AJ "it was just a hard year for me."

**Terrible though it was to hear her parents' last moments replayed inside his head, these were the only times AJ had heard their voices since she was a very small child.** **But she'd never be able to produce a proper Patronus if she half wanted to hear her parents again...**

Bill winced, "There are plenty of other ways to hear your parents that won't cause you to lose your soul."

"That was sweet Bill," snorted Hermione "maybe you should write for greeting cards."

**"They're dead," she told herself sternly. "They're dead and listening to echoes of them won't bring them back. You'd better get a grip on yourself if you want that Quidditch Cup."** **She stood up, crammed the last bit of chocolate into her mouth, and headed back to Gryffindor Tower to tell Hermione about her lesson.**

"Did you get any sleep that night?" asked Ted

AJ snorted, "Hardly. We were both excited over me being able to do the patronus charm."

**Ravenclaw played Slytherin a week after the start of term. Slytherin won, though narrowly. According to Wood, this was good news for Gryffindor, who would take second place if they beat Ravenclaw too. **

"He's going to go obsessing over the game again isn't he?" asked Kingsley "No wait, I already know the answer to that."

**He therefore increased the number of team practices to five a week.** **This meant that with Professor Lupin's anti-Dementor classes, which in themselves were more draining than six Quidditch practices, AJ had just one night a week to do all her homework.**

Sirius gaped, "How did you manage to stay alive?"

"I have my ways." Grinned AJ

**Even so, she was showing the strain nearly as much as Hermione, whose immense workload finally seemed to be getting to her. Every night, without fail, Hermione was to be seen in a corner of the common room, several tables spread with books, Arithmancy charts, rune dictionaries, diagrams of Muggles lifting heavy objects,** **and file upon file of extensive notes; she barely spoke to anybody and snapped when she was interrupted.**

Hermione winced, but AJ waved it off. She understood her not being able to tell her about the time turner, she could have gotten into serious trouble if she told even her best friend.

**"How's she doing it?" Ron muttered to AJ one evening as AJ sat finishing a nasty essay on Undetectable Poisons for Snape.**

"I had that same essay," muttered Tonks "I don't think I ever handed it in though."

Snape glared, "You didn't. You had more missing homework then most students did every class combined."

**AJ looked up. Hermione was barely visible behind a tottering pile of books.** **"Doing what?"**

"You really didn't notice?" remarked Andy

AJ shrugged, "At the time I didn't care to wonder what Ron was talking about."

**"Getting to all her classes!" Ron said. "I heard her talking to Professor Vector, that Arithmancy witch,** **this morning. They were going on about yesterday's lesson, but Hermione can't've been there, because she was with us in Care of Magical Creatures! **

Remus shook his head, "If you were so concerned you could have asked her. Even if she would have gotten snappy you could have done it during a relaxing moment. You didn't really care you just wanted to know the big secret."

**And Ernie McMillan told me she's never missed a Muggle Studies class, but half of them are at the same time as Divination, and she's never missed one of them either!"**

"Are you sure you aren't a twin." Asked Charlie "There is another explanation of course, but I like the twin idea much better."

"It would be less illegal too." Muttered Ted

**AJ didn't have time to fathom the mystery of Hermione's impossible schedule at the moment; she really needed to complete Snape's essay before she killed someone out of frustration. Two seconds later, however, she was interrupted again, this time by Wood.**

"What does he want now? Does he need to tell you that he's a complete basket case and is going to get immediate medical attention?" ranted Bill "He's seriously going to far now."

**"Bad news, AJ. I've just been to see Professor McGonagall about the Firebolt. She - er - got a bit shirty with me. Told m' I'd got my priorities wrong.** **Seemed to think I cared more about winning the Cup than I do about you staying alive. **

Sirius scowled "But that's exactly true! He does care more about Quidditch!"

"He calms down after a while." Admitted AJ "Well after he graduated he calmed down."

**Just because I told her I didn't care if it threw you off, as long as you caught the Snitch first."** **Wood shook his head in disbelief. "Honestly, the way she was yelling at me... you'd think I'd said something terrible...** **then I asked her how much longer she was going to keep it." **

"And he lived to tell the tail?" Bill laughed "He's lucky McGonagall didn't kick his ass six ways to Sunday after that."

**He screwed up his face and imitated Professor McGonagall's severe voice. "'As long as necessary, Wood'... I reckon it's time you ordered a new broom, Harry. There's an order form at the back of Which Broomstick... you could get a Nimbus Two Thousand and One, like Malfoy's got."**

Regulus scowled "She doesn't need a broom like Malfoy has."

**"I'm not buying anything Malfoy thinks is good," said AJ flatly.**

Regulus and AJ shared a grin; they say great minds think alike.

**January faded imperceptibly into February, with no change in the bitterly cold weather. The match against Ravenclaw was drawing nearer and nearer, but AJ still hadn't ordered a new broom.**

"I wasn't going to anyhow, I knew I would get my broom back eventually." Said AJ

Hermione nodded, "I can't believe it took so long though."

**She was now asking Professor McGonagall for news of the Firebolt after every Transfiguration lesson,** **Ron standing hopefully at her shoulder, Hermione rushing past with her face averted.**

Everyone glared at Ron who still looked angered.

**"No, Potter, you can't have it back yet," Professor McGonagall told him the twelfth time this happened, before she'd even opened her mouth. "We've checked for most of the usual curses, but Professor Flitwick believes the broom might be carrying a Hurling Hex. I shall tell you once we've finished checking it. Now, please stop badgering me."**

"I've never used the Hurling Hex in my life." Sirius muttered angrily, "That hex is for wimps."

**To make matters even worse, AJ's anti-Dementor lessons were not going nearly as well as she had hoped. Several sessions on, she was able to produce an indistinct, silvery shadow every time the boggart-Dementor approached him, but her Patronus was too feeble to drive the Dementor away. **

Andy smiled sadly "You have too much on your mind, you have to clear your head beforehand."

"Don't put too much pressure on yourself either," advised Tonks "the more pressure the less likely you are to be able to do it."

**All it did was hover, like a semitransparent cloud, draining AJ of energy as she fought to keep it there.**

Sirius smiled, "You're doing more then most can do. Don't be too hard on yourself though."

**"You're expecting too much of yourself," said Professor Lupin, sternly in their fourth week of practice. "For a fourteen-year-old wizard, even an indistinct Patronus is a huge achievement.** **You aren't passing out anymore, are you?"**

Charlie grinned, "See? You're doing great punk. Just take a deep breath and try to remain calm."

"It's in the past." Muttered Ron "Lets not forget it's in the past."

"That's true, but for us it's just happening." Argued Charlie

**"I thought a Patronus would - charge the dementors down or something," said AJ dispiritedly. "Make them disappear -"**

AJ smiled to herself, she could do it now and it was one of the best feelings in the world.

**"The true Patronus does do that," said Lupin. "But you've achieved a great deal in a very short space of time. If the dementors put in an appearance at your next Quidditch match, you will be able to keep them at bay long enough to get back to the ground."**

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Oh yeah she got the charm perfect for the next match."

**"You said it's harder if there are loads of them," said AJ.**

Kingsley shrugged, "It is harder but not impossible. Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it kiddo."

**"I have complete confidence in you," said Lupin, smiling. "Here - you've earned a drink - something from the Three Broomsticks. You won't have tried it before -" He pulled two bottles out of his briefcase.** **They drank the butterbeer in silence, until AJ voiced something she'd been wondering for a while.**

"Asking about Sirius again?" wondered Regulus

Remus grinned, "No Peter Cotton Tail, she had a different concern this time."

**"What's under a Dementors hood?"**

Everyone looked thoughtful, they weren't sure if anyone knew.

**Professor Lupin lowered his bottle thoughtfully.** **"Hmmm... Well, the only people who really know are in no condition to tell us. You see, the Dementor lowers its hood only to use its last and worst weapon."**

Sirius bit his lip; he had come so close to receiving the kiss.

**"What's that?"**

"The Dementors Kiss." Sirius said with a lump in his throat.

**"They call it the Dementors Kiss," said Professor Lupin, with a slightly twisted smile.** **"It's what dementors do to those they wish to destroy utterly. I suppose there must be some kind of mouth under there, because they clamp their jaws upon the mouth of the victim and - and suck out his soul."**

Tonks gaged "Seriously? You couldn't have phrased that differently?"

"How else could I?" asked Remus "She asked and I told her."

**AJ accidentally spat out a bit of butterbeer.** **"What - they kill -?"**

"No then it wouldn't be a fate worse then death." Sighed Ted "What they do is absolutely horrific."

Hermione gaped "People actually witness this happening?"

"Of course, the Minister and a handful of Aurors are inside a room with a glass window that allows them to see what is happening." Stated Ted

**"Oh no," said Professor Lupin. "Much worse than that. You can exist without your soul, you know, as long as your brain and heart are still working. **

AJ shuddered, "It basically sucks out your entire being."

**But you'll have no sense of self anymore, no memory, no anything. There's no chance at all of recovery. You'll just exist. As an empty shell. And your soul is gone forever... lost."**

"I don't know if anyone deserves that," mumbled Sirius "of course there are death eaters out there that need to be punished but even they deserve death before their soul being sucked out."

Regulus smiled, "That's because you're a good person Siri, you aren't like our parents and you feel sympathy for people."

**Lupin drank a little more butterbeer, than said, "It's the fate that awaits Sirius Black. It was in the Daily Prophet this morning. The Ministry have given the dementors permission to perform it if they find him."**

Remus, Sirius and AJ all shuddered at that. They would do everything their power to make sure that Sirius didn't die or was handed over to the Ministry.

**AJ sat stunned for a moment at the idea of someone having their soul sucked out through their mouth. But then she thought of Sirius Black and even then she didn't think he deserve it.**

Hermione wiped away a tear; "It's easier to feel compassion for an innocent man rather then someone who is supposedly guilty."

**They finished their butterbeers; AJ thanked Professor Lupin, and left the History of Magic classroom.** **AJ half wished that she hadn't asked what was under a Dementors hood, the answer had been so horrible, and she was so lost in unpleasant thoughts of what it would feel like to have your soul sucked out of you that she walked headlong into Professor McGonagall halfway up the stairs.**

Bill winced "Is she going to tell you that the broom has been destroyed?"

"It wasn't destroyed. But trust me the thought had crossed my mind."

**"Do watch where you're going, Potter!"**

**"Sorry, Professor -"**

Remus smirked, "She is one of the scariest professors that has ever worked at Hogwarts."

"Yeah but you guys had her all wrapped around your fingers." Argued Ted with a laugh.

**"I've just been looking for you in the Gryffindor common room. Well, here it is, we've done everything we could think of, and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it at all. You've got a very good friend somewhere, Potter..."**

"Or just a really caring parent," smiled Tonks "I wouldn't mind getting the Firebolt for Christmas."

Andy snickered "Good look with that Dora, you have a job now I think you can afford one yourself."

**"I can have it back?" AJ said. "Seriously?"**

Everyone snickered at AJ's choice of words.

**"Seriously," said Professor McGonagall, and she was actually smiling. "I daresay you'll need to get the feel of it before Saturday's match, won't you? And Potter - do try and win, won't you? **

Kingsley shook his head, "How did I know that was coming?"

"You can predict the future now too?" laughed Hermione

**Or we'll be out of the running for the eighth year in a row, as Professor Snape was kind enough to remind me only last night..."**

Snape smirked at the glare he received from the room. They were all so easy to rile up.

**Speechless, AJ carried the Firebolt back upstairs toward Gryffindor Tower. As she turned a corner, she saw Ron dashing toward her, grinning from ear to ear.** **"She gave it to you? Excellent! Listen; can I still have a go on it? Tomorrow?"**

Regulus snorted "You really only care about the materialistic things don't you? You didn't care that AJ was safe you just cared that she had a new broom."

"That's not true!" yelled Ron

"Really?" asked Regulus "Because it seems to me that you're only around when things are going good. But once something happens you are out of AJ's life and searching for someone else to hang on to."

**"Yeah... anything," said AJ, her heart lighter than it had been in a month. "You know what – you should make up with Hermione...** **She was only trying to help..."**

AJ smirked, "It was getting annoying to have Ron throw a death glare and then ask me why Hermione was so mad."

**"Yeah, all right," said Ron. "She's in the common room now working, for a change -"** **They turned into the corridor to Gryffindor Tower and saw Neville Longbottom, pleading with Sir Cadogan, who seemed to be refusing him entrance.**

"Oh the poor boy," muttered Andy "he really should try a memory charm or something."

Sirius grinned, "He did write them down. Which by the way was very helpful."

"What did you do?" scowled Andy trying to look reproachful.

**"I wrote them down!" Neville was saying tearfully. "But I must've dropped them somewhere!"**

Ron rolled his eyes while Ginny snorted at Neville's stupidity.

**"A likely tale!" roared Sir Cadogan. Then, spotting AJ and Ron: "Good even, my fine young people! Come clap this loon in irons.** **He is trying to force entry to the chambers within!"**

"He knows that Neville is a lion though!" yelled Tonks "He's making it seem like a snake or someone was trying to get in."

Ted snickered, "The faster the fat lady gets back from her breakdown the better for all the Gryffindor's."

**"Oh, shut up," said Ron as he and AJ drew level with Neville.**

Hermione glared "You can be so rude! He may just be a painting but he does need to be treated with some level of respect!"

**"I've lost the passwords!" Neville told them miserably. "I made him tell me what passwords he was going to use this week, because he keeps changing them, and now I don't know what I've done with them!"**

"Why doesn't he have a buddy?" asked Remus "I know it sounds very childish but someone should make sure that he knows the passwords."

AJ nodded, "It would prevent him from getting locked out of the room that's for sure."

**"Oddsbodikins," said AJ to Sir Cadogan, who looked extremely disappointed and reluctantly swung forward to let them into the common room.** **There was a sudden, excited murmur as every head turned and the next moment, people exclaiming over her Firebolt surrounded AJ.**

AJ rolled her eyes; it annoyed her to no end when people did that.

**"Where'd you get it, AJ?"**

**"Will you let me have a go?"**

**"Have you ridden it yet, AJ?"**

**"Ravenclaw'll have no chance, they're all on Cleansweep Sevens!"**

**"Can I just hold it, AJ?"**

"Can I hold it?" laughed Charlie "It's like a soft porno."

Everyone snickered while Ginny and Ron looked confused, "What is a soft porno? What's a porno?"

Charlie looked to Bill with wide eyes, "Um maybe you should talk to Dad or someone about this." Muttered Bill trying to fight laughter.

**After ten minutes or so, during which the Firebolt was passed around and admired from every angle, the crowd dispersed and AJ and Ron had a clear view of Hermione, the only person who hadn't rushed over to them, bent over her work and carefully avoiding Ron's eye. AJ and Ron approached her table and at last, she looked up.**

"You didn't want to see the Firebolt up close and personal?" giggled Tonks

Hermione scoffed, "I don't mind watching AJ play but just looking at the broom is weird to me. Must be my muggle upbringing."

"I was the same way," admitted Ted "the game was fascinating to me and I enjoyed playing but the hype over the brooms was beyond me."

"At least I'm not alone in this!" laughed Hermione

**"I got it back," said AJ, grinning at her and holding up the Firebolt.**

Regulus snickered, "I think she realized that sweets."

**"See, Hermione? There wasn't anything wrong with it!" said Ron.**

"Now that's what AJ had in mind when she said apologize," bit out Sirius "seriously? How hard is it to just say 'sorry I'm an ass' and move on with your lives?"

Molly glared "That is enough Sirius Black! You will not attack my son like that or teach him such vulgar language!"

"Are you kidding me?" fumed Sirius "He's a fourteen year old boy who has five older brothers who don't have the cleanest of mouths. I'm sure that he's heard worse just walking around the common room after Potions class! For the final time Molly I will not tolerate being attacked in my home, if you say one more word against me, my husband, my daughter or my brother you will be sorry. I will show you why the entire Wizarding World thought I was damn murderer!" Molly open and closed her mouth a few times before huffing and shaking her head.

**"Well - there might have been!" said Hermione. "I mean, at least you know now that it's safe!"**

AJ smiled, "I'm just happy you got my back love."

"For sure babe." Grinned Hermione

**AJ set her broom down, while Ron ran up to his dorm to get the rat tonic for Scabbers.**

AJ and Hermione glared at a scowling Ron, here comes yet another tantrum.

**AJ looked around at the cluttered table, at the long Arithmancy essay on which the ink was still glistening, at the even longer Muggle Studies essay ("Explain Why Muggles Need Electricity" and at the rune translation Hermione was now poring over.**

Tonks smiled, "I should have taken that class. Talk about an easy O."

"I took it for a semester before dropping it," admitted Kingsley "it was just too boring for me. I like a challenge."

**"How are you getting through all this stuff without falling behind?" AJ asked her.**

Andy nodded, "That's something we would all like to know."

**"Oh, well - you know - working hard," said Hermione.**

**Close-up, AJ saw that she looked almost as tired as Lupin.**

Ted bit his lip to prevent himself from laughing his niece was so flattering.

**"Why don't you just drop a couple of subjects?" AJ asked, watching her lifting books as she searched for her rune dictionary.**

"You can't do that unless it's the end of the year or your class work is suffering." Explained Bill

Remus grinned "I doubt she would even drop the classes if she could."

**"I couldn't do that!" said Hermione, looking scandalized.**

**"Arithmancy looks hard," said AJ, picking up a very complicated-looking number chart.**

Hermione smiled, "I love that subject! I really want to continue to learn about the subject even after I graduate."

**"Oh no, it's wonderful!" said Hermione earnestly.** **"It's my favorite subject! It's -"** **But exactly what was wonderful about Arithmancy, AJ never found out.**

"Did you finally fall asleep?" asked Sirius with laughter

AJ shook her head, "You have no idea how badly I wish that was the case."

**At that precise moment, a strangled yell echoed down the boys' staircase. The whole common room fell silent, staring, petrified, at the entrance. **

Andy rolled her eyes, "Here we go, and I knew something was going to happen. Something was going to cause the world to end as we know it."

"Who wants to be bet it has something to do with Scabbers?" grinned Tonks

**Then came hurried footsteps, growing louder and louder - and then Ron came leaping into view, dragging with him a bed sheet.**

Kingsley snickered "A bed sheet? Really? Are you that desperate to get some that you carry around a bed sheet?"

"Shh," whispered AJ "it's supposed to be a secret."

**"LOOK!" he bellowed, striding over to Hermione's table. "LOOK!" he yelled, shaking the sheets in her face.**

Bill scowled but kept silent; he had no idea that his brother was this out of control.

**"Ron, what -?"**

**"SCABBERS! LOOK! SCABBERS!"**

"Ron!" yelled Bill "Back the fuck off man!"

Ron scowled "My rat could have been killed and was all that bitch-" but before he could continue Bill had landed punch to Ron's mouth. There was a little bit of blood slipping from his cut lip.

"I told you to watch your mouth but like always you didn't listen! Watch your attitude and how you speak to others!" growled Bill. Molly and Ginny were trying to comfort Ron while everyone was sending Bill grateful smiles.

**Hermione was leaning away from Ron, looking utterly bewildered.** **AJ looked down at the sheet Ron was holding. There was something red on it. Something that looked horribly like –**

"Blood?" suggested a laughing Sirius "He cut himself to make it look like he was killed, pathetic little ass."

**"BLOOD!" Ron yelled into the stunned silence. "HE'S GONE! AND YOU KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE FLOOR?"**

Remus rolled his eyes, "He really went far this time to prove his death. He never was any good with the planning process."

"Pathetic little twerp." Growled AJ

**"N - no," said Hermione in a trembling voice.** **Ron threw something down Hermione's rune translation. Hermione and AJ leaned forward. Lying on top of the weird, spiky shapes were several long, ginger cat hairs.**

Bill shut the book while Molly muttered something about getting dinner ready.

Sirius got up, "AJ can you and Hermione come with us up the library? We want to talk to the two of you." AJ and Hermione nodded following Remus and Sirius up the stairs wondering if they were in trouble.

**AN: Thank you so much for the amazing reviews! I worked hard on this chapter to make sure everything fit the way I wanted it to. Just to stress this again, AJ is one year older then the books just because of her relation with Charlie. If mistakes are made, I'm sorry but I do try to catch them all. Next chapter will be a break chapter. Thanks again! Read and Review :)**


	56. Talking With Family

Once in the library AJ and Hermione sat down on the couch by the fireplace while Remus and Sirius looked through books. Hermione elbowed AJ in the side, AJ shrugged at her friends look. She had no idea what was going to happen she only hoped they weren't in too much trouble.

"Do you think we did something wrong?" asked Hermione

AJ shrugged "What could we have done wrong? And why would my parents bring you in here if we are in trouble, it's not like they have much say."

"Well yeah they kind of do," argued Hermione "they're my magical guardians while I'm in the Wizarding world. Obviously my parents can't come to Hogwarts if I'm in trouble, so Remus or Sirius would come in. The first two years Professor McGonagall was my guardian but that changed over third year."

Just as AJ was going to ask something, Remus and Sirius sat down across from them holding two books each. Seeing his daughters looks Sirius smiled, "We have something we want to ask you guys and it's completely up to you two on what you decide."

"Of course we think this is a good idea, but like your dad said it's completely up you guys." Seeing the impatient looks he was gaining, Remus smiled "How would like to become an Animagus? Both of you?"

"For real?" asked AJ smiling "Like we can really do this?"

Hermione gaped, "Wow! Wait what about the age restriction?"

"When have I ever done as the law said?" laughed Sirius "We'll keep it under wraps until you both turn seventeen and then we'll lie to the ministry and we'll just tell them you just completed the process and you'll be registered."

Remus rolled his eyes, "It would be really good for the two of you to have an extra amount of protection that no one knows about. Being able to turn into an animal gives you something up on your opponent; you can win a duel and even escape more easily then before. This would be really good for the two of you."

"Is Ron going to be doing this too?" asked Hermione with a grin

Sirius scowled, "If you want Ron to do this with you guys, that's fine but you're going to be the one to ask Molly for her permission. Then you can also be the ones to explain why his mother was turned into a cockroach."

"A cockroach?" laughed AJ "Anyways, what are the books for?"

Remus handed them the two books, "Those are books that I want you both to read over so you can understand what being an Animagus entails and how to do the potion. Of course Siri and myself will watch over the brewing process but since part of the transformation is creating your own potion you each will have to do most of the work. Don't worry, it's complex but if you follow the steps carefully you'll do fine."

"This is going to be so amazing!" beamed Hermione "We should start the reading later tonight. Oh my god AJ! We're actually doing this!"

AJ smiled "I know! This is going to be so much fun, hopefully we aren't something weird like a worm and a bird." Hermione laughed at her friend, "Can we tell Charlie and Bill?" asked AJ innocently

Sirius huffed, "How did I know this was coming? Yes you can tell them, just those two. We aren't even telling Andy and Ted about this, the less people know the better."

"When can we start the potion?" Hermione asked eagerly

Remus grinned, "You can start as soon as you're done with the readings, it's very important that you do the readings." Sirius smiled at his husband, he was happy that AJ and Hermione agreed to do this, they both knew that they would agree but there are always doubts. Remus signaled for Sirius to continue with what needed to be said.

"AJ, I need to ask you something," Sirius took a deep breath "why are you friends with Ron? I'm not asking this to be mean or am trying to insult Ron in any way. I'm just curious as to the why."

AJ shrugged, "It started with him being the first person that I met in the Wizarding World and I thought we were real friends. But now I'm starting to see how different we actually are and how much he flips out over every little thing."

"He ditches you whenever you get into a mess," reminded Hermione "or when something doesn't go exactly right he treats us like garbage. You've said it before, you don't trust Ron completely, I don't know bug but it doesn't seem like we're going to be friends forever like we anticipated."

"We just want to make sure your both happy and are safe. Having a friend like Ron may bring you down." Explained Remus "Sirius and I aren't telling you who you can and cannot be friends with, that's your choice but we hope that you won't be hurt from the decisions you make." AJ and Hermione nodded, they had a lot to think about.

A thought came to AJ "How come I have memories of you guys but none of my mom or my dad. Why is that?" Sirius and Remus shared a look before Regulus barged into the room laughing hysterically.

"I love your boyfriend AJ, he is awesome!" laughed Regulus "But come on, Molly made dinner and she's being her usual charming self so maybe you lot could come down and ya know save me?" AJ and Hermione smirked; they hugged everyone and raced down the stairs. Once they were out of sight, Regulus turned "What's up with you two? You both look like you were told you have to sleep with Molly to repopulate the Wizarding World."

Remus gaged "That's disgusting Reggie, you couldn't have come up with a better analogy? Anyways AJ asked us why she doesn't have memories of Lilly and James. We knew she would ask but still I don't know how to handle it."

"She has to know eventually." Remarked Regulus "She has a right to know."

Sirius scowled, "How in the hell are we supposed to explain to AJ that even though her parents loved her they weren't ready to be parents so we basically raised her until that shit night? No Reggie, I want her to keep the image she has of Lilly and James the way it is. For now anyhow."

The men headed down into the dining room to hear laughter and jokes being told. AJ and Tonks were changing their features rapidly to see who would beat whom, to see AJ laughing and the carefree look she had gave her parents all the more reason to keep her first year and a half of life to themselves for now. As they sat down everyone was engaging in different conversations while Molly silently fumed, Ginny scowled and Ron looked down with anger in his eyes. Once everyone was back in the living room, Dumbledore picked up the book and read **"Gryffindor Versus Ravenclaw…"**

**AN: What should Hermione's animagus be? I already know what AJ's is going to be but I'm stuck on Hermione. Read and Review :)**


	57. Gryffindor vs Ravenclaw

**It looked like the end of Ron and Hermione's friendship.**

Hermione snickered, "Doesn't seem like there was ever a friendship to end."

**Each was so angry with the other that AJ couldn't see how they'd ever make up. Ron was enraged that Hermione had never taken Crookshanks' attempts to eat Scabbers seriously, hadn't bothered to keep a close enough watch on him, and was still trying to pretend that Crookshanks was innocent by suggesting that Ron look for Scabbers under all the boys' beds.**

"Okay, yes Hermione should have kept a better eye on Crookshanks but keep in mind that he is a cat and your pet was a rat. No matter what the cat goes after the rat." Remarked Ted

AJ laughed, "That was a good way to describe that. Very Cat in the Hat of you."

**Hermione, meanwhile, maintained fiercely that Ron had no proof that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, that the ginger hairs might have been there since Christmas,** **and that Ron had been prejudiced against her cat ever since Crookshanks had landed on Ron's head in the Magical Menagerie. **

"True," agreed Tonks "or the evidence could have been planted."

Sirius nodded, "Yeah but there's no reason to think that it was planted."

**Personally, AJ couldn't have cared less. She didn't like rats in either the Muggle World or the Wizarding World, one less rat was fine with her, but she kept her mouth shut.**

Everyone laughed loudly while Ron scowled "You didn't care at all?"

"No, I really didn't." admitted AJ "It's a rodent, I'm sorry for your loss and all but it's a rodent. If they live past a month you should could consider yourself lucky."

**Ron had taken the loss of his rat very hard indeed.**

"Of course he did," agreed Ginny "he was Ron's pet."

Charlie rolled his eyes, "That's not the point Ginny. Since we've been reading we've been hearing how fat and lazy the rat was. He never showed any form of love towards the rat, so what are we supposed to think?"

**"Come on, Ron, you were always saying how boring Scabbers was," said Fred bracingly. "And he's been off-color for ages, he was wasting away. It was probably better for him to snuff it quickly - one swallow - he probably didn't feel a thing."**

"Did he really say that?" laughed Andy "I cannot wait to meet these guys!"

AJ nodded, "It was hilarious because Fred was trying to be all nice and supportive and he ends up saying something like that."

**"Fred!" said Ginny indignantly.**

**"All he did was eat and sleep, Ron, you said it yourself," said George.**

Kingsley snickered, "Not much to miss. All you did was complain about how awful he was and how he was useless."

**"He bit Goyle for us once!" Ron said miserably. "Remember, AJ?"**

"His list of good qualities has ended with one." Laughed Regulus

Bill smirked, "He never did anything like that for Percy, he must have really liked Ron."

**"Yeah, that's true," said AJ.**

AJ grinned at the memory.

**"His finest hour," said Fred, unable to keep a straight face. "Let the scar on Goyle's finger stand as a lasting tribute to his, come on, Ron, get yourself down to Hogsmeade and buy a new rat, what's the point of moaning?"**

"Why not get a better pet?" asked Remus "Like a cat?"

Ron scowled at the laughter, "I didn't want another pet! I wanted my pet back but of course that couldn't happen because the cat ate it!"

"But the cat didn't eat your rat, your rat was a wizard! How are you forgetting this?" questioned Remus

**In a last-ditch attempt to cheer Ron up, AJ persuaded him to come along to the Gryffindor team's final practice before the Ravenclaw match, so that he could have a ride on the Firebolt after they'd finished. **

Charlie rolled his eyes, "Of course that's going to make you feel better. Anything that has to do with getting attention or being able to brag over something."

**This did seem to take Ron's mind off Scabbers for a moment ("Great! Can I try and shoot a few goals on it?") So they set off for the Quidditch field together.** **Madam Hooch, who was still overseeing Gryffindor practices to keep an eye on AJ, was just as impressed with the Firebolt as everyone else had been.**

"Why didn't you go to the field to watch?" asked Tonks

Hermione shrugged, "I didn't want to deal with Ron and I had a lot of school work I needed to complete."

**She took it in her hands before take off and gave them the benefit of her professional opinion.** **"Look at the balance on it! If the Nimbus series has a fault, it's a slight list to the tail end - you often find they develop a drag after a few years. **

"Did you have any idea what she was talking about?" asked Kingsley

AJ smiled, "No idea but she was so passionate about it I just let her go on with her speech."

**They've updated the handle too, a bit slimmer than the Cleansweeps, reminds me of the old Silver Arrows - a Pity they've stopped making them. I learned to fly on one, and a very fine old broom it was too..."**

Sirius smirked, "Apparently I did good when it came to buying that broom."

"You knew exactly the outcome when you bought the broom, don't play coy Siri." Smiled Remus

**She continued in this vein for some time, until Wood said, "Er - Madam Hooch? Is it okay if AJ has the Firebolt back? We need to practice..."**

Ted huffed, "Does he give you a long speech that doesn't seem to end?"

"He's just trying to get the team excited," laughed Andy "he's a good captain."

**"Oh - right - here you are, then, Potter," said Madam Hooch. "I'll sit over here with Weasley..."** **She and Ron left the field to sit in the stadium, and the Gryffindor team gathered around Wood for his final instructions for tomorrow's match.**

AJ leaned back, "Here we go, and here comes Woods great pep talk."

**"AJ, I've just found out who Ravenclaw is playing as Seeker. It's Cho Chang. **

Hermione laughed, "It's your best friend AJ! We should really bring her in to join the readings."

"You're delusional if you think that bitch is allowed in my home." Snorted AJ

"I thought you both made up?" Hermione giggled at AJ's look

**She's a fourth year, and she's pretty good...I really hoped she wouldn't be fit, she's had some problems with injuries..." **

Charlie kissed AJ, "You're better then her any day."

**Wood scowled his displeasure that Cho Chang had made a full recovery,** **than said, "On the other hand, she rides a Comet Two Sixty, which is going to look like a joke next to the Firebolt." He gave AJ's broom a look of fervent admiration,** **then said, "Okay, everyone, let's go - "**

"Not as bad as some of his speeches," admitted Regulus "he could have taken it a little farther."

Sirius nodded, "But you have to remember that this was just a practice."

**And at long last, AJ mounted her Firebolt, and kicked off from the ground. It was better than she'd ever dreamed. The Firebolt turned with the lightest touch; it seemed to obey her thoughts rather than her grip; it sped across the field at such speed that the stadium turned into a green-and-gray blur;** **AJ turned it so sharply that Alicia Spinnet screamed,** **then she went into a perfectly controlled dive, brushing the grassy field with her toes before rising thirty, forty, fifty feet into the air again.**

"That sounds amazing," sighed Charlie "we have to go flying soon."

AJ grinned, "For sure, you have no idea the feeling you get when you ride on that broom."

**"AJ, I'm letting the Snitch out!" Wood called.**

"Get ready to make the team proud." laughed Ted

**AJ turned and raced a Bludger toward the goal posts; she outstripped it easily,** **saw the Snitch dart out from behind Wood, and within ten seconds had caught it tightly in her hand.**

Bill grinned "Nicely done! Dragon boy probably couldn't even do that!" Charlie glared while plotting ways to get back at his brother.

**The team cheered madly. AJ let the Snitch go again, gave it a minute's head start, then tore after it, weaving in and out of the others; she spotted it lurking near Katie Bell's knee, looped her easily, and caught it again. **

Kingsley smirked, "Were you just showing off weren't you?"

"Maybe, maybe not." Stated AJ

**It was the best practice ever; the team, inspired by the presence of the Firebolt in their midst, performed their best moves faultlessly, and by the time they hit the ground again, Wood didn't have a single criticism to make, which, as George Weasley pointed out, was a first.**

Ron rolled his eyes, "At least you were on the team."

"Why don't you try out this year?" asked Tonks "Are you any good?"

"Of course I'm good!" said Ron with a scowl

**"I can't see what's going to stop us tomorrow!" said Wood. "Not unless - AJ, you've sorted out your Dementor problem, haven't you?"**

Andy stiffened "Does anyone give a shit that you are having horrible flash backs because of these horrible things? All they care about is the damn game!"

"Well the game is important." Grumbled Ginny

"It's not more important than AJ's health and wellbeing you ignorant little brat!" barked Andy "What is wrong with you? You and your brother are two of the most ignorant children that I have had to come in contact with! Some babies were dropped at birth but it's painfully obvious that you two were thrown at walls!" everyone stared at Andy with wide eyes; she had certainly inherited her fathers temper.

**"Yeah," said AJ.**

**"The dementors won't turn up again, Oliver. Dumbledore'd go ballistic," said Fred confidently.**

"Didn't seem to bother them before," growled Kingsley "it's not like we have any control over them and their ways. If they get hungry again they'll go back to the game again."

Tonks nodded, "They're all too naive and trusting. Hogwarts is safe but it doesn't mean that it's invincible."

**"Well, let's hope not," said Wood. "Anyway - good work, everyone. Let's get back to the tower... turn in early -"**

"That's actually a good idea," agreed Sirius "you'll need your strength for the game. You never know what could happen."

**"I'm staying out for a bit; Ron wants a go on the Firebolt," AJ told Wood, and while the rest of the team headed off to the locker rooms, AJ strode over to Ron, who vaulted the barrier to the stands and came to meet her.**

Hermione scoffed, she was really starting to see what Remus and Sirius were talking about.

**Madam Hooch had fallen asleep in her seat.** **"Here you go," said AJ, handing Ron the Firebolt.**

"Nice protecting," scoffed Charlie "if someone really was after punk, all they would have to do is get through Hooch."

Remus let out a breath; "She was the same way when we were all in school. Rolanda has a sleep disorder which for some reason was never taken into consideration when it came to her over looking practices."

**Ron, an expression of ecstasy on his face, mounted the broom and zoomed off into the gathering darkness while AJ walked around the edge of the field, watching him.**

"He looked like he was going to crash a few times." Admitted AJ

Sirius groaned, "I would have had to break his leg…oh wait I already did that."

**Night had fallen before Madam Hooch awoke with a start, told AJ and Ron off for not waking her,** **and insisted that they go back to the castle.**

Kingsley snorted "She's the one who fell asleep when she was supposed to be on watch duty."

**AJ shouldered the Firebolt and she and Ron walked out of the shadowy stadium, discussing the Firebolt's superbly smooth action, its phenomenal acceleration, and its pinpoint turning. **

"How much it cost it better have some good qualities." Remarked Ted

AJ smirked "You can't put a price on love."

"Well they certainly did!" laughed Ted

**They were halfway toward the castle when AJ, glancing to her left, saw something that made her heart turn over - a pair of eyes, gleaming out of the darkness.** **AJ stopped dead, her heart banging against her ribs.**

"Are you there?" asked Regulus

Sirius brow furrowed, "I wasn't there…it may have been another animal but it wasn't me for once."

**"What's the matter?" said Ron.**

Tonks and Kingsley wanted to yell at him for being so unobservant; he was going to get them all killed at this right.

**AJ pointed. Ron pulled out his wand and muttered, "Lumos!"** **A beam of light fell across the grass, hit the bottom of a tree, and illuminated its branches; there, crouching among the budding leaves, was Crookshanks.**

"Of course," mumbled Charlie "now we can hear how Ron has a spaz attack over nothing."

**"Get out of here!" Ron roared, and he stooped down and seized a stone lying on the grass,** **but before he could do anything else, Crookshanks had vanished with one swish of his long ginger tail.**

Hermione glared "What is wrong with you!? Why would you ever do something like that?"

"I didn't throw it!" shouted Ron "You're the one who kept the damn cat around even though he was attack peoples pets!"

"Pets? He never attacked any pet! Do you have a chemical imbalance or are you just an idiot? You must be an idiot if you don't remember why he was attacking the rat." Growled Hermione

**"See?" Ron said furiously, chucking the stone down again. "She's still letting him wander about wherever he wants - probably washing down Scabbers with a couple of birds now..."**

Sirius rolled his eyes, "You're being overly dramatic."

"**It's a cat Ron, you can't expect Hermione to keep him locked up all the time." Glared AJ.**

Hermione smiled gratefully, she wasn't aware of what happened or could have and was glad that AJ had her back.

**They set off for the castle once more; Ron wasn't speaking to AJ, which she was grateful for.**

"Must have been nice while it lasted," grinned Tonks "too bad it couldn't have lasted for the entire year."

Andy smirked, "All good things must come to an end."

**AJ went down to breakfast the next morning with the rest of the boys in third year Gryffindor, all of whom seemed to think the Firebolt deserved a sort of guard of honor.**

Kingsley shook his head, they took the game too far but he wouldn't mind seeing them win against his old house just so Oliver wouldn't off himself.

**As AJ entered the Great Hall, heads turned in the direction of the Firebolt, and there was a good deal of excited muttering. AJ saw, with enormous satisfaction, that the Slytherin team was all looking thunderstruck.**

Sirius grinned widely, "I am beyond happy that I could cause that. I'm a hero."

"You are a regular superhero Siri, I'm so happy to call you my husband." Commented Remus

**"Did you see his face?" said Ron gleefully, looking back at Malfoy. "He can't believe it! This is brilliant!"**

AJ snickered, "I absolutely love when his face looks like that, it's the only time I can tolerate it."

**Wood, too, was basking in the reflected glory of the Firebolt.** **"Put it here, AJ," he said, laying the broom in the middle of the table and carefully turning it so that its name faced upward.**

"Sweet Merlin," laughed Ted "he was really happy to have that broom on the team."

Bill nodded, "I'm surprised he didn't have someone watching it at all times to make sure that no one messed with it."

**People from the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables were soon coming over to look. **

"Of course they did," Regulus rolled his eyes "they just had to look at the new broom."

Charlie grinned, "You weren't a Quidditch nut either?"

"I liked the game just fine and I liked commentating it, but I know that AJ doesn't like the attention on her." Regulus stated

"**Nice broom AJ." commented Cedric with a smirk. AJ and Cedric had danced around the flirtation line but nothing had ever come of it. But by the look he was holding, he wanted more.**

"Did you ever date each other?" asked Andy

AJ shook her head, "No never, we flirted a lot around third year and only hooked up once but that was it." Charlie growled lowly, he and AJ were very possessive of each other. His growl ebbed away when AJ kissed him; he knew that they were meant for each other and the jealous sex would be amazing tonight.

**"Now, now, Penny, no sabotage!" said Percy heartily as his girlfriend examined the Firebolt closely.**

"Did she even play Quidditch?" asked Ted

Hermione thought, "No, she didn't play. But she was in Ravenclaw and obviously wanted them to win badly."

**"Penelope and I have got a bet on," he told the team. "Ten Galleons on the outcome of the match!"** **Penelope put the Firebolt down again, thanked AJ, and went back to her table.**

"Ten Galleons?" asked Bill "How did he get his hands on ten Galleons?"

**"Alessandra - make sure you win," said Percy, in an urgent whisper. "I haven't got ten Galleons. Yes, I'm coming, Penny!"** **And-he bustled off to join her in a piece of toast.**

Regulus shook his head, "That's low. Cleaver and very snake like but very low."

"What an insult to us snakes!" glared Andy playfully

**"Sure you can manage that broom, Potter?" said a cold, drawling voice.** **Draco Malfoy had arrived for a closer look, Crabbe and Coyle right behind him.**

Charlie scowled "She can handle the broom just fine you arrogant little ass."

"Little angry there love?" asked AJ innocently

**"Yeah, reckon so," said AJ casually.**

**"Got plenty of special features, hasn't it?" said Malfoy, eyes glittering maliciously. "Shame it doesn't come with a parachute - in case you get too near a Dementor."** **Crabbe and Goyle sniggered.**

"At least AJ can catch the damn snitch!" snarled Kingsley "He is working on my last damn nerve and he hasn't even said much."

**"Pity you can't attach an extra arm to yours, Malfoy," said AJ. "Then it could catch the Snitch for you."**

Remus beamed, "Good for you cub! Don't sink to his level but pointing out the obvious is always a good move."

**The Gryffindor team laughed loudly.** **Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed, and he stalked away. They watched him rejoin the rest of the Slytherin team, who put their heads together, no doubt asking Malfoy whether AJ's broom really was a Firebolt.**

"He's plotting something isn't he?" asked Tonks

Ted snorted, "Of course he is, he's a little weasel and will do whatever it takes to make AJ lose the game."

**At a quarter to eleven, the Gryffindor team set off for the locker rooms. The weather couldn't have been more different from their match against Hufflepuff. **

"That's good at least," smiled Andy "you'll actually be able to hear and see what's going on around you."

**It was a clear, cool day with a very light breeze; there would be no visibility problems this time, and AJ, though nervous, was starting to feel the excitement only a Quidditch match could bring. **

Hermione smiled, "After a game you're always really calm and at ease with everything."

"That's how Sirius was," grinned Regulus "even if they lost he was still on top of the world just because he got to play in the game."

**They could hear the rest of the school moving into the stadium beyond. AJ took off her black school robes, removed her wand from his pocket, and stuck it inside the T-shirt he was going to wear under her Quidditch robes. She only hoped she wouldn't need it. She wondered suddenly whether Professor Lupin was in the crowd, watching.**

Remus smiled, "Of course I was. I wanted to see you play but I also wanted to make sure you were okay out there."

**"You know what we've got to do," said Wood as they prepared to leave the hall. "If we lose this match, we're out of the running. Just - just fly like you did in practice yesterday, and we'll be okay!"**

"How about just do your best." Suggested Sirius "He really doesn't know that it's just a game, so sad."

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Like you didn't take the game to an extreme?

"Of course I did, but unlike that captain our captain actually knew how to give a damn pep talk that left you feeling like you had the weight of the world on your shoulders!" snarled Sirius

**They walked out onto the field to tumultuous applause. The Ravenclaw team, dressed in blue, was already standing in the middle of the field. Their Seeker, Cho Chang, was the only girl on their team. She was shorter than AJ by about a head. **

Hermione smiled at AJ who rolled her eyes in return.

**She smiled at AJ as the teams faced each other behind their captains. AJ noticed the smile was forced, it seemed she didn't like the flirting with Cedric earlier.**

Charlie huffed, "She can have that little boy you have a man."

"That's for damn sure." Purred AJ in his ear

**"Wood, Davies, shake hands," Madam Hooch said briskly, and Wood shook hands with the Ravenclaw Captain. "Mount your brooms... on my whistle... three - two - one -"**

The room was filled with anticipation; hopefully AJ could get the snitch before anything went wrong.

**AJ kicked off into the air and the Firebolt zoomed higher and faster than any other broom; she soared around the stadium and began squinting around for the Snitch, listening all the while to the commentary, which was being provided by the Weasley twins' friend Lee Jordan.**

Ted smirked, "This should be fun then, I'm sure McGonagall will have something to say about his skills."

"It never matters to Lee though," laughed Hermione "he always says what he feels."

**"They're off, and the big excitement this match is the Firebolt that AJ Potter is flying for Gryffindor. According to Which Broomstick, the Firebolt's going to be the broom of choice for the national teams at this year's World Championship -"**

"But what's going on during the game?" asked Andy "I think that's something we're more interested in rather then hearing about the broomstick."

Regulus snorted, "You never know when the Quidditch nuts are involved."

**"Jordan, would you mind telling us what's going on in the match?" interrupted Professor McGonagall's voice.**

Andy nodded in agreement much to the amusement of the other occupants of the room.

**"Right you are, Professor - just giving a bit of background information - the Firebolt, incidentally, has a built-in auto-brake and -"**

**"Jordan!"**

Remus winced, "She didn't have to say that so loud, especially when I was right next to them."

"Damn," muttered Bill "sensitive hearing has got to suck."

**"Okay, okay, Gryffindor in possession, Katie Bell of Gryffindor, is heading for goal..."**

**AJ streaked past Katie in the opposite direction, gazing around for a glint of gold and noticing that Cho Chang was tailing him closely. She was undoubtedly a very good flier -** **she kept cutting across AJ, forcing AJ to change direction.**

"Just knock her off the damn broom!" yelled Charlie "It's not like she wouldn't do the same to you!"

Bill grinned, "Just a game Charlie and it's in the past. Take a chill pill bro."

"I don't like her or how she treats AJ." Muttered Charlie

**"Show her your acceleration, AJ!" Fred yelled as he whooshed past in pursuit of a Bludger that was aiming for Alicia.**

Sirius bit his lip, "Do these games always have to be so dangerous?"

"This was actually a mild game compared to what they've been through." Stated Hermione

**AJ urged the Firebolt forward as they rounded the Ravenclaw goal posts and Cho fell behind. Just as Katie succeeded in scoring the first goal of the match, and the Gryffindor end of the field went wild, she saw it - the Snitch was close to the ground, flitting near one of the barriers. **

"This is it! You're a really good diver on the broom! The game is going to end now!" screeched Tonks getting caught up in the game.

**AJ dived; Cho saw what she was doing and tore after her – AJ was speeding up, excitement flooding her; dives were her specialty, she was ten feet away - Then a Bludger, hit by one of the Ravenclaw Beaters, came pelting out of nowhere; AJ veered off course, avoiding it by an inch, and in those few, crucial seconds, the Snitch had vanished.**

Kingsley scowled "Damn it! Now the game is going to take forever to finish and something horrible is going to happen."

"How do you know something horrible is going to happen?" asked Remus

"Because your daughter is a danger magnet!" shouted Kingsley "Haven't you seen that these past few chapters?"

**There was a great "Oooooooh" of disappointment from the Gryffindor supporters, but much applause for their Beater from the Ravenclaw end. George Weasley vented his feelings by hitting the second Bludger directly at the offending Beater, who was forced to roll right over in midair to avoid it.**

Ted groaned "Nothing is ever easy for you people."

**"Gryffindor leads by eighty points to zero, and look at that Firebolt go! Potter's really putting it through its paces now, see it turn - Chang's Comet is just no match for it, the Firebolt's precision- balance is really noticeable in these long -"**

"Doe he work for a broom company?" asked Andy

Charlie laughed, "It seems like it doesn't it?"

**"JORDAN! ARE YOU BEING PAID TO ADVERTISE FIREBOLTS? GET ON WITH THE COMMENTARY!"**

Andy glared at the laughing room; she needed to stop sounding like the strict professor.

**Ravenclaw was pulling back; they had now scored three goals, which put Gryffindor only fifty points ahead - if Cho got the Snitch before AJ, Ravenclaw would win.**

"You can't let that happen!" shouted Tonks "You'll never hear the end of it and just loosing to Ravenclaw is unacceptable."

**AJ dropped lower, narrowly avoiding a Ravenclaw Chaser, scanning the field frantically - a glint of gold, a flutter of tiny wings - the Snitch was circling the Gryffindor goal post - AJ accelerated, eyes fixed on the speck of gold ahead - but just then, Cho appeared out of thin air, blocking AJ –**

Regulus scowled "Just knock her out of the way! It's apart of the game sweets!"

"Trust me, I wanted to badly but I knew that it wouldn't solve anything." Explained AJ

**"AJ, THIS IS NO TIME TO BE A NICE PERSON! Wood roared as AJ swerved to avoid a collision. "KNOCK HER OFF HER BROOM IF YOU HAVE TO!"**

"Listen to the nutcase!" shouted Regulus "He's your captain! Listen to the captain!"

**AJ turned and caught sight of Cho; she was smirking.**

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Just smack her and get it over with."

"I'd rather punch her in the face and call it a day." Muttered AJ

**The Snitch had vanished again. AJ turned her Firebolt upward and was soon twenty feet above the game. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Cho following her... She'd decided to mark AJ rather than search for the Snitch herself... **

Charlie scowled, "Seriously? Why be a seeker if you aren't even going to try and get the damn snitch."

"I'm sensing there is a lot of built up tension between you, AJ and this Cho girl." Stated Ted

"There is not tension, I don't like her," growled Charlie "simple as that."

**All right, then... if she wanted to tail her, she'd have to take the consequences...She dived again, and Cho, thinking she'd seen the Snitch, tried to follow; AJ pulled out of the dive very sharply; Cho hurtled downward;** **AJ rose fast as a bullet once more, and then saw it, for the third time - the Snitch was glittering way above the field at the Ravenclaw end. She accelerated; so, many feet below did Cho. She was winning, gaining on the Snitch with every second - then - "Oh!" screamed Cho, pointing. Distracted, AJ looked down.**

Sirius groaned, "What could be happening now? No!" he shouted, "There better not be Dementors!"

"There aren't any," said Hermione "just three idiots."

**Three dementors, three tall, black, hooded dementors, were looking up at him.** **She didn't stop to think. Plunging a hand down the neck of her robes, she whipped out her wand and roared, "Expecto patronum!" **

Remus was beaming, he had never been so proud like he had been at that moment.

**Something silver-white, something enormous, erupted from the end of her wand.** **She knew it had shot directly at the dementors but didn't pause to watch; her mind still miraculously clear, she looked ahead –**

"You did it!" Everyone shouted and started cheering while Snape looked a little sick at the though of AJ Potter being able to produce a full blown Patronus.

**She was nearly there. She stretched out the hand still grasping her wand and just managed to close her fingers over the small, struggling Snitch.** **Madam Hooch's whistle sounded. **

Sirius jumped up and hugged AJ tightly "You could have lost the game and I would still be just as proud of you as I am now! You are an amazing Witch pup and don't let anyone tell you other wise."

"Thanks daddy." Said AJ in a chocked up voice.

**AJ turned around in midair and saw six scarlet blurs bearing down on her; next moment, the whole team was hugging her so hard she was nearly pulled off her broom.** **Down below she could hear the roars of the Gryffindor's in the crowd.**

Regulus was grinning, "That must have felt great. Just having the entire house cheering for you and all."

**"That's my girl!" Wood kept yelling.** **Alicia, Angelina, and Katie had all hugged AJ;** **Fred had him in a grip so tight AJ felt as though her head would come off**

Charlie mock glared while AJ pretended to swoon over the treatment of that day.

**In complete disarray, the team managed to make its way back to the ground.** **AJ got off her broom and looked up to see a gaggle of Gryffindor supporters sprinting onto the field, Ron and Hermione in the lead. Before she knew it, the cheering crowd had engulfed her.**

"You looked so tense but really happy," admitted Hermione "it was a weird sight."

AJ grinned, "I didn't like being hugged, I was just getting used to you hugging me."

**"Yes!" Hermione yelled, hugging AJ tightly. "That was amazing bug!" AJ beamed at her best friend**

"That was just a crazy game and we only read it." Mumbled Bill "I wouldn't have been able to watch that game."

**"Well done, Alessandra!" said Percy, looking delighted. "Ten Galleons to me! Must find Penelope, excuse me -"**

Charlie and Bill rolled their eyes; apparently another brother of theirs was obsessed with money.

**"Good for you, AJ!" roared Ron completely ignoring Hermione.**

Ron shrugged at the looks he was gaining.

**"Ruddy brilliant!" boomed Hagrid over the heads of the milling Gryffindor's.**

"Of course Hagrid would be there." Grinned Ted "I don't think he's ever missed a game, he loves Quidditch just as much as the next guy."

Kingsley sighed, "Thank Merlin the game is over so we can all relax."

**"That was quite some Patronus," said a voice in AJ's ear.** **AJ turned around to see Professor Lupin, who looked both shaken and proud like a father.**

"I was very proud of you," grinned Remus "I was just a little shocked what your patronus was."

**"The dementors didn't affect me at all!" AJ said excitedly. "I didn't feel a thing!"**

Tonks looked shocked "Wow, why is that?"

"I'm not sure," admitted Andy "maybe they weren't close enough to her for her to really feel the affects."

**"That would be because they - er - weren't dementors," said Professor Lupin. "Come and see - " He led AJ out of the crowd until they were able to see the edge of the field. "You gave Mr. Malfoy quite a fright," said Lupin.**

Sirius muffled a laugh, he had heard all about this part. He so wished he could have seen it.

**AJ stared. Lying in a crumpled heap on the ground were Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Marcus Flint, the Slytherin team Captain, all struggling to remove themselves from long, black, hooded robes. **

Everyone was laughing loudly; they couldn't believe that the Slytherin boys would stoop so low.

**It looked as though Malfoy had been standing on Goyle's shoulders. Standing over them, with an expression of the utmost fury on her face, was Professor McGonagall.** **"An unworthy trick!" she was shouting. "A low and cowardly attempt to sabotage the Gryffindor Seeker! Detention for all of you, and fifty points from Slytherin! I shall be speaking to Professor Dumbledore about this, make no mistake! Ah, here he comes now!"**

"Good," growled Remus "they should have been expelled for that."

Kingsley nodded "Fifty points each would have been better and more deserved. They were doing it on purpose because they have no brains."

**If anything could have set the seal on Gryffindor's victory, it was this. Ron, who had fought his way through to AJ's side, doubled up with laughter as they watched Malfoy fighting to extricate himself from the robe, Goyle's head still stuck inside it.**

"Can we see this in the pensieve?" laughed Charlie "This will lighten everyone's moods when the time comes!"

**"Come on, AJ!" said George, fighting his way over. "Party! Gryffindor common room, now!"**

All the Gryffindor's laughed loudly, the party was most likely to go on the wee hours of the morning.

**"Right," said AJ, and feeling happier than she had in ages, she and the rest of the team led the way, still in their scarlet robes, out of the stadium and back up to the castle.**

"Nothing goes wrong for the rest of the chapter right?" asked Ted

AJ scoffed, "Everything goes wrong especially when Ron and his piss attitude come into play."

**It felt as though they had already won the Quidditch Cup; the party went on all day and well into the night.** **Fred and George Weasley disappeared for a couple of hours and returned with armfuls of bottles of butterbeer, pumpkin fizz, and several bags full of Honeydukes sweets.**

Ginny narrowed her eyes, "How did they do that?"

"It's called magic," said AJ sweetly "maybe you've heard of it before."

**"How did you do that?" squealed Angelina Johnson as George started throwing Peppermint Toads into the crowd.**

Remus and Sirius shared a grin, that's what the point of the map was.

**"With a little help from Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs," Fred muttered in AJ ear.**

**"Come on, Hermione, come and have some food," AJ said, looking over at Ron and wondering whether he was in a good enough mood to bury the hatchet.**

AJ and Hermione rolled their eyes, of course he wasn't. He was an immature little brat.

**"I can't, AJ. I've still got four hundred and twenty-two pages to read!" said Hermione, now sounding slightly hysterical. "Anyway..." She glanced over at Ron too. "He doesn't want me to join in."**

"You're still apart of the Gryffindor family, you should have felt comfortable enough to be in your own common room without feeling like an outcast." Argued Bill

Andy nodded, "The way you're treating Hermione is ridiculous Ron."

**There was no arguing with this, as Ron chose that moment to say loudly, "If Scabbers hadn't just been eaten, he could have had some of those Fudge Flies. He used to really like them -"**

"I can't believe you," muttered Regulus "you are so insensitive and a hypocrite. You hated that rat but once he's gone you make it seem like he was the best thing that had ever happened to you."

**Hermione burst into tears. AJ glared darkly at Ron and ran after Hermione who was in the library already pouring over books. AJ sat down next to her and helped her with her extra studies. When most of the work was completed the girls headed back to Gryffindor tower. AJ and Hermione lay down on both sofas and began to talk.**

Remus and Sirius smiled at their daughter, as long as she had a few true friends they were happy.

"**What's up with you and Cedric?" asked Hermione.**

AJ stiffened; she forgot that they had this conversation.

**AJ rolled her eyes, "Nothing, I'm not attracted to him in the least. Even if he was an option isn't he Cho's man?"**

"Didn't seem to bother you in fourth year." Muttered Ginny

AJ scowled "Bite me red."

"**He's the kind of guy you hook up with just to say that you did." Laughed Hermione "I mean like he's hot and all but you know that a relationship would never come with him."**

"You thought he was hot?" asked Bill lightly

Hermione grinned, "He was good looking and all but that's it."

"**Merlin you're such a dork," giggled AJ "but seriously no. I can't see anything happening between us.**

AJ bit her nail, she hated what they did, and she hated him.

**There's a certain Dragon Handler I like though. You have to admit Charlie is really hot and I could see a relationship coming out of that."**

Charlie smiled broadly; he wanted to marry this girl.

"**Yeah?" grinned Hermione "What's up with you two? I know you've been writing back and forth but you haven't said much."**

Andy rubbed her hands together, "Now we're getting to the good stuff!"

"If you can call this good." Muttered Regulus

"**I think he's interested, but I don't know. Hopefully he can visit his family soon so we can get to know each other better." Said AJ with a smile.**

Sirius hid a grin "You seem to be pretty close now."

**AJ and Hermione stayed up talking about boys and if AJ was interested in staying with Hermione for part of the summer. Between the fire and the comfort of the pillows the two nodded off.**

"That was really nice," admitted AJ "just sleeping in front of the fire was peaceful."

Hermione nodded, "Too bad it didn't last long."

**It seemed as if AJ had just fallen asleep when she awoke hearing, "AAARRGGHH! NOOO!"**

Everyone tensed, what could have happened?

**Hermione awoke also "What was that?" AJ shrugged when they heard Ron running down the steps with a few other boys looking like he saw a murderer.**

Sirius snickered "Really pup?"

"Hey, it's what he looked like." Defended AJ

**"Black! Sirius Black! With a knife!"**

**"What?"**

Remus started laughing, "This is how everyone acts when you tell them a murderer came into your room with a knife?"

"Told you before," sang Kingsley "all Gryffindor's are completely nuts."

**"Here! Just now! Slashed the curtains! Woke me up!"**

**"You sure you weren't dreaming, Ron?" said AJ.**

"Nope," argued Regulus "your dad is just crazy enough to show up with a knife in the boys dorm."

**"Look at the curtains! I tell you, he was here!"**

Charlie rolled his eyes, "Why not just bring them down and shove them in everyone's faces, you're good at that."

"It would certainly make everyone see the humor in all this." Giggled Andy

**"Who shouted?" asked Hermione.**

Bill laughed, "Did you just want proof to be able to pick on him?"

**"Everyone back upstairs!" said Percy, hurrying into the common room and pinning his Head Boy badge to his pajamas as he spoke.**

"Why?" asked Sirius "Just why?"

Hermione bit her lip, "You never know when someone is going to need the Head Boy at a moments notice."

**"Perce - Sirius Black!" said Ron faintly. "In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!"** **The common room went very still.**

Ted scoffed, "Even if it's true, no one will believe that without proof."

**"Nonsense!" said Percy, looking startled. "You had too much to eat, Ron - had a nightmare -"**

Ted smiled triumphantly.

**"Now, really, enough!" Professor McGonagall was back. She slammed the portrait behind her as she entered the common room and stared furiously around. "I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match, but this is getting ridiculous! Percy, I expected better of you!"**

"He got in trouble?" laughed Tonks "I thought hell would freeze over before this happened!"

AJ smiled, "He doesn't but hopefully one day he'll get suspended or something."

**"I certainly didn't authorize this, Professor!" said Percy, puffing himself up indignantly. "I was just telling them all to get back to bed! My brother Ron here had a nightmare -"**

Sirius winced, "I have a funny feeling this is going to end badly. I should have disguised myself."

"As what?" asked Andy but Sirius just smiled back innocently.

**"IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE!" Ron yelled. "PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP, AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME, HOLDING A KNIFE!"**

Ron blushed; he shouldn't have said it like that. He sounded really crazy.

**Professor McGonagall stared at him.** **"Don't be ridiculous, Weasley, how could he possibly have gotten through the portrait hole?"**

Kingsley blinked "How did you get through? You didn't know the password because that wacko changed it every half hour."

**"Ask him!" said Ron, pointing a shaking finger at the back of Sir Cadogan's picture. "Ask him if he saw -"** **Glaring suspiciously at Ron, Professor McGonagall pushed the Portrait back open and went outside. The whole common room listened with bated breath.**

"She's always suspicious," argued Tonks "it's almost as if she doesn't trust kids."

Remus snickered "She doesn't trust people in general."

**"Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?"**

**"Certainly, good lady!" cried Sir Cadogan.** **There was a stunned silence, both inside and outside the common room.**

Charlie bit his lip, Merlin help the person who helped Sirius gain entrance into the common room.

**"You - you did?" said Professor McGonagall. "But - but the password!"**

"Exactly," muttered Kingsley "how else would he get in?"

Ted shrugged, "Could have followed someone in when the party was going on."

"But to be unnoticeable for all those hours?" Kingsley said logically

**"He had 'em!" said Sir Cadogan proudly. "Had the whole week's, my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper!"**

"Who would do that?" asked Regulus "Why would you do that?"

Andy palmed her forehead "That poor child, that poor child is going to wind up getting expelled."

**Professor McGonagall pulled herself back through the portrait hole to face the stunned crowd. She was white as chalk.** **"Which person," she said, her voice shaking, "which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around?"**

"Take a wild guess," muttered Remus "the poor kid can't remember a damn thing so he writes them down and then looses the paper."

**There was utter silence, broken by the smallest of terrified squeaks. Neville Longbottom, trembling from head to fluffy slippered toes, raised his hand slowly into the air.**

Molly took the book much to everyone's annoyance "I'll read one more chapter then it's off to bed. We've all had a long day. **Snape's Grudge…**"

**AN: Thank you so much for all the reviews and the alerts! Hope you liked this chapter and the changes I made! As always, feel free to ask questions or give suggestions. If mistakes are made, I'm sorry I do try to catch them all. Read and Review :)**


	58. Snape's Grudge

**No one in Gryffindor Tower slept that night.**

Sirius sighed, "I didn't mean to cause a restless night for the entire Tower."

"Really?" asked Ted "How did you expect it to go Siri?"

"Well for one he was supposed to remain sleeping and two the damn rat was supposed to be in the room!" ranted Sirius

**They knew that the castle was being searched again, and the whole House stayed awake in the common room, waiting to hear whether Black had been caught. **

AJ rolled her eyes, "What I want to know is why someone would stay in the castle if they knew they were going to be handed over to the Dementors? It just doesn't make sense."

**Professor McGonagall came back at dawn, to tell them that he had again escaped.** **Throughout the day, everywhere they went they saw signs of tighter security; Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the front doors to recognize a large picture of Sirius Black;**

Remus laughed, "Well padfoot, you are making a name for yourself just like you always wanted."

"Even after you're cleared, everyone will know your name!" giggled Tonks while Sirius huffed.

**Filch was suddenly bustling up and down the corridors, boarding up everything from tiny cracks in the walls to mouse holes.** **Sir Cadogan had been fired.** **His portrait had been taken back to its lonely landing on the seventh floor, and the Fat Lady was back. **

AJ smiled, "I really think that was the best day of my life. Not having to deal with the knight from hell anymore."

**She had been expertly restored, but was still extremely nervous, and had agreed to return to her job only on condition that she was given extra protection. A bunch of surly security trolls had been hired to guard her. They paced the corridor in a menacing group, talking in grunts and comparing the size of their clubs.**

"Or you could have had a couple Aurors come in that wouldn't scare the shit out of young children." Growled Kingsley

Regulus snorted, "Obviously they like to make things difficult."

**AJ couldn't help noticing that the statue of the - - on the third floor remained unguarded and unblocked. It seemed that Fred and George had been right in thinking that they - and now AJ, Ron, and Hermione - were the only ones who knew about the hidden passageway within it.**

"Hopefully it'll stay that way," remarked Andy "that way if there is an attack on the school you have a safe escape."

**'D'you reckon we should tell someone?' AJ asked Ron.**

Charlie snickered "How exactly would you explain it though? You can't exactly tell people how you know that it leads to Honeydukes."

"Sirius wouldn't be able to go in through Honeydukes anyhow," explained Bill "so many people come in and out of there in the day they would notice a dog in the candy shop."

**'We know he's not coming in through Honeydukes,' said Ron dismissively. 'We'd've heard if the shop had been broken into.'** **AJ was glad Ron took this view.**

Ron smiled at his past self.

**If the - - was boarded up too, she would never be able to go into Hogsmeade again.**

Sirius and Remus sent a look to their daughter who smiled sweetly back.

**Ron had become an instant celebrity.** **For the first time in his life, people were paying more attention to him than to AJ, and it was clear that Ron was rather enjoying the experience.**

"Of course he would" deadpanned AJ "all you care about is getting attention. It doesn't matter what kind of attention as long as it's all on you. Just like when you decided that driving the car into the school was a good idea! You milked that for all it was worth. I don't understand you."

Ginny glared "What do you expect? We have a large family and sometimes we don't get the attention we want like you seem to get no matter what!"

"What in the hell are you talking about?" asked AJ

"You live this perfect little life." Scowled Ginny "You have no idea what it's like living in a big family! You're so stuck up and you have no idea how to treat people!"

"I don't know how to treat people!" shouted AJ "You walk around with this chip on your shoulder demanding that the world takes pity on you. Everything that has happened in your fucked up life is your own damn fault! If you want attention why don't you just talk to your parents about it you little brat!"

Ginny turned red "Why don't I give you a little heads up AJ! You're family isn't so perfect and one day your daddy is going to get caught because he's a complete jackass with absolutely no common sense!"

Before anyone could react AJ punched Ginny square in the jaw. AJ's hair turned black in anger and her green eyes had turned a shade darker making her look very intimidating. "If you think for one minute I'm going to sit back and let you talk about my family you are sorely mistaken."

Molly was about to scold AJ when Remus jumped up, "Molly unless the next words out of your mouth are 'I'm sorry for my daughters behavior' you can just keep quiet. After the readings are over you need to leave my home for good. You are no longer welcome in my families home."

**Though still severely shaken by the night's events, he was happy to tell anyone who asked what had happened, with a wealth of detail.**

Ted coughed "We don't have to hear about this do we? I really don't want to hear about how Siri scares little children."

"Shut up Teddy." Muttered Sirius with a grin

**'...I was asleep, and I heard this ripping noise, and I thought it was in my dream, you know? But then there was this draft...I woke up and one side of the hangings on my bed had been pulled down...I rolled over...and I saw him standing over me...like a skeleton, with loads of filthy hair...holding this great long knife, **

Kingsley burst out laughing, "Really? That's what you looked like?"

'I'm sure Ron was exaggerating like he always does when he is retelling one of his infamous stories." Snickered Hermione

**must've been twelve inches...and he looked at me, and I looked at him, and then I yelled, and he scampered. Why, though?' **

"First of all it was a pocket knife!" yelled Sirius "How in the hell do you get twelve inches from a pocket knife!"

Tonks grinned, "Maybe because he's an idiot and doesn't know the difference between a pocket knife and butchers knife."

**Ron added to AJ as the group of second-year girls who had been listening to his chilling tale departed. 'Why did he run?'**

"Because he would never hurt anyone." Muttered Regulus angrily

**AJ had been wondering the same thing. She still felt he was innocent but after last night she wasn't sure. AJ's head hurt when she thought too long on the subject.**

Andy smiled, "Just keep thinking he's innocent, and don't let others persuade your judgment."

"No problems there," said AJ "I kept most of my thoughts to myself when it came to Sirius unless I was talking to Hermione."

**'He must've known he'd have a job getting back out of the castle once you'd yelled and woken people up,' said AJ not willing to tell Ron her real thoughts. 'He'd've had to kill the whole House to get back through the portrait hole...then he would've met the teachers...'**

Bill shuddered "I can't imagine someone doing that, death eaters maybe but even then it's horrible to kill innocent children."

"We weren't children." Ron mumbled while blushing, as everyone looked away hiding there smirks.

**Neville was in total disgrace. Professor McGonagall was so furious with him she had banned him from all future Hogsmeade visits, given him a detention, and forbidden anyone to give him the password into the tower. **

"That's too harsh!" snarled Tonks "He didn't do it on purpose!"

Charlie scoffed, "Not like she cared, she's one of the strictest teachers around and she does not one to listen to reason when one of her lion cubs caused trouble."

**Poor Neville was forced to wait outside the common room every night for somebody to let him in, while the security trolls leered unpleasantly at him.**

Snape hid a wince; even that bumbling idiot of a child didn't deserve that.

**None of these punishments, however, came close to matching the one his grandmother had in store for him. Two days after Black's break-in, she sent Neville the very worst thing a Hogwarts student could receive over breakfast - a Howler.**

Regulus scowled, "That was low. Neville didn't deserve that, no one deserves that kind of humiliation."

"His gran is really set in her ways though," stated Remus "she's not going to change anytime soon."

**The school owls swooped into the Great Hall carrying the mail as usual, and Neville choked as a huge barn owl landed in front of him, a scarlet envelope clutched in its beak. **

Regulus winced, he could remember vividly when Sirius would receive howler's…very single day until Sirius learned how to set them on fire before it exploded.

**AJ and Ron, who were sitting opposite him, recognized the letter as a Howler at once - Ron had got one from his mother the year before.**

Sirius and Remus glared at Molly who stared back defiantly, they deserved it after driving that damn car into the school.

**'Run for it, Neville,' Ron advised.**

"Won't do any good," stated Kingsley "they follow you until it rips itself apart."

AJ grinned, "Kingsley did you ever receive a howler?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about kid." Grumbled Kingsley refusing to look at anyone.

**Neville didn't need telling twice. He seized the envelope, and holding it before him like a bomb, sprinted out of the hall, while the Slytherin table exploded with laughter at the sight of him.**

Andy scowled "It didn't even go off yet and he's already being tormented! Pathetic those damn Howlers are. I received one every day my last year at Hogwarts from my parents because of my pregnancy. They do nothing for the person hearing it."

**They heard the Howler go off in the entrance hall - Neville's grandmother's voice, magically magnified to a hundred times its usual volume, shrieking about how he had brought shame on the whole family.**

"Are you kidding me?" growled Charlie "He didn't do it on purpose! All the teachers get mad when he doesn't remember things but when he tries to they get mad. There's no making them happy."

Hermione nodded, "He has a lot of complexes because of the pressure his grandmother puts on him."

**AJ was too busy feeling sorry for Neville to notice immediately that she had a letter too. Hedwig got AJ's attention by nipping her sharply on the wrist.** **'Ouch! Oh - thanks, Hedwig.'**

"Tell me you didn't get a howler too!" grouched Ted

AJ snorted, "No actually I didn't!"

**AJ tore open the envelope while Hedwig helped herself to some of Neville's cornflakes. The note inside said:**

"Whose it from?" whispered Tonks

Sirius rolled his eyes "Who else writes to AJ? Try Hagrid."

_**Dear AJ and Ron How about having tea with me this afternoon 'round six? I'll come collect you from the castle. WAIT FOR ME IN THE ENTRANCE HALL; YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED OUT ON YOUR OWN. Cheers, Hagrid**_

"Why wasn't Hermione invited?" asked Charlie

AJ glared at Ron "Because Hagrid wanted to know why Ron was being such an egotistical jackass."

"Really?" laughed Charlie

"No dork!" AJ mock scolded, "He just wanted Ron to let up on being a jerk to her. But my version was so much better."

**'He probably wants to hear all about Black!' said Ron.**

Remus huffed a laugh, "Ron, the last thing Hagrid would want to hear about is Sirius at that time."

**So at six o'clock that afternoon, AJ and Ron left Gryffindor Tower, passed the security trolls at a run,** **and headed down to the entrance hall. Hagrid was already waiting for them.**

"Now just don't say something stupid." Advised Ted

**'All right, Hagrid!' said Ron. 'S'pose you want to hear about Saturday night, do you?'**

Bill glared "He said DON'T you idiot."

"I think we all knew that was coming." laughed Regulus

**'"I've already heard all abou' it,' said Hagrid, opening the front doors and leading them outside.**

Everyone snickered at that while Ron looked away.

**'Oh,' said Ron, looking slightly put out.**

Hermione giggled into Bills shoulder, she so wished she had been there to see that look.

**The first thing they saw on entering Hagrid's cabin was Buckbeak, who was stretched out on top of Hagrid's patchwork quilt, his enormous wings folded tight to his body,** **enjoying a large plate of dead ferrets. **

"Dead ferrets?" asked Tonks looking green

Charlie smirked, "That's what hippogriffs eat Tonks. It's a real treat for them."

**Averting her eyes from this unpleasant sight, AJ saw a gigantic, hairy brown suit and a very horrible yellow-and-orange tie hanging from the top of Hagrid's wardrobe door.**

Andy wrinkled her nose, "Why would he ever own something like that?"

**'What are they for, Hagrid?' said AJ.**

**'Buckbeak's case against the Committee fer the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures,' **

"I don't want to sound stuck up," stated Regulus "but when it comes time for court appearances you should dress very sophisticated."

Remus nodded "It's all about looks when it comes to your case."

**said Hagrid. 'This Friday. Him an' me'll be goin' down ter London together. I've booked two beds on the Knight Bus...'**

AJ felt sick at the thought of riding on the Knight Bus with a bird of that size.

**AJ felt a nasty pang of guilt.** **Sh****e had completely forgotten that Buckbeak's trial was so near, and judging by the uneasy look on Ron's face, he had too. **

"That wasn't your fault," stated Kingsley "you had a lot going on at the time."

AJ nodded, "But Hagrid is my friend and I should have been thinking about his situation rather then my own."

**They had also forgotten their promise about helping him prepare Buckbeak's defense; the arrival of the Firebolt had driven it clean out of their minds. Hagrid poured them tea and offered them a plate of Bath buns but they knew better than to accept; they had had too much experience with Hagrid's cooking.**

"Are we going to finally hear Hagrid give Ron the third degree?" asked Andy eagerly

**'I got somethin' ter discuss with you Ron,' said Hagrid, sitting himself between them and looking uncharacteristically serious.**

Sirius whistled "You're in trouble now."

"Not in enough obviously." Mumbled Remus

**'What?' said Ron.**

**'Hermione,' said Hagrid.**

**'What about her?' said Ron.**

"Thanks Ron!" snarled Hermione "I can see that our friendship meant so much to you."

Ron glared "It doesn't seem like we were friends at all after reading these last few chapters."

"You're right Ron. We weren't friends then and we sure as hell aren't friends now!" growled Hermione

**'She's in a righ' state, that's what. She's bin comin' down ter visit me a lot since Chris'mas. Bin feelin' lonely. Firs' yeh weren' talking to her because o' the Firebolt, now yer not talkin' to her because her cat -'**

AJ shook her head, "I'm still confused as to what my Firebolt had to do with you."

**'- ate Scabbers!' Ron interjected angrily.**

"Are you really that stupid that you don't understand that cats eat rodents? It's in their genetic makeup!" stated Ted

Andy snickered, "I stand by what I said about him being thrown at a wall. It's the only logical explanation."

**'Because her cat acted like all cats do,' Hagrid continued doggedly.**

Andy and Ted nodded; at least Hagrid understood what cats do.

**'She's cried a fair few times, yeh know. Goin' through a rough time at the moment. Bitten off more'n she can chew, if yeh ask me, all the work she's tryin' ter do. **

AJ caught Hermione's eye and shrugged, it was a good thing she had the time turner that year.

**Still found time ter help me with Buckbeak's case, mind... She's found some really good stuff fer me... reckon he'll stand a good chance now...'**

Tonks grinned "That's good then, maybe

**'Hagrid, we should've helped as well - sorry -' AJ began awkwardly.**

Regulus shook his head, "Stop blaming yourself sweets! You had a lot going on, none of this is your fault."

"I know Uncle Reggie," smiled AJ "I'm working on it."

**'I'm not blamin' yeh!" said Hagrid, waving AJ's apology aside. 'Gawd knows yeh've had enough ter be gettin' on with. **

"See?" smiled Charlie "Now you can stop beating yourself up over this."

**I've seen yeh practicin' Quidditch ev'ry hour o' the day an' night - but I gotta tell yeh, Ron I thought you value yer friend more'n broomsticks or rats. Tha's all.'**

Bill scoffed, "Of course not, he only cares bout getting attention. No matter who he hurts it all comes down to his own feelings and that's all that counts."

"You're being a little over dramatic now Bill." Glared Molly

"How am I being over dramatic?" asked Bill "even before we started reading these books I've noticed that Ron is a very jealous person and is very flip floppy when it comes to his emotions. His jealously is going to get him into a lot of trouble and get him involved in the wrong crowd. Sorry that I have to be the bearer of bad news ma, but Ron isn't the perfect little angel you portray him to be."

**AJ glared at Ron. "You need to apologize. And by apologize I mean to actually say sorry!"**

Andy bit her lip, "I love you. You are officially my favorite niece ever."

"Aren't I your only niece?" asked AJ with a smirk

**'Really upset, she was, when Black nearly stabbed yeh, Ron. She's got her heart in the right place, Hermione has, an' you not talkin' to her -'**

"Is complete and udder bullshit." Glared Regulus

**'If she'd just get rid of that cat, I'd speak to her again!' Ron said angrily. 'But she's still sticking up for it! It's a maniac, and she won't hear a word against it!'**

Ted growled, "Why can't you just apologize and just get it over with? You're a self centered little brat and if you were my son I would take you over my knee."

"It's a good thing I'm not your son then." Muttered Ron angrily

"You're right." Agreed Ted "But remember this, there will come a day when you turn seventeen and when you do I'm kicking your ass."

**'Ah, well, people can be a bit stupid abou' their pets,' said Hagrid wisely.** **Behind him, Buckbeak spat a few ferret bones onto Hagrid's pillow.**

"If that doesn't say love I don't know what does." Remarked Sirius

Remus smiled, "I'll keep that in mind love."

**They spent the rest of their visit discussing Gryffindor's improved chances for the Quidditch Cup. At nine o'clock, Hagrid walked them back up to the castle.**

Snape huffed, he knew that Hagrid was a moron but he didn't think he was that stupid.

**A large group of people was bunched around the bulletin board when they returned to the common room.**

"Now what?" laughed Bill "What could possibly gone wrong now?"

**'Hogsmeade, next weekend!' said Ron, craning over the heads to read the new notice. 'What d'you reckon?' he added quietly to AJ as they went to sit down.**

Sirius looked at AJ who gave a small smile. He knew what that meant.

**'Well, Filch hasn't done anything about the passage into Honeydukes...' AJ said, even more quietly.**

"Since we already talked about this we won't scold you again," remarked Sirius "but I'm serious AJ if you do this again in the upcoming years I will take the map away and your invisibility cloak. Having you killed is not on my list of things I want to happen in my lifetime." AJ nodded, she knew her dad was being more then fair with this whole issue.

'**AJ!' said a voice in her right ear.** **AJ started and looked around at Hermione, who was sitting at the table right behind them and clearing a space in the wall of books that had been hiding her.**

"Here we go again," grumbled Ron "Hermione getting into everyone's business that doesn't involve her."

Ginny nodded, "She always does that Ron. I'm surprised you hadn't noticed before."

'**AJ, if you go into Hogsmeade again...I'll tell Professor McGonagall about that map!' said Hermione.**

"Ouch," muttered Kingsley "I doubt Ron is going to take to kindly to that."

**'Can you hear someone talking, AJ?' growled Ron, not looking at Hermione.**

AJ snorted, "Of course I get dragged into it."

**'Ron, how can you let her go with you? After what Sirius Black nearly did to you! I mean it, I'll tell -'**

Hermione winced, "Sorry Sirius, I really didn't know what to think at that point."

"Don't worry about it Mio, it's over and done with." Sirius gave the girl a smile to prove he wasn't mad.

**'So now you're trying to get AJ expelled!' said Ron furiously. 'Haven't you done enough damage this year?'**

Tonks scowled "She wouldn't have been expelled! The worst that would have happened is a detention because it's not like Hermione would tell McGonagall about how AJ snuck into Hogsmeade, Mio is a better friend then you give her credit for."

**Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but with a soft hiss, Crookshanks leapt onto her lap. Hermione took one frightened look at the expression on Ron's face, gathered up Crookshanks, and hurried away toward the girls' dormitories.**

"I can't believe you're my brother," bit out Charlie "you are heartless when it comes to animals. Hermione did the best she could, but she can't help it if her cat chased after a rat. It's the food chain Ron."

'**Seriously Ron?" asked AJ "What is wrong with you! You can't just let up even a little? I can't believe you sometimes!" AJ left a scowling Ron in the common room while AJ jogged up to the girl's dorm.**

"I love hearing about your fights," laughed Bill "you're so not delicate in the least and always say what's on your mind."

'**What's up?" asked AJ plopping on the bed where Hermione sat. "Are you really worried about Sirius Black or are you just worried about me getting caught?'**

Ron scoffed Hermione only cared about herself.

'**If you get caught, you'll be expelled. I know you think Sirius Black is innocent and I'm right there with you, but what if the Dementors go to Hogsmeade or something? I just don't want to see you get hurt.' Said Hermione.**

"See?" asked Tonks "This is how normal people have conversations. They aren't jumping down each other's throats and they aren't being assholes. You should be taking notes Ron."

Ginny sneered, "Like they would have brought Ron into the conversation."

"**I know, you're right." Sighed AJ, "But come on, I'll bring the Invisibility Cloak and this will be the last time I sneak into Hogsmeade. Promise."**

"It better be the last time," remarked Remus "I really don't want to have to confiscate the map again."

**Hermione sighed but smiled. "Fine, but don't tell Ron. I want to see his face when you show up." AJ snickered along with Hermione.**

"Just don't get caught," smiled Andy "please. I really don't want you getting into trouble."

AJ smiled, "Don't worry about me Aunt Andy."

**On Saturday morning, AJ packed her Invisibility Cloak in her bag, slipped the Marauder's Map into her pocket, and went down to breakfast with everyone else. Ron kept shooting suspicious looks down the table at her,** **but she avoided his eye and was careful to let him see her walking back up the marble staircase in the entrance hall as everybody else proceeded to the front doors.**

"I knew you were planning something." Grumbled Ron

Charlie smirked "You just aren't observant enough or nice enough to find out what she was planning."

**'Bye!' AJ called to Hermione. 'See you when you get back!'**

"Good," complimented Ted "give a good show so people don't get suspicious."

**AJ hurried up to the third floor, slipping the Marauder's Map out of his pocket as he went. Crouching behind the - -, she smoothed it out. A tiny dot was moving in his direction. AJ squinted at it. **

Snape glared at the pink haired teen, he knew she had been up to something.

**The minuscule writing next to it read Neville Longbottom. AJ quickly pulled out her wand, muttered, '-!' and shoved her bag into the -, but before she could climb in herself, Neville came around the corner.**

Hermione bit her lip, "I was wondering what was taking you so long."

"Just keeping you on your toes sweet pea." Smirked AJ

'**AJ! I forgot you weren't going to Hogsmeade either!'**

**'Hey, Neville,' said AJ, moving swiftly away from the statue and pushing the map back into her pocket. 'What are you up to?'**

AJ sighed, "I felt bad for having to leave him but there was no way that I was going to bring him a long just so his grandmother could freak out on him."

**'Nothing,' shrugged Neville. 'Want a game of Exploding Snap?'**

"You're going to get caught," sighed Sirius "he's obviously eager to not let you up."

Charlie sighed, "I wish you weren't so pretty, then all these guys would leave you alone." AJ laughed at the odd compliment.

**'Not now - I was going to go to the library and do that vampire essay for Lupin -'**

Remus scoffed, "I'm not sure I like being an excuse."

**'I'll come with you!' said Neville brightly. 'I haven't done it either!'**

"He probably did it, but he doesn't remember that." Mumbled Andy

'**I meant, I already finished it. I just want to make sure got everything right.'**

Ginny huffed; of course she would lie to someone and not get into any trouble. What a joke this whole reading was.

**'Great, you can help me!' said Neville, his round face anxious. 'I don't understand that thing about the garlic at all - do they have to eat it, or -' He broke off with a small gasp, looking over AJ's shoulder.**

Kingsley sighed, "Who wants to bet Snape is behind them?"

"No one is stupid enough to take on that bet." Laughed Bill

**It was Snape. Neville took a quick step behind AJ.**

Regulus grinned, "Are you going to protect him sweets? That's very sweet of you."

**'And what are you two doing here?' said Snape, coming to a halt and looking from one to the other. 'An odd place to meet -' To AJ's immense disquiet, Snape's black eyes flicked to the doorways on either side of them, and then to the - -.**

"He won't know what to do," argued Tonks "I wouldn't worry."

Snape sneered, "I could have figured it out had I given a damn about it."

**'We're not meeting here,' said AJ turning her hair dark blue. 'We just met here.'**

AJ rolled her eyes, "Not one of my best excuses."

"You weren't prepared for the dungeon bat to pop out of nowhere." Remarked Hermione

**'Indeed?' said Snape. 'You have a habit of turning up in unexpected places, Potter, and you are very rarely there for no good reason...I suggest the pair of you return to Gryffindor Tower, where you belong.'**

Sirius shook his head, "Do you still wonder why no one likes you? Because just between these past few chapters I could list off a few reasons."

**AJ and Neville set off without another word. As they turned the corner, AJ looked back. Snape was running one of his hands over the - - -, examining it closely.**

Everyone laughed at the slight blush the potion master was sporting.

**AJ managed to shake Neville off at the Fat Lady by telling him the password, then pretending she'd left her vampire essay in the library and doubling back. **

"It's not nice to lie to your friends." Snarked Ginny

Regulus glared, "Really? It's also not nice to be a stuck up little brat but you seem to take that role very seriously."

**Once out of sight of the security trolls, she pulled out the map again and held it close to her nose. **

"Why?" asked Bill

Remus smiled, "There was so much we had to add to the map the writing had to be really tiny to make sure we got everything needed."

**The third floor corridor seemed to be deserted. AJ scanned the map carefully and saw, with a leap of relief that the tiny dot labeled Severus Snape was now back in its office.**

"Run," advised Charlie "just get out of the castle as quickly as possible."

**She sprinted back to the - -, opened - -, heaved herself inside, and slid down to meet her bag at the bottom of the stone chute. She wiped the Marauder's Map blank again and set off at a run. **

"I really hope you don't get caught." Mumbled Kingsley

Ted nodded, "If she does, I don't even want to know what's going to happen."

**AJ, completely hidden beneath the Invisibility Cloak, emerged into the sunlight outside Honeydukes and prodded Hermione in the back.**

Hermione mock glared "Because that didn't scare the shit out of me at all."

**'It's me,' she muttered.**

**'What kept you?' Hermione hissed.**

**'Snape was hanging around.'**

"That is enough explanation right there," laughed Bill "no one wants to hear anymore when Snape is involved."

**They set off up the High Street.** **'Where are you?' Hermione kept muttering out of the corner of her mouth. 'Are you still there? This feels weird...'**

Sirius and Remus smiled, they remembered all the times they would have to sneak James in places with the cloak.

**They went to the post office; Hermione pretended to be checking the price of an owl to Ron's brother Bill in Egypt so that AJ could have a good look around. **

AJ laughed, "Wow, I forgot you did that!"

"Shut up bug!" bit out Hermione with a slight blush.

**The owls sat hooting softly down at her, at least three hundred of them; from Great Greys right down to tiny little Scops owls ("Local Deliveries Only"), which were so small they could have sat in the palm of AJ's hand.**

Charlie smiled, "You should work with animals. I know you would be good with that. Maybe even Dragons."

"I think she should be an Auror," remarked Kingsley "I'm holding out on that."

**Then they visited Zonko's, which was so packed with students AJ had to exercise great care not to tread on anyone and cause a panic. There were jokes and tricks to fulfill even Fred's and George's wildest dreams;**

"I didn't know you were much into pranks," remarked Ted

AJ giggled, "I'm really not, I did it mostly for the twins."

**AJ gave Hermione whispered orders and passed her some gold from under the cloak, which Hermione ignored completely. **

"That was nice of you," grinned Regulus "always helping AJ to cause mischief."

**AJ and Hermione were in no hurry to find Ron; they decided to make it a girl's day.**

Tonks grinned, maybe they could all hang out together sometime soon. She didn't have many girl friends, mostly guys because she wasn't into girly things.

**The day was fine and breezy, and neither of them felt like staying indoors, so they walked past the Three Broomsticks and climbed a slope to visit the Shrieking Shack, the most haunted dwelling in Britain.**

Remus smiled, "Not haunted, just a little loud from time to time."

"We had fun in that shack a few times." Laughed Sirius

**It stood a little way above the rest of the village, and even in daylight was slightly creepy, with its boarded windows and dank overgrown garden.**

Andy made a face, "It's no surprise it's supposedly haunted. They couldn't have made it a little nicer?"

"I don't think it would have mattered Andy," said Bill gently "it's not as if the shack was used for a home."

**'Even the Hogwarts ghosts avoid it,' said Hermione as they leaned on the fence, looking up at it. 'I asked Nearly Headless Nick...he says he's heard a very rough crowd lives here. No one can get in.'**

Regulus bit his lip, "A rough crowd? It's just Siri and Remmy, those two are the most laid back people besides the dead."

**AJ, feeling hot from their climb, was just considering taking off the cloak for a few minutes when they heard voices nearby. **

Everyone tensed; they hoped AJ hadn't done something stupid.

**Someone was climbing toward the house from the other side of the hill; moments later, Malfoy had appeared, followed closely by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy was speaking.**

"Please don't do something stupid," mumbled Ted "those idiots would love nothing more then to get you into trouble."

**'...should have an owl from Father any time now. He had to go to the hearing to tell them about my arm... about how I couldn't use it for three months...' **

Andy scowled "He could have used it three minutes after words but he wouldn't do that and ruin the pity party."

"Hagrid will figure something out," stated Kingsley "they can't just do that to an animal without solid proof."

**Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. 'I really wish I could hear that great hairy moron trying to defend himself..."There's no 'arm in 'im, 'onest", that hippogriff's as good as dead -' Malfoy suddenly caught sight of Hermione. His pale face split in a malevolent grin.**

Hermione glared, "He's such an arrogant little ass."

**'What are you doing, Granger?' Malfoy looked up at the crumbling house behind Hermione. 'Looking at your new home? It's the only thing Weasley could afford.'**

AJ snickered, "Wouldn't you just love that?"

"I don't think so." Grumbled Bill

**AJ grabbed Hermione's arm.** **'Leave him to me,' she hissed in Hermione's ear. The opportunity was too perfect to miss.**

Everyone grinned in anticipation; AJ was always good with payback.

**AJ crept silently around behind Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, bent down, and scooped a large handful of mud out of the path.**

"Oh man, this is going to be good." Laughed Sirius

Charlie snickered, "They're going to freak out!"

**'We were just discussing your friend Hagrid,' Malfoy said to Hermione. 'Just trying to imagine what he's saying to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. D'you think he'll cry when they cut off his hippogriff's -'**

"What a little bastard!" shouted Ted "Why would he say something like that!"

Andy sneered, "He probably heard it from his dear parents. They're always filling his head with lies."

**SPLAT.** **Malfoy's head jerked forward as the mud hit him; his silver-blonde hair was suddenly dripping in muck.** '**What the -?'**

"I would have died!" laughed Tonks

Regulus nodded laughing, "Good on you sweets! He deserves it!"

**Hermione had to hold onto the fence to keep herself standing, she was laughing so hard.** **Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle spun stupidly on the spot, staring wildly around, Malfoy trying to wipe his hair clean.** **'What was that? Who did that?'**

"The house is haunted," laughed Remus "what does he expect?"

Charlie snorted, "Hopefully he doesn't piss his pants out of fear."

**'Really haunted up here, isn't it?' said Hermione, with the air of one commenting on the weather.**

"Keep it up," snickered Sirius "he deserves a little fear after everything he's putting you guys through."

**Crabbe and Goyle were looking scared. Their bulging muscles were no use against ghosts. Malfoy was staring madly around at the deserted landscape. AJ sneaked along the path, where a particularly sloppy puddle yielded some foul-smelling, green sludge.**

No one could hold back his or her laughter at this point.

**SPLATTER.** **Crabbe and Goyle caught some this time. Goyle hopped furiously on the spot, trying to rub it out of his small, dull eyes.**

Bill smirked, "Just be careful the idiots don't try to attack you."

"Don't worry," said AJ "I can deal with those idiots."

**'It came from over there!' said Malfoy, wiping his face, and staring at a spot some six feet to the left of AJ.**

"How can he figure out where it came from but not have a clue how to get the snitch?" asked Kingsley

Ted snorted, "He's just one lucky SOB I suppose."

**Crabbe blundered forward, his long arms outstretched like a zombie. AJ dodged around him, picked up a stick, and lobbed it at Crabbe's back. AJ doubled up with silent laughter as Crabbe did a kind of pirouette in midair, trying to see who had thrown it.**

Hermione and AJ burst into fits of laughter remembering how that looked.

**As Hermione was the only person Crabbe could see, it was Hermione he started toward, but AJ stuck out her leg. Crabbe stumbled - and his huge, flat foot caught the hem of AJ's cloak. AJ felt a great tug, then the cloak slid off her face.**

Sirius tensed, he prayed to every God he could think of that AJ wouldn't be caught.

**For a split second, Malfoy stared at her.** **'AAARGH!' he yelled, pointing at AJ's head. Then he turned tail and ran, at breakneck speed, back down the hill, Crabbe and Goyle behind him.**

"Damn it!" yelled Regulus "You're fucking screwed! Damn it!"

Ron rolled his eyes, "It's in the past, obviously she's okay."

"It doesn't matter! I wasn't there for this and I want to make sure my niece is okay!" growled Regulus

**AJ tugged the cloak up again, but the damage was done.**

AJ sobered rather quickly, she made such a stupid mistake and she wished she could have taken that back.

'**AJ!' Hermione said, stumbling forward and staring hopelessly at the point where AJ had disappeared, 'you'd better run for it! If Malfoy tells anyone - you'd better get back to the castle, quick -'**

"Does he tell someone?" asked Tonks "No. I don't want to know."

**'See you later,' said AJ, and without another word, she tore back down the path toward Hogsmeade.**

Bill groaned, "Just run really fast! Like really fast!"

"Really fast?" giggled Hermione "I think she will at this point."

**Would Malfoy believe what he had seen? Would anyone believe Malfoy? Nobody knew about the Invisibility Cloak - nobody except Dumbledore.**

Snape glared, he always knew Potter had the Cloak but he didn't have proof. It should have been confiscated.

**AJ's stomach turned over - Dumbledore would know exactly what had happened, if Malfoy said anything - Back into Honeydukes, back down the cellar steps, across the stone floor, through the trapdoor – **

"The Cloak can't be taken away from you," placated Sirius "it's a magical object that is rightfully yours. Whoever takes it from you can be summonsed to court."

AJ sighed in relief, "Good, I always worry about that."

**AJ pulled off the cloak, tucked it under her arm, and ran, flat out, along the passage...Malfoy would get back first... how long would it take him to find a teacher?**

"Pretty fast if he wanted to," muttered Charlie "hurry punk. Just hurry."

**Panting, a sharp pain in his side, AJ didn't slow down until she reached the stone slide. She would have to leave the cloak where it was, it was too much of a give away in case Malfoy had tipped off a teacher - she hid it in a shadowy corner, then started to climb, fast as she could,**

"Use the map!" advised Andy "Make sure the cost is clear!"

Hermione bit her lip, "I don't think it would matter either way, but it may have saved her a little trouble."

**her sweaty hands slipping on the sides of the chute. She reached the inside of the - -, tapped it with her wand, stuck her head through, and hoisted herself out; the - closed, and just as AJ jumped out from behind the statue, she heard quick footsteps approaching. **

Remus groaned, "Here we go. Snape to the rescue."

**It was Snape. He approached AJ at a swift walk, his black robes swishing, than stopped in front of him.** **'So,' he said. There was a look of suppressed triumph about him. AJ gave him her most charming smile even though she knew it was no use.**

"I love that smile," admitted Charlie "you look beautiful and it lights up your face."

AJ grinned, "I'll make sure to smile more often like that in front of you."

**'Come with me, Potter,' said Snape.**

Snape smiled at Sirius and Remus, now they could see how troublesome their daughter really was.

**AJ followed him downstairs performing a quick cleaning charm on her hands.**

AJ smirked at Snape, "What now?"

"Chill bug." snickered Hermione

**They walked down the stairs to the dungeons and then into Snape's office. AJ had been in here only once before, and she had been in very serious trouble then too. Snape had acquired a few more slimy horrible things in jars since last time, all standing on shelves behind his desk, glinting in the firelight and adding to the threatening atmosphere.**

Andy looked green, "Really? You always have to act like an overgrown bat."

"It's not an act mom," laughed Tonks "that's just his personality."

**'Sit,' said Snape. AJ sat. Snape, however, remained, standing.**

"She's not a dog," snarled Sirius "don't treat her like that."

Seeing Snape was going to say something Remus glared, "Don't start Severus, I am not above hexing you in your sleep."

**'Mr. Malfoy has just been to see me with a strange story, Potter,' said Snape.** **AJ didn't say anything.**

"I didn't know what you wanted me to say." Shrugged AJ

**'He tells me that he was up by the Shrieking Shack when he ran into Granger- apparently alone.'** **Still, AJ didn't speak.**

Bill glared, "She does have a first name. Or you could call her Ms. Granger."

"He wouldn't do that," glared Hermione "he doesn't like that AJ and I are friends or that I'm a know-it-all."

**'Mr. Malfoy states that he was standing talking to Weasley, when a large amount of mud hit him in the back of the head. How do you think that could have happened?'**

Ted looked thoughtful, "Hm maybe magic? I hear that's real."

**AJ suppressed a smirk.** **'I don't know, Professor.'**

"You're so cocky!" laughed Regulus

AJ snickered "What can I say? When you got it you got it."

**Snape's eyes were boring into AJ's. She felt a pressure on her mind; she didn't like it at all.**

Dumbledore took a deep breath "We will be speaking soon Severus. Performing that on a child is uncalled for and against the law."

**'Mr. Malfoy then saw an extraordinary apparition. Can you imagine what it might have been, Potter?'**

"His life passing him by?" asked Sirius

**'No idea,' said AJ, with false politeness.**

Kingsley smirked, "You are determined to make him want to strangle you aren't you?

"I think he's already had the urge, he's just fighting it." Remarked Remus

**'It was your head, Potter. Floating in midair.'**

**There was a long silence.** **'Maybe he'd better go to Madam Pomfrey,' said AJ. 'If he's seeing things like -'**

Tonks snickered, "He's going to strangle you! Be careful!"

**'What would your head have been doing in Hogsmeade, Potter?' said Snape softly. 'Your head is not allowed in Hogsmeade. No part of your body has permission to be in Hogsmeade.'**

"Really?" asked Ted "I didn't know that. Please tell us more about these rules."

**'I know that,' said AJ, striving to keep his face free of guilt or fear. 'It sounds like Malfoy's having hallucin -'**

"I'm going to miss you when he gives into his deepest desires and kiss you." Said Andy

Charlie nodded, "Gotta be careful when you're dealing with that jerkoff punk."

**'Malfoy is not having hallucinations,' snarled Snape,** **and he bent down, a hand on each arm of AJ's chair, so that their faces were a foot apart.**

"You need to back off!" growled Bill "That's my family you're messing with!" AJ smiled at Hermione, Bill was good for Hermione. She hoped they would go out soon.

**'If your head was in Hogsmeade, so were the rest of you.'**

Sirius rolled his eyes, "That's usually how the body works. Where it goes the head usually follows."

**'I've been up in Gryffindor Tower,' said AJ. 'Like you told -'**

**'Can anyone confirm that?'**

Charlie nodded, "No one in Gryffindor is going to turn their back on her. They would all lie for her."

"Of course," muttered Snape "you're all born liars."

**AJ didn't say anything. Snape's thin mouth curled into a horrible smile.**

Hermione groaned, she hadn't heard about any of this.

**'So,' he said, straightening up again. 'Everyone from the Minister of Magic downward has been trying to keep famous AJ Potter safe from Sirius Black. But famous AJ Potter is a law unto herself Let the ordinary people worry about his safety! Famous Potter goes where he wants to, with no thought for the consequences.'**

"What's with you repeating her name and her fame?" asked Kingsley

Tonks nodded, "She doesn't like her fame and I somehow doubt she wants you saying her name."

**AJ stayed silent. Snape was trying to provoke her into telling the truth. She wasn't going to do it. Snape had no proof.**

"Good!" smirked Sirius "Just let him keep talking!"

**'How extraordinarily like your father you are, Potter,' Snape said suddenly, his eyes glinting. 'He too was exceedingly arrogant. **

Charlie glared "You're such a bastard! You know damn well that AJ has never known her father and for you to keep talking like that about him is complete bullshit!"

**A small amount of talent on the Quidditch field made him think he was a cut above the rest of us too. Strutting around the place with his friends and admirers...The resemblance between you is uncanny.'**

"You do look a lot alike," agreed Regulus "but you and your father are completely different people and for him to be comparing you is unfair."

AJ nodded, "It makes me feel like I have to be my dad or something for people to approve of me."

"You as a person and your existence is important, we love you! You are a kind, caring, strong-minded person. You don't have to be anyone but yourself for us." Stated Regulus with conviction.

**'I'll take that as a compliment,' said AJ, before she could stop herself.**

Hermione snickered, AJ just didn't know when to stop.

**'Your father didn't set much store by rules either,' Snape went on, pressing his advantage, his thin face full of malice. 'Rules were for lesser mortals, not Quidditch Cup-winners. His head was so swollen -'**

"You're really making a big mistake," muttered Hermione "AJ is not going to let you talk about her dad like that."

**'SHUT UP!' AJ was suddenly on her feet. Rage such as she had not felt since her last night in Privet Drive was coursing through her. Her hair went red in anger making Snape glare harder.**

Andy bit her lip, "You probably looked a lot like your mother there. That must not have sat well with him."

"I couldn't care less." Snarled Snape

**'What did you say to me, Potter?'**

Sirius glared "Loosing your hearing in your old age?"

**'I told you to shut up about my dad!' AJ yelled. 'I know the truth, all right? He saved your life! Dumbledore told me! You wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for my dad!'**

Remus and Sirius winced at the memory.

**Snape's sallow skin had gone the color of sour milk.** **'And did the headmaster tell you the circumstances in which your father saved my life?' he whispered. 'Or did he consider the details too unpleasant for precious Potter's delicate ears?'**

"Go fuck yourself." Snarled AJ "You always try to make James out to be this horrible person! He died for me, he died for my mother and for you to stand there and act as if he did nothing is wrong!"

Hermione glared "You had no right to talk to her like that."

**AJ glared, she had no idea but she wouldn't admit that- but Snape seemed to have guessed the truth.** **'I would hate for you to run away with a false idea of your father, Potter,' he said, a terrible grin twisting his face. 'Have you been imagining some act of glorious heroism? Then let me correct you - your saintly father and his friends played a highly amusing joke on me that would have resulted in my death if your father hadn't got cold feet at the last moment.**

"Damn," glared AJ "your death would have really sucked." Hermione shuddered, she remembered AJ telling her the last time she uttered words like that. Now Cedric was dead and AJ lived with that regret

Charlie kissed AJ, "Just calm down punk."

**There was nothing brave about what he did. He was saving his own skin as much as mine. Had their joke succeeded, he would have been expelled from Hogwarts.'** **Snape's uneven, yellowish teeth were bared.** **'Turn out your pockets, Potter!' he spat suddenly.**

"Damn, the map!" groaned Bill "How will you talk your way out of that?"

**AJ slowly pulled out the bag of Zonko's tricks and the Marauder's Map.** **Snape picked up the Zonko's bag.** **'Hermione gave them to me,' said AJ, praying she'd get a chance to tip Hermione off before Snape saw her. **

Hermione smiled, "I would have gone along with it."

"That's because you're a good friend," smiled Andy "Snape wouldn't have listened. But it's a nice thought."

**What is this?' Snape had picked up the map. AJ kept her face void of emotion.**

**'Spare bit of parchment,' she said with a shrug. Snape turned it over, his eyes on AJ.**

"Doesn't matter what he does," laughed Sirius "he won't be able to see what the parchment is all about."

**'Surely you don't need such a very old piece of parchment?' he said. 'Why don't I just - throw this away?' His hand moved toward the fire.**

Remus scoffed, "Burning it won't do anything, it's protected by magic."

"He wouldn't have burned it anyhow," snorted Regulus "he just wants you to freak out."

**'No!' AJ said quickly.**

AJ mentally kicked herself; she shouldn't have jumped like that.

**'So!' said Snape, his long nostrils quivering. 'Is this another treasured gift from Granger? Or is it - something else? A letter, perhaps, written in invisible ink? Or - instructions to get into Hogsmeade without passing the dementors?'**

Charlie made a face, "How exactly would that work? No I'm really curious how she's going to make it past them."

"Well I did," laughed AJ "but I think he meant if Hermione was giving me instructions as to where they were and where to avoid them."

**AJ blinked. Snape's eyes gleamed.** **Let me see, let me see...' he muttered, taking out his wand and smoothing the map out on his desk. 'Reveal your secret!' he said, touching the wand to the parchment. Nothing happened. 'Show yourself!' Snape said, tapping the map sharply. 'Professor Severus Snape, master of this school, commands you to yield the information you conceal!' Snape said, hitting the map with his wand.**

Everyone laughed at the scowl Snape was wearing; he was never going to see the map.

**As though an invisible hand were writing upon it, words appeared on the smooth surface of the map.** _**Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business.**_ _**Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony**_ _**and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git.**_

Everyone howled in laughter, James, Sirius and Remus were always funny but this was much funnier then they could have ever imagined.

**It would have been very funny if the situation hadn't been so serious.** **And there was more...**

"I would have thrown up because of my nerves." Laughed Tonks

Kingsley snickered, "I want to see this happen! I would die if this happened with me there in AJ's place."

_**Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a professor.**_

Sirius laughed, "James would be on the floor laughing if he was hear to this."

"I wanted to laugh but I was scared shitless." Admitted AJ

**AJ closed her eyes in horror. When she'd opened them, the map had had its last word.** _**Mr. Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slime ball.**_

Andy laughed, "I see you didn't take it's advice seriously."

"Too bad," laughed Charlie "maybe then you could score a date."

**AJ waited for the blow to fall.** **'So...' said Snape softly. 'We'll see about this...'** **He strode across to his fire, seized a fistful of glittering powder from a jar on the fireplace, and threw it into the flames.**

Bill gaped, "You're calling in Dumbledore? For this?"

**'Lupin!' Snape called into the fire. 'I want a word!'**

"Oh." Mumbled Bill

**Utterly bewildered,** **AJ stared at the fire. A large shape had appeared in it, revolving very fast. Seconds later, Professor Lupin was clambering out of the fireplace, brushing ash off his shabby robes.**

"I never get used to how things are done in the Wizarding world." Stated AJ "It was weird to see that happen."

**'You called, Severus?' said Lupin mildly.**

"I was in the middle of talking to an old friend, he startled me." Admitted Remus

**'I certainly did,' said Snape, his face contorted with fury as he strode back to his desk. 'I have just asked Potter to empty her pockets. She was carrying this.'**

"Were you shocked to see it?" asked Hermione

Remus nodded, "I was, I didn't think I would ever see it again."

**Snape pointed at the parchment, on which the words of Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs were still shining. An odd, closed expression appeared on Lupin's face.**

"How are you going to get out of this?" asked Tonks

**'Well?' said Snape.** **Lupin continued to stare at the map. AJ had the impression that Lupin was doing some very quick thinking.**

Ted looked worried, "You would never give him the map, but being a professor you have to confiscate it."

"Yeah but it's his daughter," argued Kingsley "even if at the time it wasn't legal, he loved her. He wouldn't do that."

**'Well?' said Snape again. 'This parchment is plainly full of Dark Magic. This is supposed to be your area of expertise, Lupin. Where do you imagine Potter got such a thing?'**

"The Twins," laughed Regulus "where else?"

**Lupin looked up and, by the merest half-glance in AJ's direction, warned her not to interrupt.** **'Full of Dark Magic?' **

"Even I don't believe that," snickered Andy "and I grew up in a house where Dark Magic was considered the best kind."

Snape sneered, "Leave it be."

**He repeated mildly. 'Do you really think so, Severus? It looks to me as though it is merely a piece of parchment that insults anybody who reads it. Childish, but surely not dangerous? I imagine AJ got it from a joke shop -'**

"Or Filches office?" suggested Charlie "You could say you stole it."

AJ laughed, "How would that be better in the long run babe?"

**'Indeed?' said Snape. His jaw had gone rigid with anger. 'You think a joke shop could supply him with such a thing? You don't think it more likely that he got it **_**directly from the manufacturers**_**?'**

"What?" asked Hermione.

AJ shrugged, "Trust me, I was just as confused."

**AJ didn't understand what Snape was talking about. Nor, apparently, did Lupin.** **'You mean, by Mr. Wormtail or one of these people?' he said. 'AJ, do you know any of these men?'**

Sirius shook his head, "Of course you did. You just didn't remember."

**'No,' said AJ.**

"I figured you were going to say something sarcastic." Remarked Remus

AJ snickered, "I really wanted to but I fought the urge."

**'You see, Severus?' said Lupin, turning back to Snape. 'It looks like a Zonko's product to me -'**

Hermione grinned, "Here comes my amazing entrance."

**Right on cue, Hermione came bursting into the office. She was completely out of breath, and stopped just short of Snape's desk, clutching the stitch in her chest and trying to speak.** **'I - gave – AJ - that - stuff,' she choked. 'Bought - it...in Zonko's...ages – ago...'**

Everyone laughed imagining that, "Really? That's how you got out of this?" chocked out Bill

**'Well!' said Lupin, clapping his hands together and looking around cheerfully. **

"That must have been a first," muttered Ted "I don't think anyone could be cheerful in that office."

Andy smiled, "You forget that Remus can pull off the impossible."

**'That seems to clear that up! Severus, I'll take this back, shall I?' He folded the map and tucked it inside his robes. 'AJ, Hermione, come with me, I need a word about my vampire essay - excuse us, Severus -'**

"Why would you talk about it if it wasn't even due yet?" asked Ron

Regulus nodded, "Right, I don't know either. Maybe he wanted to leave the office before Snape could blame more shit on AJ you moron!"

**AJ didn't dare look at Snape as they left his office. AJ, Ron, and Lupin walked all the way back into the entrance hall before speaking. Then AJ turned to Lupin.** **'Professor, I -'**

"He won't want to hear it." Remarked Sirius "He wants you to stew for a while before hand."

**'I don't want to hear explanations,' said Lupin shortly.**

Sirius smirked "Told ya."

"No one argued," stated Kingsley "but good job knowing what your husband would do."

**He glanced around the empty entrance hall and lowered his voice. 'I happen to know that this map was confiscated by Mr. Filch many years ago. **

"Such fond memories." laughed Hermione

**Yes, I know it' s a map,' he said as AJ and Hermione looked amazed. 'I don't want to know how it fell into your possession. I am, however, astounded that you didn't hand it in. **

Tonks scoffed, "You are such a liar. You knew she wouldn't hand it in."

"The right thing would have been too." Sneered Snape

**Particularly after what happened the last time a student left information about the castle lying around. And I can't let you have it back, AJ.'**

Sirius shook his head sadly, poor Moony turned into a teacher.

**'Why did Snape think I'd got it from the manufacturers?' asked AJ.**

"He's paranoid?" laughed Ted "Not much more explanation than that."

Charlie smirked, "I somehow doubt that Remus is going to give AJ that kind of explanation."

**'Because,' Lupin hesitated, 'because these mapmakers would have wanted to lure you out of school. They'd think it extremely entertaining.'**

"I don't think she'll leave it at that," snickered Bill "she's going to want to know why you feel that way."

**'Do you know them?' said AJ, intrigued.**

Sirius kissed Remus, "You forgot how curious AJ could be I see."

"I was hoping she would have just left it alone." Smiled Remus

**'We've met,' he said shortly. He was looking at AJ more seriously than ever before. 'Don't expect me to cover up for you again, AJ. I cannot make you take Sirius Black seriously.**

Regulus laughed, "Who takes Sirius seriously? He's a goof ball. But you're turning out to be a pretty damn good dad."

"I agree wholeheartedly," said Andy smiling "you're a good dad Siri and AJ is lucky to have you for a dad."

**But I would have thought that what you have heard when the dementors draw near you would have had more of an effect on you. Your parents gave their lives to keep you alive, AJ. A poor way to repay them - gambling their sacrifice for a bag of magic tricks.'**

Remus hugged AJ tightly, "I'm sorry cub, as soon as soon as the words left my mouth I wanted to take them back. That was too harsh and I am so sorry."

"It's okay papa," AJ hugged him back tightly "you were right, I was gambling. Don't be sorry."

**AJ winced; a slap to the face would have hurt less.**

"It was a little cold," remarked Tonks "but I understand where you were coming from."

**Slowly, she and Ron mounted the marble staircase. As AJ passed the - -, she remembered the Invisibility Cloak - it was still down there, but she didn't dare go and get it.**

Ted nodded, "Good idea, but don't forget it's there and have someone steal it."

"Thank Merlin no one knew about the passageway." said Kingsley

**'It's my fault,' said Hermione abruptly. 'I persuaded you to go. Professor Lupin's right, it was stupid, we shouldn't have done it -'**

Hermione sighed, "I really should have fought you not to go. But I really wanted you too."

**Sh****e broke off; they reached the corridor where the security trolls were pacing, and Ron was walking toward them. **

"Why?" asked Charlie "Come to be a jerk again?"

Sirius laughed, "Wouldn't be that big of a surprise."

'**Where have you been?' asked Ron**

**AJ shrugged 'Around. What's up?'**

"Did he know you were in trouble?" asked Regulus

AJ snorted "No and I wasn't eager to talk about it either."

'**Hagrid lost his case. Buckbeak is going to be executed.'**

Everyone who wasn't there gapped, they couldn't imagine what Hagrid was going through. Everyone stood up and said their goodnights, while Hermione and AJ grinned at each other. They knew they weren't going to be getting much sleep tonight.

**AN: Hope you liked my changes :). If mistakes are made, I'm sorry but I do try to catch them all. Thanks for all the adds and reviews! It means a lot to me! Read and Review :)**


	59. Talks and a New Guest

Heading up the stairs, AJ and Hermione were grinning madly at each other. Neither girl could wait to talk to the guys about their Animagus training, it would be a long process but the outcome would be amazing and having the support of Charlie and Bill would make it much easier to handle. Hermione snickered at the look AJ had in her eye, she knew that AJ was looking forward to being alone with Charlie. The whole chapter had been draining and the two of them needed to reaffirm their bond.

Jumping on the bed, AJ grinned at Charlie, "Guess what!"

"I'm a little nervous," joked Charlie "you haven't been this happy in a long time."

Hermione was practically bouncing in her seat with anticipation when Bill asked, "Seriously what's going on?"

"We're going to be come Animagi!" yelled Hermione and AJ excitedly

"No way!" yelled the guys. Charlie gaped "Really? Sirius and Remus are okay with it?"

AJ nodded, "Yeah he said it would be good for when we get into sticky situations. No one is going to know besides the six of us, we aren't going to be registered until we'll older."

"This is inane," laughed Bill "you guys are lucky that you don't have to sneak around your parents backs in order to do this. Charlie and I did it at Hogwarts when we were younger and the process was harder because we didn't have anyone to talk to about it."

"Wait, what are your forms?" asked Hermione excitedly

Bill smirked, "I'm a Bengal tiger and Charlie is an artic wolf."

"That's hot," laughed AJ "I can't believe this. This is amazing! If Ron finds out we're screwed beyond belief. I don't even know what he would do if he knew and he couldn't become one."

Charlie snorted, "Yeah he's being really weird lately. What's up with the three of you? It seems like you're all splitting up."

"I don't know," shrugged Hermione "Ron's been on the fence with us ever since we befriended Draco in third year."

"Whoa wait, back up. You're friends with Malfoy?" asked Bill

AJ smirked, "Yeah we kind of became makeshift friends towards the end of third year. Like a lot of it was his fathers' influence. My Aunt Andy said a few things about how his father was the major supporter and he had to go along with it because of him. Of course he can be a jerk sometimes but he's really changed, you have to give him a chance."

"Okay, for you I'll give him a chance." Grinned Charlie " But what's with the comments? Like you're still acting like you hate him."

"We do that mostly for show because of Ron and how jealous he can be. It seems like ever since fourth year Ron has been distancing himself from us. We've really gotten closer to Draco over the past year and he really helped AJ when it came to the tournament." Explained Hermione

Bill looked shocked, "So he's nice to you both? Like he isn't a jerk or anything right?"

"Yeah because I'm not above having a dragon randomly appear and trying to eat him." Laughed Charlie

"No dragons and no throwing him in a tomb!" laughed AJ "Seriously, he's different and we want you guys to accept him. Once you get to know him you'll know why we're friends with him and how much he has changed from the person he portrays to be. Just give him a chance."

Hermione snickered, "Ron is going to freak out when he finds out how long we've actually been friends with him. It's going to cause some major drama. "

"Whatever," scoffed AJ "I'm over his petty bullshit act. Anyways, Charlie and I are going to go to bed now. I will see you in the morning dolly."

Hermione hugged AJ, "See ya in the morning bug, have fun! Even though I already know you will."

Charlie and AJ walked down the hallway to the older guys room. They shared a close bond, it was almost as if they were soul mates. Charlie swore he could feel when AJ was hurt or in trouble, he told her the pain in his chest would be unbelievable until he knew she was okay and safe. AJ felt the same way; she had always been drawn to something about Charlie. Maybe it was his eyes, they were blue but darker and more expressive then she had ever seen. Or it could have been his calming presents, she always felt safe around him, as if she was safe from all the bad things in the world. He was her savior and without him she couldn't make sense of the world she lived in.

****Sex Scene Ahead Please Don't Read if it offends you****

Opening the door to their bedroom, AJ felt herself being pressed against the door and lips attacking her throat. His tongue ran along her jugular, he could feel the blood pumping through, the passion raised as he bit down gently electing a moan of pleasure from the beautiful creature he had pinned against the door.

"I love you Char, so much babe." Panted AJ

Charlie picked her up and gently and tossed her on the bed. He licked his lips causing AJ to shiver in delight. He kissed her jean-clad legs while slowly making his way up to her lips, "I love you too punk, and you're it for me." Charlie gently bit her bottom lip, "I really hate hearing about you and another man." Pulling her shirt over her head and unclasping her C cup bra, Charlie kissed and suckled on her pebbled mounds making AJ grunt and groan.

AJ moaned as Charlie started to take her jeans and panties off, he could practically smell the arousal "You're still dress," she mumbled, "I think that needs to be fixed." She straddled Charlie and stared into his now almost black eyes. She slowly took off his shirt and kissed every inch of his perfectly toned chest, she moved down kissing the bulge in his jeans causing him to suck in a breath. Finally removing his jeans and boxers they were both skin to skin, just the way they wanted it. "I need you love, I need you now." AJ finally got out.

Charlie flipped AJ over onto her back and kissed her with all the need and passion he could muster. Unceremoniously Charlie dove into the tight piece of Heaven that was only for Charlie to experience. It wasn't soft and gentle like their foreplay; it was hard and fast exactly what they both needed to feel this. They needed the pain and pleasure to prove they were in the moment together. After one last thrust they both came, shouting each other's names and holding onto one another as if their lives depended on it.

****End of Sex Scene****

AJ slowly woke up to Charlie kissing her shoulders; AJ turned over and kissed him deeply. "We should get married." Charlie stated

"What?" asked AJ "I mean…no I mean what? Yeah what is the correct response in this situation."

Charlie smiled, "I love you punk, and I want to marry you someday. I'm not asking right now but I'm telling you that someday I want to marry you. Have kids with you, grow old together, I want it all."

"Charlie, I love you and I want to marry you too." Smiled AJ "But come on, look at me. I'm a mess. I swear a lot and I'm more sarcastic then McGonagall is when someone is in trouble. And kids? I don't even like kids; they're weird and sticky. Have you ever noticed that? They're just sticky. But that's not it. I have a mad man after my blood and I'm pretty sure he sold his soul to the devil just to be able to kill me and get away with it. Charlie, you deserve someone better and more pure then me. I don't know how much of this life I can offer you because I don't know how long I'll be in it."

Charlie scoffed, "You are so wrong about yourself. I love that you swear like a man and you're more sarcastic then anyone I've ever met. And the kids' thing? We don't have to have kids. As for Voldemort, he's not going to kill you AJ, I won't allow it. I want to spend the rest of our lives together no matter how short our lifetime's maybe." AJ kissed Charlie deeply pulling him towards the bathroom for shower sex. He had told her everything she had always wanted to hear.

After the shower they started to get dressed when Hermione came running in the room. "You'll never guess whose downstairs!"

"Who?" asked AJ while Charlie rolled his eyes playfully that girlfriend didn't mind being naked in front of her best friend.

Charlie kissed AJ's head, "I'll be in the other room with Bill. Get us when you're ready."

"Draco and Narcissa Malfoy! They got in early this morning. I heard bits of the conversation but I think Narcissa is leaving her husband!" stated Hermione "Oh and nice neck, I'm sure your dads will love the hickies."

AJ playfully hit Hermione while getting clothes on, "Really? I wonder why she would come here. Maybe she got a note about the readings or something. We better get down there. Oh and my neck is fine, nothing a concealment charm won't fix."

AJ, Hermione, Bill and Charlie walked down the stairs into the kitchen. Charlie and Bill sat down while Hermione and AJ signaled for Draco to come with them. "We aren't hungry," AJ answered her dads silent question, "don't worry we'll eat something during the readings."

"Whys is it so quiet in there?" asked Hermione once they were in the living room.

Draco laughed, "Uncle Sirius put a silencing charm on Ron, Ginny and Mrs. Weasley. My mom explained that she's leaving my father, how he was the one that pressured us to follow the death eaters. Basically everything. She knows we're friends and she's happy about it. We got the scoop on everything we missed which Mom is super pissed about the Dursleys; she's planning a few pranks to pull on them. Oh and Uncle Remus told me about you being blood adopted. That's cool."

"Yeah it's pretty cool," snickered AJ "so now we're going to do the rest of the readings with you guys. This should be fun."

Hermione sighed, "They're going to find out about my time turner."

"They're going to find out I'm bi-sexual." Muttered Draco

"They're going to find out I had sex with Cedric." Mumbled AJ

Draco and Hermione rolled their eyes at AJ with smiles, while AJ laughed loudly. Everyone started to come into the room and all took their seats. AJ smiled at Narcissa who hugged AJ tightly and congratulated her in becoming a Black. Draco took the book off the table, "I'll read next, **The Quidditch Final…**"

**AN: AJ and Cedric will be explained in 4th year. If you don't like Draco, you probably shouldn't read this story anymore because he's going to be an active member in the books now in a good way. Arthur and the Twins will be back before the reading of 4th year promise. As always, I'm up for ideas and suggestions and I'm more then willing to answer questions. Read and Review :)**


	60. AN: Please Read

**I hate author's notes just as much as the next person but this really needs to be addressed. If mistakes are made, I'm sorry. I will get through all 7 books and then edit all the chapters. I am very sorry this bothers a lot of you, but I do try to get all the mistakes. Please stop posting every mistake in reviews, that's not helping me because I will wait until all books are finished.**

**Thanks for reading this.**


	61. The Quidditch Final

**'He sent us this,' Ron said, holding out the letter. AJ took it.** **The parchment was damp, and enormous teardrops had smudged the ink so badly in places that it was very difficult to read.**

"Poor Hagrid," sighed Andy "he really loved that bird."

Narcissa nodded, "I wasn't aware of the trial until Amelia and I had lunch, there was nothing anyone could do to find Buckbeak innocent."

_**Dear AJ, Hermione and Ron, We lost. I'm allowed to bring him back to Hogwarts. Execution date to be fixed. Beaky has enjoyed London. **_

_**Hagrid**_

Draco, AJ and Hermione smirked at each other; freeing him wasn't easy but they managed it.

**'They can't do this,' said AJ. 'They can't. Buckbeak isn't dangerous.'**

"Well he isn't exactly a walk in the park when it comes caring for him," argued Sirius "but he isn't an evil creature."

AJ scoffed, "Thank Merlin you weren't the defense attorney on that trial."

**'Lucius Malfoy frightened the Committee into it,' said Ron. 'You know what he's like.'**

"He's a ball of sunshine." Deadpanned Draco

Charlie laughed, "You and me Draco same page."

**'We have to do something. Anything.' Stated Hermione. 'Look Ron, I'm really, really sorry about Scabbers...'**

"Even though my cat didn't do anything." Muttered Hermione

**'Oh - well - he was old,' said Ron. 'And he was a bit useless. You never know, Mum and Dad might get me an owl now.'**

Remus shook his head, "Nope, your mom and dad won't. My husband did which you seemed to be so grateful for."

"What do you expect?" snarked Tonks "He hasn't said thank you for anything since we've begun these readings."

**The safety measures imposed on the students since Black's second break-in made it impossible for AJ, Ron, and Hermione to go and visit Hagrid in the evenings. **

Kingsley sighed, "You're always causing trouble Siri. Even when you aren't a student you cause trouble."

"They shouldn't have been out in the evenings anyhow!" shouted Molly

"I thought you silenced them!" yelled Kingsley

Sirius scowled, "It must have worn off already! Damn it."

**Their only chance of talking to him was during Care of Magical Creatures lessons. He seemed numb with shock at the verdict.**

"No surprise there," remarked Ted "he probably wasn't excepting anything that happened during the trial."

Regulus nodded, "You also have to remember that it is Hagrid and no one in the Ministry will listen to anything he says."

**'S'all my fault. Got all tongue-tied. They was all sittin' there in black robes an' I kep' droppin' me notes and forgettin' all them dates yeh looked up fer me, Hermione. An' then Lucius Malfoy stood up an' said his bit, and the Committee jus' did exac'ly what he told 'em...'**

"Now I can't wait for my own trial." Muttered AJ "Hopefully I won't have the same outcome."

"Just don't be sarcastic." Advised Draco

Hermione nodded, "And don't change your hair colors, just keep it black and down."

"Oh and make sure you wear something conservative." Said Draco

"Okay thanks guys, I feel better already." Snickered AJ

**'There's still the appeal!' said Ron fiercely. 'Don't give up yet, we're working on it!'**

Ron scowled at the room, he wanted to yell but of course his silencing charm hadn't worn off yet.

**They were walking back up to the castle with the rest of the class. Ahead they could see Malfoy, who was oddly enough walking by himself.**

"Why?" asked Bill

Sirius smiled, "Maybe if you let him read you'll find out."

'**Can I talk to you guys?" asked Draco**

**Ron scowled "Why? Come to gloat about Buckbeak or something? No one wants to talk to you."**

"Let him get a word out you jerk!" yelled Tonks "No wonder you don't have any friends."

Andy shook her head, "You need an attitude adjustment."

"**Ron! Back off!" yelled AJ "Sure lets go over to the lake and talk." Hermione nodded.**

"Thank you for giving my son a chance," smiled Narcissa "that means more to me than you know."

AJ shrugged, "It's fine Aunt Cissa, everyone deserves a second chance."

"**If you're going to talk to him then I'm out of here. You can all just leave me out of this new friendship." Snarled Ron**

"I wasn't aware that you were going to be included anyhow." Deadpanned Remus

**Sitting by the lake AJ and Hermione sat patiently waiting for Draco to begin speaking. Seeing as he wasn't comfortable AJ decided to break the ice, "So Hogsmeade was fun."**

Ted burst out laughing, "Really? That's how you break the ice?"

"Please," scoffed Hermione "she could have said something inappropriate. I'm still surprised you didn't."

"**Yeah, about that." Draco sighed, "I'm really sorry for running off to Snape like that and the whole Buckbeak situation. I'm just sorry for everything that's happened these past few years. My mom and I have always gone along with what my dad does and says because he holds the power in our house. But that needs to change; I was hoping we could be friends. Or something. Anything."**

Charlie shifted, "Alright I'm just throwing this out there. I will give you the benefit of the doubt but if you ever hurt AJ or Hermione I will end you."

"Got it," remarked Draco "they're my best friends. I would never hurt or abandon my friends. Especially when it comes to having such good friends like these two."

**AJ and Hermione were shocked; they had never heard such conviction from the Slytherin before. "I'm willing to forget the past," admitted Hermione "but if this is some sort of trick I will hex you so badly you'll be hospitalized."**

Bill snickered, "That's my girl! She can hold her own for sure."

"**Okay, so we're friends now. What are we going to do about Hagrid?" asked AJ.**

"You just let it go?" laughed Narcissa

Andy laughed, "AJ really isn't an emotional person and you'll notice that she avoids those moments."

**'We're due in Charms,' said Draco 'We'd better go.'**

"They put Slytherin and Gryffindor together for Charms?" asked Regulus

Draco nodded, "We had almost every class together these past few years. Year one and two Slytherin was with Hufflepuff in most classes."

"Weird," muttered Regulus "we never had classes together with any other house besides Potions and Defense."

"We were in the middle of a war Reggie. Things were a little different back then." Laughed Sirius

**They hurried up the marble staircase toward Professor Flitwick's classroom.** **'You're late!' said Professor Flitwick reprovingly as AJ opened the classroom door.**

Remus shuddered, "For a little man, he can be very scary."

"He was a champion dueler," stated Kingsley "he's bound to be a little scary."

**'Come along, quickly, wands out, we're experimenting with Cheering Charms today, we've already divided into pairs -'**

Ted scowled, "Boring."

"You found them boring because you couldn't get the hang of it!" laughed Narcissa.

**AJ and Draco hurried to a desk at the back and opened their bags. Ron glared at them from where he was sitting with Dean Thomas.**

Ron glared at the room, he hated Malfoy and he didn't understand why AJ and Hermione befriended him.

**'Where's Hermione gone?' asked Draco.** **AJ looked around too. Hermione hadn't entered the classroom, yet AJ knew she had been right next to her when she had opened the door.**

"Where did you go?" asked Remus

Hermione shrugged, "You'll find out soon enough."

**'That's weird,' said AJ, staring at Draco. 'Maybe she went to the bathroom or something?'** **But Hermione didn't turn up all lesson.**

"That's not like you," remarked Bill "were you sick?"

**'She could've done with a Cheering Charm on her too,' said Draco as the class left for lunch, all grinning broadly - the Cheering Charms had left them with a feeling of great contentment.**

Charlie smiled, "That was always the best day of the year."

"That class was my favorite," admitted Narcissa "the NEWT was killer though."

"Did you pass?" asked AJ she new Charms would help her in being a Dragon Handler

"I did pass, I can help you study if you get stuck on something." Smiled Narcissa

**Hermione wasn't at lunch either. By the time AJ had finished her apple pie, the after-effects of the Cheering Charms were wearing off.**

Hermione winced, "Sorry bug, I wasn't thinking straight that year."

**Telling Draco she would keep him posted, she passed the security trolls, gave the Fat Lady the password ("Flibbertigibbet"),** **and scrambled through the portrait hole into the common room. **

"Were you okay?" asked Sirius "Were you there?"

Remus kissed Sirius, "She's fine Siri, don't panic."

**Hermione was sitting at a table, fast asleep, her head resting on an open Arithmancy book. AJ shook her awake.**

"I really want to know what's going on." Said Tonks "You're really worrying me."

'**Wh - what?' said Hermione, waking with a start and staring wildly around. 'Is it time to go? W - which lesson have we got now?'**

Kingsley made a face, "Were you not sleeping?"

Regulus nodded, "Maybe she's sick or something. I don't know but I'm starting to worry too."

**'Divination, but it's not for another twenty minutes,' said AJ. 'Hermione, why didn't you come to Charms?'**

"You couldn't have said that more gently?" laughed Draco "You know Hermione!"

AJ rolled her eyes, "I wasn't thinking correctly! I was worried you goober!"

**'What? Oh no!' Hermione squeaked. 'I forgot to go to Charms!'**

"You can make up the work," soothed Andy "don't worry about it dear."

**'But how could you forget?' said AJ. 'You were with us till we were right outside the classroom!'**

Charlie bit his lip, "What's up with you two? Usually you're both in sink with each other."

"I couldn't tell her," said Hermione "I wanted to but I just couldn't."

**'I don't believe it!' Hermione wailed. 'Was Professor Flitwick angry? Where is Ron?"**

Molly sniffed, "You weren't even worried about your friend? He could have been hurt."

"They weren't friends at that point, if you recall they had a fight. If he was a true friend he would have been concerned for Hermione and her wellbeing." Argued Narcissa

**'You know what, Hermione?' said AJ, looking down at the enormous Arithmancy book Hermione had been using as a pillow. 'I think your trying to do too much. And I don't know where Ron is, I think he's with Dean or something.'**

Draco sighed, "I still don't understand why he couldn't just accept that I was sorry."

"Because he's a pig headed jackass," grunted Ted "he's never going to change. Don't let him bother you or get to you."

**'No, I'm not!' said Hermione, brushing her hair out of her eyes and staring hopelessly around for her bag. 'I just made a mistake, that's all! I'd better go and see Professor Flitwick and say sorry... I'll see you in Divination!'**

Regulus rubbed his eyes, "Take a deep breath and calm down. Flitwick always gives an extensive review before the finals and he's really good about giving extra help when you missed something."

**Hermione joined AJ at the foot of the ladder to Professor Trelawney's classroom twenty minutes later, looking extremely harassed.**

"Now we get to hear about another death omen!" laughed Sirius

Charlie snickered, "How long do you think before she predicts AJ's death?"

**Together they climbed the ladder into the dim, stifling tower room. Glowing on every little table was a crystal ball full of pearly white mist. AJ, Draco, and Hermione sat down together at the same rickety table.**

Remus huffed, "Will you please drop this class? You can drop it this coming school year."

"Yeah but its so much fun papa!" laughed AJ

**'I thought we weren't starting crystal balls until next term,' Draco muttered, casting a wary eye around for Professor Trelawney, in case she was lurking nearby.**

Bill rolled his eyes, "It's all complete bullshit so what does it matter what you study?"

**'Don't complain, this means we've finished palmistry,' AJ muttered back. 'I was getting sick of her flinching every time she looked at my hands.'**

"Why?" asked Kingsley "OH! She saw your death happening before her very eyes."

Tonks made a face, "I wonder what she sees when she reads peoples palms? She must be really crazy. Well crazier then we assumed."

**'Good day to you!' said the familiar, misty voice, and Professor Trelawney made her usual dramatic entrance out of the shadows.** **Parvati and Lavender quivered with excitement, their faces lit by the milky glow of their crystal ball.**

"I really don't like them." Mumbled Draco "They're such screwballs."

Hermione laughed, "You just don't like them because they always try to slip a love potion in your drinks. They want your body baby." Draco turned a green color before he continued reading.

**'I have decided to introduce the crystal ball a little earlier than I had planned,' said Professor Trelawney, sitting with her back to the fire and gazing around. **

"So basically she doesn't have anything to fill the next few time blocks." Muttered Narcissa

**'The fates have informed me that your examination in June will concern the Orb, and I am anxious to give you sufficient practice.'** **Hermione snorted.**

Regulus scoffed, "Are you still wondering why she doesn't like you?"

"I don't think we ever wondered." Laughed AJ

**'Well, honestly..."the fates have informed her" who sets the exam? She does! What an amazing prediction!' she said, not troubling to keep her voice low.**

Ted sighed, "Why did you take the class? I don't want to sound mean, but if you really aren't interested in it. Why take it?"

"I didn't want AJ to feel alone," admitted Hermione "she's my best friend and I know she doesn't get along with a lot of the Gryffindor girls."

**AJ and Draco choked back laughs.**

The two high fived while Hermione rolled her eyes fondly.

**It was hard to tell whether Professor Trelawney had heard them as her face was hidden in shadow. She continued, however, as though she had not.**

"She heard you," laughed Narcissa "James and I took that class in third year also and he was always making comments about her in class."

AJ gaped, "Were you and James friends?"

"Yes, I was. James and I grew up very close to one another, but in seventh year my parents arranged my marriage and we had a falling out." Admitted Narcissa

**'Crystal gazing is a particularly refined art,' she said dreamily. 'I do not expect any of you to see when first you peer into the Orb's infinite depths. **

Remus scoffed, "I saw my reflection and smoke. That was it."

**We shall start by practicing relaxing the conscious mind and external eyes' - Draco began to snigger uncontrollably and had to stuff his fist in his mouth to stifle the noise –**

"Well come on!" huffed Draco "Hermione was making fun of a teacher and AJ was changing her hair five different colors a minute. How could I not break out laughing?"

Sirius laughed, "We really need to sit in on these classes one day."

**'so as to clear the Inner Eye and the super conscious. Perhaps, if we are lucky, some of you will see before the end of the class.'**

Andy huffed, "No one is going to see anything besides those weird girls that are obsessed with Trelawney."

**And so they began. AJ, at least, felt extremely foolish, staring blankly at the crystal ball, trying to keep her mind empty when thoughts such as "this is stupid" kept drifting across it.** **It didn't help that Draco kept breaking into silent giggles and Hermione kept tutting.**

"Did you lot get kicked out?" laughed Kingsley

AJ snickered, "No, but I thought we were pretty damn close!"

**'Seen anything yet?' AJ asked them after a quarter of an hour's quiet crystal gazing.**

"No," laughed Charlie "No one sees anything punk."

Tonks giggled, "Maybe someone really can predict the future in that class! You never know Charlie."

**'Yeah, there's a burn on this table,' said Draco, pointing. 'Someone's spilled their candle.'**

"You're good!" snickered Bill "I can see you getting top scores in that class because of your inner eye!"

**'This is such a waste of time,' Hermione hissed. 'I could be practicing something useful. I could be catching up on Cheering Charms -'**

Sirius smirked, "Or you could just leave the class and never go back. That's my advice anyhow."

"How exactly did you graduate?" laughed Regulus

**Professor Trelawney rustled past.** **'Would anyone like me to help them interpret the shadowy portents within their Orb?' she murmured over the clinking of her bangles.**

Ted saw AJ trying to fight laughter, "What happened? C'mon tell me!"

"No," giggled Hermione "you can wait!"

**'I don't need help,' Draco whispered. 'It's obvious what this means. There's going to be loads of fog tonight.'** **Both AJ and Hermione burst out laughing.**

Everyone started to laugh loudly; Draco had gotten his mothers sense of humor for sure.

**'Now, really!' said Professor Trelawney as everyone's heads turned in their direction. Parvati and Lavender were looking scandalized. 'You are disturbing the clairvoyant vibrations!'**

"Really?" laughed Bill "Clairvoyant vibrations?"

Charlie huffed, "Bill! This is very important! How else will they know what's going to happen tomorrow unless Trelawney helps them."

**She approached their table and peered into their crystal ball. AJ felt her heart sinking. She was sure she knew what was coming –**

"Don't let it bother you pup, it's not going to happen." Said Sirius

Draco smirked, "How do you know Uncle Siri? You haven't heard the prediction yet."

"Anything that comes out of that women's mouth is complete bullshit." Grunted Sirius

**'There is something here!' Professor Trelawney whispered, lowering her face to the ball, so that it was reflected twice in her huge glasses. 'Something moving... but what is it?'**

"The grim!" yelled Remus "AJ the grim is after you!

**AJ was prepared to bet everything she owned, including her Firebolt that it wasn't good news, whatever it was.** **And sure enough -** **'My dear,' **

Regulus scowled, "Seriously? Can she just cut the dramatics and move to the point."

"What would the fun in that be?" asked Kingsley "She has to scare them a little bit."

**Professor Trelawney breathed, gazing up at AJ. 'It is here, plainer than ever before... my dear, stalking toward you, growing ever closer... the Gr -'**

Andy made a face, "Why was she even hired? She obviously doesn't know what she's doing and even if she was a seer she can't teach people that. You're born with the gift."

**'Oh, for goodness' sake!' said Hermione loudly. 'Not that ridiculous Grim again!'**

"She won't like that," sighed Charlie "I don't think she's ever yelled. But I know she won't like it."

Hermione shrugged, "It was stupid for her to bring that up. She was obsessed with death omens and nothing else."

**Professor Trelawney raised her enormous eyes to Hermione's face. Parvati whispered something to Lavender, and they both glared at Hermione too. Professor Trelawney stood up, surveying Hermione with unmistakable anger.**

"I'm surprised they didn't kill you right then and there." Laughed Draco "They were so mad you weren't taking their hero seriously."

**'I am sorry to say that from the moment you have arrived in this class my dear, it has been apparent that you do not have what the noble art of Divination requires. **

Bill scowled, "Who in the hell wants to be good in Divination? It's a shitty subject that doesn't help anyone ever."

"Little protective?" asked Narcissa smiling

**Indeed, I don't remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly mundane.'**

Everyone gaped; she had gone too far that time.

**There was a moment's silence. Then -** **'Fine!' said Hermione suddenly, getting up and cramming Unfogging the Future back into her bag. **

"You're leaving the class?" asked Kingsley "Wow. I never thought that would happen."

AJ nodded, "We were all really surprised."

**'Fine!' she repeated, swinging the bag over her shoulder and almost knocking AJ off her chair. 'I give up! I'm leaving!'**

"Have I mentioned how much I love that you're friends with my daughter?" asked Sirius "You just made the smartest move of your life."

**And to the whole class's amazement, Hermione strode over to the trapdoor, kicked it open, and climbed down the ladder out of sight.** **It took a few minutes for the class to settle down again. Professor Trelawney seemed to have forgotten all about the Grim.**

Ted smirked, "Now that's a first! Usually she's all about the grim and needing you to know that your impending death is upon you."

"I doubt anyone has ever just stormed out of her class like that before," laughed Regulus "good for you Mio!"

**She turned abruptly from AJ and Draco's table, breathing rather heavily as she tugged her gauzy shawl more closely to her.**

Hermione looked wide-eyed, "Did I give her a panic attack?"

Draco snickered, "No she was just being…well her."

**'Ooooo!' said Lavender suddenly, making everyone start. 'Oooooh, Professor Trelawney, I've just remembered! You saw her leaving, didn't you? Didn't you, Professor? "Around Easter, one of our number will leave us forever!" You said it ages ago, Professor!'**

Narcissa rolled her eyes, "Someone always leaves the class though. Usually because they wind up hating it or because they're failing."

"I never took it," admitted Tonks "but I remember a lot of kids had to drop it because of the grade they were receiving."

**Professor Trelawney gave her a dewy smile.** **'Yes, my dear, I did indeed know that Miss Granger would be leaving us. One hopes, however, that one might have mistaken the Signs...The Inner Eye can be a burden, you know...'**

Remus cocked his head, "Really? I figured her just being a pain in the ass was a burden."

**Lavender and Parvati looked deeply impressed, and moved over so that Professor Trelawney could join their table instead.**

"She's really a hero to these girls?" asked Regulus "That's just pathetic."

AJ nodded, "The whole class is pathetic."

**'Some day Hermione's having, eh?' Draco muttered to AJ, looking awed.**

**'Yeah...' AJ glanced into the crystal ball but saw nothing but swirling white mist.**

Charlie kissed AJ, "She didn't see anything punk, and she's a basket case."

"I just hate always having her star at me as if I'm made of glass and I'm going to break." Grumbled AJ

**The Easter holidays were not exactly relaxing. The third years had never had so much homework. Neville Longbottom seemed close to a nervous collapse, and he wasn't the only one.**

Ted sighed, "Just wait until fifth year and up, you're going to know exactly how bad the homework can get."

"I had a really hard fifth year," admitted Tonks "I studied a lot but it never seemed to end."

**'Call this a holiday!' Seamus Finnigan roared at the common room one afternoon. 'The exams are ages away, what're they playing at?'**

Andy rolled her eyes, "They don't want you to fail you idiot!"

"He's young, he doesn't care about passing." Scoffed Bill

**But nobody had as much to do as Hermione. Even without Divination, she was taking more subjects than anybody else. **

Narcissa gaped; she hoped Hermione didn't have a time turner. Those were extremely dangerous and could cause deep problems to whoever used it.

**She was usually last to leave the common room at night, first to arrive at the library the next morning; she had shadows like Professor Lupin's under her eyes, and seemed constantly close to tears.**

"I didn't think I was that close to a breakdown." Admitted Hermione

AJ nodded, "I wanted to help you but I knew you couldn't talk to me about it."

**Draco had taken over responsibility for Buckbeak's appeal. When he wasn't doing his own work, he was poring over enormously thick volumes with names like The Handbook of Hippogriff Psychology and Fowl or Foul? A Study of Hippogriff Brutality. **

"I really wanted to fix the mess I had made," admitted Draco "my father was never supposed to hear the conversation."

Charlie raised a brow, "What do you mean?"

"When anyone is hurt at Hogwarts, their parents get sent and Owl. My mom received the owl but my father found the letter and raised hell." Explained Draco

**AJ, meanwhile, had to fit in her homework around Quidditch practice every day, not to mention endless discussions of tactics with Wood. **

AJ shook her head, "I really don't know I didn't kill him. He was getting on my nerves."

**The Gryffindor-Slytherin match would take place on the first Saturday after the Easter holidays. Slytherin was leading the tournament by exactly two hundred points. **

Regulus smirked, "See my old house knows how to keep it real."

"Keep it real?" laughed Kingsley "Its that what all the cool kids are saying now?"

**This meant (as Wood constantly reminded his team) that they needed to win the match by more than that amount to win the Cup. It also meant that the burden of winning fell largely on AJ, because capturing the Snitch was worth one hundred and fifty points.**

Tonks grinned, "He has a panic attack doesn't he? Or he tries to kill himself? I can see both happening."

"I just hope they win." Laughed Sirius "I would hate to hear about his breakdown because of losing."

**'So you must catch it only if we're more than fifty points up,' Wood told AJ constantly. 'Only if we're more than fifty points up, AJ, or we win the match but lose the Cup. You've got that, haven't you? You must catch the Snitch only if we're -'**

Regulus glared "I think she knows what to do! She's been doing it for a while now you moron."

"He was a little excited," smiled AJ "he just wanted to win before he was just a little over eager."

**'I KNOW, OLIVER!' AJ yelled.**

Narcissa winced, "James temper I see has been passed on to you."

**The whole of Gryffindor House was obsessed with the coming match. Gryffindor hadn't won the Quidditch Cup since the legendary Charlie Weasley** **(Ron's second very good looking oldest brother) had been seeker. **

Charlie grinned madly, "I am awesome! See I'm the very good looking brother."

"Yeah but she said second." Laughed Bill "Obviously she things I'm hotter."

**But AJ doubted whether any of them, even Wood, wanted to win as much as she did. By the time the holidays were over, tension between the two teams and their Houses was at the breaking point.**

Kingsley gaped, "Over a game? Have you all lost your damn minds?"

"Seems like it," muttered Ted "I don't even think we ever had feuds over games like that."

**A number of small scuffles broke out in the corridors, culminating in a nasty incident in which a Gryffindor fourth year and a Slytherin sixth year ended up in the hospital wing with leeks sprouting out of their ears.**

Everyone winced. Even Slytherins didn't deserve that.

**Wood had given instructions that AJ should be accompanied everywhere she went, in case the Slytherins tried to put her out of action.**

"Was that necessary?" asked Andy

Draco nodded, "Of course. AJ is the best seeker at Hogwarts and if she got hurt to the point of her not being able to play, Slytherin could have won easily."

**The whole of Gryffindor House took up the challenge enthusiastically, so that it was impossible for AJ to get to classes on time because she was surrounded by a vast, chattering crowd. AJ was more concerned for her Firebolt's safety than her own.**

"Be careful, someone could jinx it fairly easily." Mumbled Narcissa

AJ nodded, "Trust me Aunt Cissa, I know."

**When she wasn't flying it, she locked it securely in her trunk and frequently dashed back up to Gryffindor Tower at break times to check that it was still there. **

Sirius nodded his head, "It better still have been there."

**All usual pursuits were abandoned in the Gryffindor common room the night before the match. Even Hermione had put down her books. 'I can't work, I can't concentrate,' she said nervously.**

"I was so worried," admitted Hermione "if something happened to you during the match I would have flipped."

Remus sighed, "Too bad the game wasn't as peaceful as we had hoped."

**There was a great deal of noise. Fred and George Weasley were dealing with the pressure by being louder and more exuberant than ever.**

"When are they coming back?" laughed Tonks

AJ smiled, "Hopefully soon. They're a riot and they'll be able to break the tension in the room."

**AJ was sitting with Hermione, removed from the center of things, trying not to think about the next day, because every time she did, she had the horrible sensation that something very large was fighting to get out of her stomach.**

"Remain calm," advised Kingsley "getting sick on the field would suck pretty bad."

Hermione started, "Nice, you should think about being a councilor."

**'You're going to be fine,' Hermione told AJ, though she looked positively terrified.**

"It's going to be a rough game," said Regulus "I'm not going to enjoy this chapter this anymore."

**'Yeah...' said AJ, her stomach writhing. It came as a relief when Wood suddenly stood up and yelled, 'Team! Bed!'**

Bill nodded, "I used to do the same thing. There was always early bed time for the team when we had a big game the next day."

"It's important to get your sleep," agreed Ted "when you're well rested your able to play much better."

**AJ and the rest of the Gryffindor team entered the Great Hall the next day to enormous applause. AJ couldn't help grinning broadly as she saw that both the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables were applauding them too. **

Everyone that wasn't under the silence charm started to cheer loudly.

**The Slytherin table hissed loudly as they passed, while Draco and AJ shared grins. Then she hurried them off to the field before anyone else had finished, so they could get an idea of the conditions. As they left the Great Hall, everyone applauded again.**

Sirius smiled, "You're going to win pup! There's no stopping you."

"It wasn't a pleasant game," remarked Remus "but AJ did good."

**'Good luck, AJ!' called Cedric smirking. **

Charlie scowled darkly, he really didn't like hearing about him.

**'Okay - no wind to speak of - sun's a bit bright, that could impair your vision, watch out for it - ground's fairly hard, good, that'll give us a fast kickoff -' Wood paced the field, staring around with the team behind him.**

"Is he a little touched?" asked Narcissa

Draco blinked, "No mom! He's just passionate about the game and he wanted to make sure the team was prepared for the weather."

**Finally, they saw the front doors of the castle open in the distance and the rest of the school spilling onto the lawn.** **'Locker rooms,' said Wood tersely.**

"Why was he mad?" asked Bill "The game hasn't even started."

Hermione sighed, "Oliver has a hard time expressing his feelings right before the game."

**None of them spoke as they changed into their scarlet robes. AJ wondered if they were feeling like she was: as though she'd eaten something extremely wriggly for breakfast.**

"I would have thrown up," admitted Tonks "like eight times before the game."

**In what seemed like no time at all, Wood was saying, 'Okay, it's time, let's go -' They walked out onto the field to a tidal wave of noise. Three-quarters of the crowd was wearing scarlet rosettes, waving scarlet flags with the Gryffindor lion upon them, or brandishing banners with slogans like "GO GRYFFINDOR!" and "LIONS FOR THE CUP'**

All the Gryffindor's in the room cheered loudly.

**Behind the Slytherin goal posts, however, two hundred people were wearing green; the silver serpent of Slytherin glittered on their flags, and Professor Snape sat in the very front row, wearing green like everyone else, and a very grim smile.**

Draco laughed, "Your smile is really scary." But all Snape could do was glare heatedly.

**'And here are the Gryffindor's!' yelled Lee Jordan, who was acting as commentator as usual. 'Potter, Bell, Johnson, Spinnet, Weasley, Weasley, and Wood. Widely acknowledged as the best team Hogwarts has seen in a good few years -'**

"You are a good formed team," agreed Charlie "you're all really fit for your positions."

**Lee's comments were drowned by a tide of "boos" from the Slytherin end.** **'And here come the Slytherin team, led by Captain Flint. He's made some changes in the line up and seems to be going for size rather than skill -'**

"Who is this guy anyhow?" asked Sirius "Flint sounds like he's not playing with a full deck."

AJ snickered "He really isn't daddy, he's a really gross guy."

**More boos from the Slytherin crowd. AJ, however, thought Lee had a point.** **Draco was easily the smallest person on the Slytherin team; the rest of them were enormous.**

"I'll take that as a compliment." Laughed Draco

**'Captains, shake hands!' said Madam Hooch. Flint and Wood approached each other and grasped each other's hand very tightly; it looked as though each was trying to break the other's fingers.**

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Of course they were. They're men, they're all about the power."

"I'm not like that!" argued Kingsley "Well a little but not like those two goof balls."

**'Mount your brooms!' said Madam Hooch. 'Three... two... one...'** **The sound of her whistle was lost in the roar from the crowd as fourteen brooms rose into the air. Her nerves left her in the thrill of the flight;** **s****he glanced around, saw Draco on her tail, and sped off in search of the Snitch.**

Everyone was waiting in anticipation.

**Warrington drops the Quaffle, it's caught by - Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Angelina - nice swerve around Montague - duck, Angelina, that's a Bludger! - SHE SCORES! TEN-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!'** **Angelina punched the air as she soared around the end of the field; the sea of scarlet below was screaming its delight.**

"That was an awesome play!" cheered AJ "Angelina is one of our best players."

Hermione smiled, "Do you think she'll be captain this year?"

"I'm not sure, because Katie is good too." Said AJ

**'OUCH!' Angelina was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus Flint went smashing into her.**

Narcissa scowled "What's the point of the game if you aren't going to play fair!"

"I don't think anyone plays fair anymore." Argued Andy

**'Sorry!' said Flint as the crowd below booed. 'Sorry, didn't see her!'**

Tonks sneered, "Sure you didn't!"

**A moment later, Fred Weasley chucked his Beater's club at the back of Flint's head. Flint's nose smashed into the handle of his broom and began to bleed.**

"Such a shame," snarked Sirius "after everything they're pulling they deserve it."

Ted nodded, "But Gryffindor is going to be punished in the long run and you know it."

**The Gryffindor crowd below was screaming itself hoarse - Gryffindor was sixty points in the lead, and if AJ caught the Snitch now, the Cup was theirs. AJ could almost feel hundreds of eyes following him as he soared around the field, high above the rest of the game, with Draco speeding along behind her.**

"Oh man, this is it guys!" yelled Remus "The game is almost won!"

Draco laughed, "Uncle Remus, you were there. You already know the outcome."

**AJ, who had almost pelted headlong into the stands, skidded to a halt in midair, reversed, and zoomed back into the middle of the field. **

"You scared the shit out of us when you did that!" growled Hermione "I swear we thought you were going to take us out."

AJ snickered, "I was tempted to but I thought better of it."

**And then he saw something to make his heart stand still. Draco was diving, a look of triumph on his face - there, a few feet above the grass below, was a tiny, golden glimmer – AJ urged the Firebolt downward, but Draco was miles ahead –**

"You have a Firebolt though," argued Charlie "push that baby! Make it go faster!"

Narcissa snickered, "This sounds like the beginning of a dirty joke."

**'Go! Go! Go!' AJ urged her broom. She was gaining on Draco – AJ flattened herself to the broom handle as Bole sent a Bludger at her – **

"Don't kill yourself trying to win," muttered Bill "I don't think you dying would make Oliver very happy."

**She was at Draco's ankles - she was level – AJ threw herself forward, took both hands off her broom. **

Regulus groaned "Are you crazy? You took your hands off the broom? Please tell me you won after such a stupid move."

"Gotta agree with your Uncle Reggie," said Ted "I hope you win but I really wish we could have seen the move."

**She knocked Draco's arm out of the way and - 'YES!' **

"YEAH!" cheered all the Gryffindor's while everyone else smiled indulgently at them.

**She pulled out of her dive, her hand in the air, and the stadium exploded.** **AJ soared above the crowd, an odd ringing in her ears. **

Kingsley sighed in relief, "So the game is finally over. I think I'll enjoy the remainder of the chapter."

"You're such a party pooper!" laughed Tonks "This game was probably the most intense game ever."

**The tiny golden ball was held tight in her fist, beating its wings hopelessly against her fingers. Then Wood was speeding toward her, half-blinded by tears; he seized AJ around the neck and sobbed unrestrainedly into her shoulder.**

"Are you serious?" asked Andy "He started to cry over the game?"

Sirius bit his lip, "It's a very important time in the young mans life Andy. Don't judge the poor boy."

**AJ felt two large thumps as Fred and George hit them; then Angelina's, Alicia's, and Katie's voices, 'We've won the Cup! We've won the Cup!' Tangled together in a many-armed hug, the Gryffindor team sank, yelling hoarsely, back to earth.**

"You guys looked so happy," remarked Draco "it was nice to see."

Hermione smiled, "Us Gryffindor's are very affectionate. Well besides AJ." AJ laughed, she couldn't help it. She just didn't like emotions, they were messy.

**Wave upon wave of crimson supporters was pouring over the barriers onto the field. Hands were raining down on their backs. AJ had a confused impression of noise and bodies pressing in on her. Then she, and the rest of the team, was hoisted onto the shoulders of the crowd.**

Charlie smiled, "You played amazingly, you deserve the entire crowds cheers and praise."

"And no one got seriously injured!" cheered Bill "I think we should be cheering over that."

**Thrust into the light, he saw Hagrid, plastered with crimson rosettes - 'Yeh beat 'em, AJ, yeh beat 'em! Wait till I tell Buckbeak!'**

Regulus smiled, "That's really sweet though, he loves his animals."

"They can understand you," remarked Sirius "I know I can when I'm padfoot."

Regulus, Narcissa and Andy all laughed, Narcissa recovered first. "Could it be because you're a wizard and not an actual animal?" Sirius scowled until Remus kissed the scowl away.

**There was Percy, jumping up and down like a maniac, all dignity forgotten.** **Professor McGonagall was sobbing harder even than Wood, wiping her eyes with an enormous Gryffindor flag; and there, fighting their way toward AJ, were Draco and Hermione. **

"Were the Slytherins mad at you for doing that?" asked Remus

Draco shrugged, "Not really, they were all too bummed over losing to Gryffindor."

**Words failed them. They simply beamed as AJ was borne toward the stands, where Dumbledore stood waiting with the enormous Quidditch Cup. **

Ted beamed at his niece, "Congratulations hun, you worked really hard for that win. We're proud of you."

**AJ wondered where Ron was, but it didn't surprise her that he wasn't there for her. If only there had been a Dementor around... As a sobbing Wood passed AJ the Cup, as they lifted it into the air, AJ felt she could have produced the world's best Patronus.**

Draco passed the book to Hermione who was leaning heavily on Bill, "**Professor Trelawney's Prediction…**"

**AN: I did make a few cuts to the Quidditch game because honestly I was running out of things for them to talk about haha. I'm always up to answer questions and incorporate suggestions. Read and Review :)**


	62. Professor Trelawney's Prediction

Regulus blinked, "The cow has her own chapter? Over a prediction."

"Imagine that." Laughed AJ suppressing a flinch

**AJ's euphoria at finally winning the Quidditch Cup lasted at least a week. Ron had been avoiding AJ, Draco and Hermione and only talked to them if it was to insult them. **

Sirius snickered "So it was a peaceful end of term?"

"You have no idea." Laughed Hermione "Ron acted like we were diseased or something."

**Even the weather seemed to be celebrating; as June approached, the days became cloudless and sultry, **

"June is a really warm month, make sure you drink plenty of fluids, you don't want to dehydrate." Advised Andy

**and all anybody felt like doing was strolling onto the grounds and flopping down on the grass with several pints of iced pumpkin juice, perhaps playing a casual game of Gobstones or watching the giant squid propel itself dreamily across the surface of the lake.**

Narcissa laughed, "No one studies anymore? Aren't finals coming up?"

"We had plenty of time to study." Snarked Ginny smiling, her silencing charm had finally worn off

"The exams are in June," argued Narcissa "instead of playing games they should have been studying. Next time you decide to get an attitude I advice you to take it somewhere else, unlike your parents I won't tolerate it."

**But they couldn't. Exams were nearly upon them, and instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while enticing wafts of summer air drifted in through the windows.**

"Try working in groups, it makes the entire studying process so much easer." Advised Ted

Kingsley nodded, "We used to do that in Ravenclaw but we would trade notes and our flash cards too. You gain more information from a different perspective."

**Even Fred and George Weasley had been spotted working;** **they were about to take their O.W.L.s (Ordinary Wizarding Levels). **

"They aren't too bad," said Remus "they're aren't designed to trick you just have to remain calm."

Draco bit his lip; "I heard you had a panic attack during your O.W.L.s."

"Yes well," Remus huffed "just continue with the reading!"

**Percy was getting ready to take his N.E.W.T.s (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests), the highest qualification Hogwarts offered. **

Bill grinned, "Which I did very well in might I add."

"And it didn't make you cocky in the least." Scoffed Charlie

**As Percy hoped to enter the Ministry of Magic, he needed top grades. He was becoming increasingly edgy, and gave very severe punishments to anybody who disturbed the quiet of the common room in the evenings.**

Tonks shrugged, "He probably wasn't getting any because his girlfriend was busy studying too and that caused his foul mood."

"Nymphadora!" yelled Molly "That is rude and uncalled for!"

"It's the truth though. Are you that naïve to think your SON isn't having sex?" argued Tonks "You really are hopeless if you believe that."

**In fact, the only person who seemed more anxious than Percy was Hermione. AJ and Draco had given up asking her how she was managing to attend several classes at once, but they couldn't restrain themselves when they saw the exam schedule she had drawn up for herself.**

"I'm really sorry for that entire year." Groaned Hermione "I didn't mean to be so snappy or just plain bitchy."

AJ waved her off, "Don't worry about doll. Shit happens, pick up and move on. No use to harp over the past."

**The first column read:**

**Monday 9 o'clock **

**Arithmancy 9 o'clock **

**Transfiguration **

**Lunch **

**Charms 1 o'clock,**

**Ancient Runes 1 o'clock,**

Before anyone could ask Hermione rushed to continue reading.

**'Hermione?' Draco said cautiously, because she was liable to explode when interrupted these days. 'Is everything written down correctly?'**

"Your damn right I was cautious!" deadpanned Draco "Only an idiot wouldn't be."

**'What?' snapped Hermione, picking up the exam schedule and examining it. 'Yes, of course I have.'**

Narcissa sighed sadly; this wouldn't end well for the poor girl. She was going to burn out.

**'Is there any point asking how you're going to sit for two exams at once?' said Draco.**

Regulus snorted, "Wouldn't advise it. You may lose a limb if you choose to do that."

"She wasn't that bad," argued Remus "she was just under a lot of stress. She wanted to get good grades."

**'No,' said Hermione shortly. 'Have either of you seen my copy of Numerology and Gramatica?'**

Bill raised a brow, "I own that book. How exactly do you lose a book that thick?"

**'Oh, yeah, I borrowed it for a bit of bedtime reading," said AJ, but very quietly. Hermione started shifting heaps of parchment.**

"Was the sarcasm appreciated at a time like that?" asked Charlie

AJ snickered, "Every time I use sarcasm it's appreciated and completely justifiable."

**AJ, Draco, and Hermione plenty of opportunity to speak to Hagrid.** **'Beaky's gettin' a bit depressed,' Hagrid told them, bending low on the pretense of checking that AJ's flobberworm was still alive. 'Bin cooped up too long.** **But still... we'll know day after tomorrow - one way or the other -'**

"They hadn't even set a date yet?" asked Sirius "Why the hell not?"

Snape sneered, "If he knew the date, he could free the damn bird before hand."

**They had Potions that afternoon, which was an unqualified disaster. AJ's potion was near perfect, which seemed to have made Snape even angrier then if she had botched the whole thing.**

"Do you like Potions?" asked Narcissa

AJ nodded, "It's an interesting class and I always get a good score. But Snape makes it super difficult with his glaring and muttering about killing students."

**Then came Astronomy at midnight, up on the tallest tower; History of Magic on Wednesday morning, in which AJ scribbled everything Florean Fortescue, had ever told her about medieval witch-hunts, while wishing she could have had one of Fortescue's cappuccino sundaes with her in the stifling classroom.**

Hermione sighed, "Man those are my favorite! Who doesn't like a coffee flavored ice cream? It's the best of both worlds!"

"You know, Egypt has a lot of nice ice cream parlors like in Diagon Alley." Admitted Bill

**Wednesday afternoon meant Herbology, in the greenhouses under a baking-hot sun; then back to the common room once more, with sunburnt necks,** **thinking longingly of this time next day, when it would all be over. **

Tonks grinned, "But the class is so easy and the final exams are never that difficult. You should all be passing that class with flying colors."

"Not everyone was in her house," laughed Kingsley "we didn't have her right next door whenever we needed her."

**Their second to last exam, on Thursday morning, was Defence Against the Dark Arts. Professor Lupin had compiled the most unusual exam any of them had ever taken;**

Remus smiled, "It was meant to be something different. When you're moving around and actually performing the spells we've discussed you're going to understand it all more quickly."

"You need to be the professor again," smiled Sirius "those kids loved you as their teacher. Who cares what the parents think love."

**a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun, where they had to wade across a deep paddling pool containing a grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of marsh while ignoring misleading directions from a hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new boggart.**

Ted gaped, "That was probably the coolest end of the year exam you lot have ever had! Why could have ours been like that?"

"Because we didn't have Professor Moony teaching our class." Laughed Regulus

**'Excellent, AJ,' Lupin muttered as AJ climbed out of the trunk, grinning. 'Full marks.' Flushed with her success, AJ hung around to watch Draco and Hermione.**

Andy smiled, "Did you two do well?"

"Yeah," mumbled Hermione "damn Bogart."

**Draco did very well until he reached the hinkypunk, which successfully confused him into sinking waist-high into the quagmire.**

Draco scowled, "Well we can all be perfect like Ms. Potter."

"It's a hard life I live," snickered AJ "but someone has to do it."

"You're such a dork!" laughed Draco, making everyone smile. Maybe he really had changed.

**Hermione did everything perfectly until she reached the trunk with the boggart in it. After about a minute inside it, she burst out again, screaming.**

"What happened?" asked Narcissa panicking

Kingsley bit his lip, "Was your Bogart that horrible?"

**'Hermione!' said Lupin, startled. 'What's the matter?'**

"She scared me half to death," muttered Remus "I thought someone had tried to kill her."

**'P - P - Professor McGonagall!' Hermione gasped, pointing into the trunk. 'Sh - she said I'd failed everything!'**

Everyone hid his or her faces as to not embarrass the poor girl more then she already was.

**It took a little while to calm Hermione down. When at last she had regained a grip on herself, she, AJ, and Draco went back to the castle. **

"How did you lot not die in laughter?" asked Charlie "I'm sorry Mio, I love you to death but that's really funny."

Sirius snickered, "It could be very traumatizing for a student to fail everything especially when they weren't brought up in our world."

"You guys are so mean!" Hermione fake cried, "Just so mean to innocent me."

**Draco was still slightly inclined to laugh at Hermione's boggart, but the sight that met them on the top of the steps averted an argument.**

Tonks groaned, "Why? What possibly could have happened now?"

"Just a visit from the head jackass himself." Muttered AJ

**Cornelius Fudge, sweating slightly in his pinstriped cloak, was standing there staring out at the grounds. He started at the sight of AJ.**

Andy narrowed her eyes, "Tell him to fuck off. He has no reason to see you or even talk to you."

**'Hello there, Alessandra!' he said. 'Just had an exam, I expect? Nearly finished?'**

"Last time I checked, she went by AJ." Snarled Remus "He just wants to act like you're best friends so he can get more votes."

Narcissa snorted, "Like anyone is going to believe a single word that comes out of his mouth."

**'It's AJ,' she stated. 'And yes.'**

Everyone snickered at that, if anything she was outspoken and didn't take his shit.

**Hermione and Draco, not being on speaking terms with the Minister of Magic, hovered awkwardly in the background.**

"Consider yourselves lucky." Grunted Sirius "You don't want to be on speaking terms with a pompous jackass like that tool."

Remus snickered, "I don't think having our daughter call the minister of magic a tool is such a good idea."

**'Right, well it's a lovely day,' said Fudge, casting an eye over the lake. 'Pity... pity...' He sighed deeply and looked down at AJ. **

"Ever have the feeling he was undressing you with his eyes?" asked Tonks

AJ shuddered, "No. Why would I?"

"I don't know," laughed Tonks "he seems like the type of person who would do that."

**'I'm here on an unpleasant mission, AJ. The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures required a witness to the execution of a mad hippogriff. As I needed to visit Hogwarts to check on the Black situation, I was asked to step in.'**

Draco snorted, "More like paid to step in. There's a big difference."

**'Does that mean the appeal's already happened?' Hermione interrupted, stepping forward.**

"If it hasn't Buckbeak could still be set free!" cheered Ted

Charlie smiled, "He'll be set free one way or another.

**'No, no, it's scheduled for this afternoon,' said Fudge, looking curiously at Hermione.**

"He's probably wondering who had the balls to stand up to the jackass himself." Grunted Regulus

**'Then you might not have to witness an execution at all!' said AJ. 'The hippogriff might get off!'**

Everyone winced; they didn't know how Fudge would take something like that.

**Before Fudge could answer, two wizards came through the castle doors behind him. One was so ancient he appeared to be withering before their very eyes; the other was tall and strapping, with a thin back moustache.**

"Assholes." Muttered AJ "Complete and udder assholes."

Hermione nodded, "They're just jerks."

**Harry gathered that they were representatives of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, because tie very old wizard squinted toward Hagrid's cabin and said in a feeble voice, 'Dear, dear, I'm getting too old for this...** **Two o'clock, isn't it, Fudge?'**

"Why is he still working?" asked Kingsley "That man was old when I was a kid. He really should be asked to step down."

Narcissa sighed, "Unless forced no one will give up their power no matter what they are in charge of."

**The black-mustached man was fingering something in his belt; AJ looked and saw that she was running one broad thumb along the blade of a shining axe. **

"Bastard." Growled Remus "He doesn't even give a damn what he's doing to an innocent animal."

**Draco opened his mouth to say something, but Hermione nudged him hard in the ribs and jerked her head toward the entrance hall. Where Ron was standing with a scowl on his face.**

Draco cocked his head, "Do you ever not have a scowl on your face? You always seem so angry."

"Did you ever think that maybe you're the reason why he's so upset all the time?" asked Ginny

"I'm the reason why he's upset?" asked Draco "That's really pathetic that he's giving me so much power of his emotions."

'**How's the new friendship working out?' asked Ron. 'You know he hasn't changed. He just wants to get close to you and then destroy you.'**

Narcissa blinked, "Why would he get close to AJ and Hermione to just destroy them? Wouldn't it be easier for his father to do his bidding for him? You're not making any sense Ron."

**AJ rolled her lavender eyes. 'Right, that makes sense. Have you noticed that no one cares that we're friends? You're the only one that has an issue. Grow up Ron and sooner the better.' **

"He's never going to grow up punk." Said Charlie "He's having too much fun being an immature jackass."

Bill nodded, "Obviously he doesn't value your friendship if he can't even accept that you're gaining new friends. Not worth your time at all."

'**Whatever.' Grunted Ron 'Just know that if your friends with him you aren't friends with me.'**

"Now that's not childish in the least!" yelled Regulus "How can you give your friends ultimatums like that? AJ and Hermione are better off without you in their lives."

**Hermione scoffed. 'Thanks for the heads up, we're going to go now.' Ron stormed off leaving three confused people in his wake.**

Ted nodded, "I'm confused too, why can't you be friends with other people besides Gryffindor's?"

"Because he's an immature little brat who thinks the world revolves around him." Deadpanned AJ

'**I don't want you guys to ruin a friendship because of me.' Sighed Draco. 'If you want to be friends with him, I understand. I don't want you to feel like you have to choose.'**

Regulus smiled, "Thanks for saying that. That makes me feel that you really have changed."

"I have and I really do value my friendship with the two of them." Admitted Draco

**Hermione scoffed. 'True friends wouldn't make you choose. He's ruining the friendship himself, not you. Don't worry about it. We'll see you after lunch for more exams.'**

Kingsley smiled, "You never know. You guys could be causing unity at Hogwarts. That would be a first in forever."

"We totally could!" laughed Hermione "We could be like pioneers or something."

**All around them, people were talking excitedly as they ate their lunch, happily anticipating the end of the exams that afternoon, but AJ, Draco, and Hermione, lost in worry about Hagrid and Buckbeak, didn't join in. **

Sirius smiled, "You're all really good friends to Hagrid but you have to remember that he would want you to be enjoying the end of exams."

**AJ's and Draco's last exam was Divination; Hermione's, Muggle Studies. They walked up the marble staircase together; Hermione left them on the first floor and AJ and Draco proceeded all the way up to the seventh, where many of their class were sitting on the spiral staircase to Professor Trelawney's classroom, trying to cram in a bit of last-minute studying.**

"Damn," muttered Andy "she's going to see you all separately because your inner eye would be confused with everyone's aura being mixed together."

"Did you have fun at your final for Divination?" laughed Remus

**'She's seeing us all separately,' Neville informed them as they went to sit down next to him. He had his copy of Unfogging the Future open on his lap at the pages devoted to crystal gazing. 'Have either of you ever seen anything in a crystal ball?' he asked them unhappily.**

"No." the entire room said as one.

**'Nope,' said Draco in an offhand voice. He kept checking his watch; AJ knew that he was counting down the time until Buckbeak's appeal started.**

Sirius scowled, "The appeal won't matter. The ministry doesn't care about anyone but themselves. The sooner you learn that the better."

"It's sad when you can't even trust your own government." Sighed Ted

**The line of people outside the classroom shortened very slowly. As each person climbed back down the silver ladder, the rest of the class hissed, 'What did she ask? Was it okay?' But they all refused to say.**

Narcissa groaned, "They're making the final so much worse then it really is. She's just being her usual annoying self."

**'She says the crystal ball's told her that if I tell you, I'll have a horrible accident!' squeaked Neville as he clambered back down the ladder toward AJ and Draco, who had now reached the landing.**

"He has an accident every hour," muttered Charlie "he would have an accident even if he doesn't say anything."

**'That's convenient,' snorted Draco.** **"You know, I'm starting to think Hermione was right about her' - he jabbed his thumb toward the trapdoor overhead - 'she's a right old fraud.'**

Bill nodded, "Very good! You've caught on rather quickly."

"Shut up," scowled Draco with a smirk "I tried to give her a chance to redeem herself."

**'Yeah,' said AJ, looking at his own watch. It-was now two o'clock. 'Wish she'd hurry up...'**

Remus bit his lip, "She won't. She likes to draw it out and make people nervous. But now is not the time for her games."

**Parvati came back down the ladder glowing with pride.** **'She says I've got all the makings of a true Seer,' she informed AJ and Draco. 'I saw loads of stuff... Well, good luck!'** **She hurried off down the spiral staircase toward Lavender.**

"Why doesn't that surprise me in the least?" laughed Tonks

Andy snickered, "She could become to the new Divination Professor once the cow retires."

'**Draco Malfoy,' said the familiar, misty voice from over their heads.** **Draco grimaced at AJ and climbed the silver ladder out of sight. Harry was now the only person left to be tested. Draco came down ten minutes later.**

"You should have taken longer," smiled Narcissa "she won't believe you actually saw something within ten minutes."

**'How'd it go?' AJ asked him.**

**'Rubbish,' said Draco. 'Couldn't see a thing, so I made some stuff up. Don't think she was convinced, though...'**

Everyone laughed; Trelawney didn't believe any of her students unless they fawned over her.

**' Professor Trelawney's voice called, 'AJ Potter!'**

Sirius smiled, "Good luck pup! I believe in you and your seer abilities!"

**The tower room was hotter than ever before; the curtains were closed, the fire was alight, and the usual sickly scent made AJ cough as he stumbled through the clutter of chairs and table to where Professor Trelawney sat waiting for her before a large crystal ball.**

"I bet she looked like a crazy bug lady." Laughed Kingsley

Tonks snickered, "I was thinking the same thing! We're a match made in heaven!"

**'Good day, my dear,' she said softly. 'If you would kindly gaze into the Orb...Take your time, now...then tell me what you see within it...'**

"Just make something up," snorted Remus "make it believable like your death. She seems to happy when that topic comes up."

**AJ bent over the crystal ball and stared, stared as hard as she could, willing it to show her something other than swirling white fog, but nothing happened.**

Hermione rolled her eyes, "That's because it's nothing but white fog. You aren't going to find anything. So stupid."

"We know Mio," said Bill "but she has to pass the hellish class."

**'Well?' Professor Trelawney prompted delicately. 'What do you see?'**

"White fog and more white fog." Deadpanned Charlie

AJ elbowed him, "I couldn't say that love and you know it.

**The heat was overpowering and her nostrils were stinging with the perfumed smoke wafting from the fire beside them. She thought of what Draco had just said, and decided to pretend.** **'Well' said AJ, 'a dark shape.'**

"Did you really?" asked Hermione

AJ snorted, "No, I couldn't see a thing."

**'What does it resemble?' whispered Professor Trelawney. 'Think, now...'**

**AJ cast her mind around and it landed on Buckbeak.** **'A hippogriff,' she said firmly.**

"Now she's going to get excited," laughed Narcissa "you could very well be the next teacher instead of that fruit loop girl."

**'Indeed!' whispered Professor Trelawney, scribbling keenly on the parchment perched upon her knees. 'My girl, you may well be seeing the outcome of poor Hagrid's trouble with the Ministry of Magic! Look closer... Does the hippogriff appear to... have its head?'**

Andy pulled a face, "Who asks that! I want to know who!"

"Apparently the evil cow." Grumbled Sirius

**'Yes,' said AJ firmly.**

**'Are you sure?' Professor Trelawney urged him. 'Are you quite sure, dear? You don't see it writhing on the ground, perhaps, and a shadowy figure raising an axe behind it?'**

Everyone gasped, who thought like that?

**'No! Said AJ, starting to feel slightly sick.**

"I am too and I'm not even there," scowled Remus "she's such a pathetic person to even talk like that."

Sirius nodded, "She sounds like she's gunning for Buckbeak to die."

**Professor Trelawney sighed.** **'Well, dear, I think we'll leave it there... A little disappointing... but I'm sure you did your best.'** **Relieved, AJ got up, picked up his bag and turned to go, but then a loud, harsh voice spoke behind her.**

"What happened?" asked Ted "Did she become possessed by some sort of spirit?"

AJ sighed, "Kind of sort of."

**'**_**It will happen tonight**_**.'** **AJ wheeled around. Professor Trelawney had gone rigid in her armchair; her eyes were unfocused and her mouth sagging.**

"What is going on?" asked Tonks "Is she having a stroke or something?"

Kingsley shrugged, "I don't know babe. Maybe she's actually having a vision or something?"

**Professor Trelawney spoke again, in the same harsh voice, quite unlike her own:** **'**_**the dark lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His servant has been chained these twelve years. Tonight, before midnight, the servant will break free and set out to rejoin his master. The dark lord will rise again with his servants aid, greater and more terrible than ever he was. Tonight... Before midnight... The servant... Will set out... To rejoin... His master...**_**'**

Everyone gasped in complete shock. The fraud actually had a real prediction. For those that were apart of the end of third year knew that it had come true.

**Professor Trelawney's head fell forward onto her chest. She made a grunting sort of noise. AJ sat there, staring at her. Then, quite suddenly, Professor Trelawney's head snapped up again.**

"Oh Merlin," breathed Charlie "another prediction?"

Bill shook his head, "No probably not. The chances of her actually having two predictions in one day are unlikely."

**'I'm so sorry, dear girl,' she said dreamily, 'the heat of the day, you know... I drifted off for a moment...'** **AJ sat there, staring at her.** **'Is there anything wrong, my dear?'**

"Wait," Narcissa paused "she has no idea what she just said?"

Sirius gaped, "I can't believe this. She actually has no idea what she said. This is insane."

"It's like sleeping to her, that's gotta be awful. She may have had hundreds of visions but not aware of any of them." Muttered Draco

'**No. Nothing.' Muttered AJ**

Remus blinked, "Why didn't you say something?"

"She wouldn't have believed me anyhow." Shrugged AJ "To her she just dozed off."

**AJ climbed back down the ladder and the spiral staircase, wondering... had she just heard Professor Trelawney make a real prediction?**

Hermione nodded, "Yeah you did…first time probably."

**Or had that been her idea of an impressive end to the test? AJ ran down the halls silently praying to see Hermione and Draco. It seemed the Gods were on her side because they were both walking towards her.**

"You guys are really connected," admitted Ted "it's cool and really freaky."

Kingsley snickered, "They can probably finish each others sentences if they wanted to."

**'Professor Trelawney,' AJ panted, 'just told me -' but she stopped abruptly at the sight of their faces.**

"Now what happed?" asked Regulus "What could possibly happen now?"

**'Buckbeak lost,' said Draco weakly. 'Hagrid's just sent this.'**

Everyone looked down sadly; the poor animal didn't deserve any of this.

**Hagrid's note was dry this time, no tears had splattered it, yet his hand seemed to have shaken so much as he wrote that it was hardly legible.** _**Lost appeal. They're going to execute at sunset. Nothing you can do. Don't come down. I don't want you to see it. Hagrid**_

"He was in shock," sighed Andy "he really thought he was going to have a fair trial."

**'We've got to go,' said AJ at once. 'He can't just sit there on his own, waiting for the executioner!'**

Sirius winced, "But getting caught being out past curfew isn't a good idea. Just be careful."

"Just don't get caught," mumbled Narcissa "getting suspended is not a good idea."

**'Sunset, though,' said Draco, who was staring out the window in a glazed sort of way. 'We'd never be allowed especially you, AJ...'**

Kingsley bit his lip, "But she just can't stand there and let it happen without being there to support Hagrid. That's not how AJ is."

**AJ sank her head into her hands, thinking.** **'If we only had the Invisibility Cloak...'**

**'Where is it?' said Hermione.**

"Damn," muttered Charlie "you never went back to get it."

"Can you blame her?" asked Draco "If Snape caught her she would be given detentions till the day she died."

**AJ told her about leaving it in the passageway under the - -.** **'... If Snape sees me anywhere near there again, I'm in serious trouble,' she finished.**

**'That's true,' said Hermione, getting to her feet. 'If he sees you... How do you open the - - again?'**

**'You tap it and say, "-",' said AJ.** **Hermione didn't wait for the rest of her sentence; she strode across the hall and vanished from sight.**

Bill grinned, "Good! Hermione can get it without causing a lot of suspicion."

"Just don't run into any of the teachers," mumbled Regulus "they would escort her back to the Tower."

**'She hasn't gone to get it?' Draco said, staring after her.** **She had. Hermione returned a quarter of an hour later with the silvery cloak folded carefully under her robes.** **They skulked in an empty chamber off the entrance hall, listening, until they were sure it was deserted. They heard a last pair of people hurrying across the hall and a door slamming.**

Tonks smiled, "I'm so jealous. My Hogwarts years weren't this exciting."

"It's dangerous too," sighed Remus "they have to be extremely careful."

**Hermione poked her head around the door.** **'Okay,' she whispered, 'no one there - cloak on -'**

Sirius grinned, "The Cloak can fit about five or six people under it if you really squeeze when you're walking around under it."

"Of course you would know that." Laughed AJ

**Walking very close together so that nobody would see them,** **they crossed the hall on tiptoe beneath the cloak, and then walked down the stone front steps into the grounds. **

Narcissa was wringing her hands together, "How are you three so calm? I would have a panic attack."

**The sun was already sinking behind the Forbidden Forest, gilding the top branches of the trees. They reached Hagrid's cabin and knocked. He was a minute in answering, and when he did, he looked all around for his visitor, pale-faced and trembling.**

"You could take off the cloak." Muttered Ginny

Hermione scowled, "We had to make sure no one was around before we took it off and it was safer to do that in his cabin anyhow."

**'It's us,' AJ hissed. 'We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off.'**

**'Yeh shouldn've come!' Hagrid whispered, but he stood back, and they stepped inside.**

"Was Hagrid upset to see you there Draco?" asked Charlie

Draco smiled, "No, Hermione had explained to him the whole situation. He even said that he never liked my father but he always had a soft spot for my mom."

**Hagrid shut the door quickly and AJ pulled off the cloak. Hagrid was not crying, nor did he throw himself upon their necks. He looked like a man who did not know where he was or what to do. This helplessness was worse to watch than tears.**

Everyone sighed sadly, he was such a good man and he didn't deserve this.

**'Wan' some tea?' he said. His great hands were shaking as he reached for the kettle.**

**'Where's Buckbeak, Hagrid?' said Hermione hesitantly.**

"He should be outside and enjoying his last few hours of freedom." Sighed Regulus

Ted nodded, "There's still a chance that he'll get off…maybe."

**'I - I took him outside,' said Hagrid, spilling milk all over the table as he filled up the jug. 'He's tethered in me pumpkin patch. Thought he oughta see the trees an' - an' smell fresh air - before -'** **Hagrid's hand trembled so violently that the milk jug slipped from his grasp and shattered all over the floor.**

"This is just too much for him to handle." Sniffed Andy "He doesn't deserve this."

Narcissa hugged Andy, "Hagrid will be okay sis, he's Hagrid after all."

**'I'll do it, Hagrid,' said Hermione quickly, hurrying over and starting to clean up the mess.**

**'There's another one in the cupboard,' Hagrid said, sitting down and wiping his forehead on his sleeve.**

"Try to keep him calm," advised Sirius "he really needs to see you guys strong. After the deed is done then you can all grieve together."

**'Isn't there anything anyone can do, Hagrid?' AJ asked fiercely, sitting down next to him.** **'Dumbledore -'**

AJ scowled at the tired looking Headmaster. He didn't deserve the trust that AJ put I him.

**'He's tried,' said Hagrid. 'He's got no power ter overrule the Committee. He told 'em Buckbeak's all right, but they're scared... Yeh know what Lucius Malfoy's like... threatened 'em, I expect... an' the executioner, Macnair, he's an old pal o' Malfoy's...** **but it'll be quick an' clean... an' I'll be beside him...' Hagrid swallowed. **

"Oh man," muttered Charlie "Hagrid shouldn't be there for that. He loves his animals deeply and he doesn't deserve the pain he's going to experience."

Remus nodded, "But you know Hagrid better then any of us Charlie. He would never leave the animal alone, even if it was because it was to be executed."

**Hermione, let out a small, quickly stifled sob. She straightened up with the new jug in her hands, fighting back tears.** **'We'll stay with you too, Hagrid,' she began, but Hagrid shook his shaggy head.**

"He would understand if you wanted to leave," sighed Sirius "he loves you guys and he doesn't want you to be traumatized over this."

'**Yeh're ter go back up ter the castle. I told yeh, I don' wan' yeh watchin'. An' yeh shouldn' be down here anyway... If Fudge an' Dumbledore catch yeh out without permission, AJ, yeh'll be in big trouble.'**

AJ snorted, "Like I cared. Hagrid comes first. He needed me there for him."

"Right," agreed Draco "but he also puts you first and he didn't want you in trouble. It's double edge sword."

**Silent tears were now streaming down Hermione's face, but she hid them from Hagrid, bustling around making tea. Then, as she picked up the milk bottle to pour some into the jug, she let out a shriek. "It's Ron's rat! Draco grab it!"**

Everyone glared darkly at Ron who wasn't looking at anyone.

"**I thought he was dead?" Draco muttered. "Better give it back to Ron so he doesn't cry over it anymore."**

"Favorite person ever!" laughed Bill

Hermione snickered, "The damn rat caused more problems even after we caught him."

**Hagrid suddenly stood up, his eyes fixed on the window. His normally ruddy face had gone the color of parchment.** **'They're comin'...'**

"Just get out of there," remarked Sirius "you don't need them catching you. Leave. Now."

**AJ, Draco, and Hermione whipped around. A group of men was walking down the distant castle steps. In front was Albus Dumbledore, his silver beard gleaming in the dying sun. **

Remus groaned, "You really need to leave, Dumbledore is the last person that needs to catch you."

"Yeah but he has a soft spot for those three." Remarked Tonks

"It doesn't matter," argued Remus "he still has to punish them like he would any other student."

**Next to him trotted Cornelius Fudge. Behind them came the feeble old Committee member and the executioner, Macnair.**

Kingsley glared, "Jackasses. All of them."

**'Yeh gotta go,' said Hagrid. Every inch of him was trembling. 'They mustn' find yeh here... Go now...'** **Draco stuffed Scabbers into his pocket and Hermione picked up the cloak.**

"Please don't be there for this." Whimpered Narcissa "You don't need to see this at such young ages."

Regulus sighed, "Doesn't matter Cissa. They've all been through too much at their ages."

**'I'll let yeh out the back way,' said Hagrid.** **They followed him to the door into his back garden. AJ felt strangely unreal, and even more so when he saw Buckbeak a few yards away, tethered to a tree behind Hagrid's Pumpkin patch. Buckbeak seemed to know something was happening. He turned his sharp head from side to side and pawed the ground nervously.**

"He knew what was coming," sighed Sirius "he can sense everyone's feelings around him and it's making him nervous."

**'It's okay, Beaky,' said Hagrid softly. 'It's okay...' He turned to AJ, Draco, and Hermione. 'Go on,' he said. 'Get goin'.'**

Charlie sighed, "You aren't going to let this go are you? You're going to stay."

"You knew them too well." Bill tried to joke, "They won't let their friend suffer alone."

**Slowly, in a kind of horrified trance, AJ, Draco, and Hermione set off silently around Hagrid's house. As they reached the other side, the front door closed with a sharp snap.** **'Please, let's hurry,' Hermione whispered. 'I can't stand it, I can't bear it...'**

Hermione nodded, "It was awful. Just the waiting was making me sick to my stomach."

"They do that on purpose." Muttered Remus "They like to make you suffer by waiting, like you did something wrong and need to be punished for your wrong doings."

**They started up the sloping lawn toward the castle. The sun was sinking fast now; the sky had turned to a clear, purple-tinged grey, but to the west there was a ruby-red glow. Draco stopped dead.** **'Oh, please, Draco,' Hermione began.**

Tonks rubbed her eyes, "Just leave! Please! I don't want to hear about this anymore then you wanted to witness it."

"They'll leave Dora," mumbled Ted "don't worry sweetheart they'll be okay."

**'It's this rat- he won't - stay put -'** **Draco was bent over, trying to keep Scabbers in his pocket, but the rat was going berserk; squeaking madly, twisting and flailing, trying to sink his teeth into Draco's hand.**

Regulus scowled, "Just step on it and end it's pathetic life. No one will miss it."

"Uncle Reggie!" laughed AJ "We couldn't kill him, we thought it was just a rat at the time."

**They heard a door open behind them and men's voices.** **'Oh, Draco, please let's move, they're going to do it!' Hermione breathed.**

Andy bit her nails, "Come one just stupefy the damn thing. Anything! Just get out of there."

**'Okay – rat whatever your name is, stay put -'** **they walked forward; AJ, like Hermione, was trying not to listen to the rumble of voices behind them. Draco stopped again.**

"Really now!" snapped Bill "What is wrong with the damn thing?"

Kingsley shrugged, "Maybe he wasn't aware of who was holding him and he didn't like it."

**'I can't hold him!'** **The rat was squealing wildly, but not loudly enough to cover up the sounds drifting from Hagrid's garden. **

Everyone waited on baited breath, they knew what was to come but they prayed in vain that it wasn't true.

**There was a jumble of indistinct male voices, a silence, and then, without warning, the unmistakable swish and thud of an axe. 'They did it!' Hermione whispered to AJ. 'I d - don't believe it - they did it!'**

Hermione handed the book to Bill while everyone just stared in horror they couldn't believe what just happened. "**Cat, Rat and Dog…**"

**AN: First thank you all for the reviews, adds and PM's. It means a lot to me! I've gotten asked a lot lately why the 'J' in AJ's name stands for James and not something feminine. I really did it because it's something different. My name is Giovanna Marciano. Obviously I'm a girl and my middle name is my father's first name. Just thought I would switch it up from the ordinary. Anyways, I'm always up to answer questions or incorporate ideas! Read and Review :)**


	63. Cat, Rat, and Dog

**AJ's mind had gone blank with shock.** **The three of them stood transfixed with horror under the Invisibility Cloak. **

"I can't believe you witnessed that." Mumbled Tonks "I wouldn't have been able to deal with that."

AJ shrugged, "It wasn't something that we planned to witness. The damn rat wouldn't sit still."

**The very last rays of the setting sun were casting a bloody light over the long shadowed grounds.** **Then, behind them, they heard a wild howling.**

"That's Hagrid," sighed Charlie "I'm surprised he hadn't fallen apart already at that point."

**'Hagrid,' AJ muttered.** **Without thinking about what she was doing, she made to turn back, but both Draco and Hermione seized her arms.**

Bill shook his head, "Don't go back. Dumbledore or one of the asshole officials could be still there with Hagrid."

**'We can't,' said Draco, who was paper-white. 'He'll be in worse trouble if they know we've been to see him...'**

"I don't even want to think about what they would put him through if they saw you three there." Growled Narcissa

Draco nodded, "That's why we wouldn't let AJ go back. She didn't need to be in trouble and neither did Hagrid."

**Hermione's breathing was shallow and uneven.** **'How - could - they?' she choked. 'How could they?'**

"Like they give a damn about anyone but themselves," snorted Kingsley "take it from someone who works side by side with these jackass. They don't care about people, innocent or not."

**'Come on,' said Draco, whose teeth seemed to be chattering.** **They set off back toward the castle, walking slowly to keep themselves hidden under the cloak. The light was fading fast now. By the time they reached open ground, darkness was settling like a spell around them.**

Remus smiled, "Now things are going to get interesting real quick."

"Does Siri make his big entrance?" asked Regulus "This oughta be good. You've never been one to be subtle."

**'Rat, keep still,' Draco hissed, clamping his hand over his chest.** **The rat was wriggling madly. Draco came to a sudden halt, trying to force Scabbers deeper into his pocket.**

Andy made a face, "Why is he acting like that? He can't be upset about going to the castle, could he?"

"I don't know," smirked Sirius "he's probably is afraid of the dark."

**'What's the matter with you, you stupid rat? Stay still - OUCH! He bit me!'**

Ted glared, "He deserved to be stomped on right then and there."

'**Draco, be quiet!' Hermione whispered urgently. 'Fudge'll be out here in a minute -'**

**'He won't - stay - put -'** **Scabbers was plainly terrified.**

"Do you think he doesn't trust Draco?" asked Regulus

Charlie shook his head, "No it's not that, there's more too it I think."

**He was writhing with all his might, trying to break free of Draco's grip.** **'What's the matter with him?'** **But AJ had just seen - stinking toward them, his body low to the ground, wide yellow eyes glinting eerily in the darkness - Crookshanks.**

"Just let the cat eat him!" snarled Regulus "He doesn't deserve to live."

Hermione nodded, "I wish we had. If only we knew what he really was."

**Whether he could see them or was following the sound of Scabbers's squeaks, AJ couldn't tell.** **'Crookshanks!' Hermione moaned. 'No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!'**

"Why were you so worried about him if you weren't even friends with Ron anymore?" snarked Ginny

AJ rolled her eyes, "Because we're good people and we knew how attached Ron was to the damn thing."

**But the cat was getting nearer. The rat had slipped between Draco's clutching fingers, hit the ground, and scampered away. **

"Is the rat really worth it?" asked Narcissa

Molly glared, "That was Ron's pet of course he was worth it!"

"But it's just a rat," argued Narcissa "not even a real rat at that. So I'm sorry that I fail to see why they're going crazy over it or you for that matter."

**In one bound, Crookshanks sprang after him, and before AJ or Hermione could stop him, Draco had thrown the Invisibility Cloak off himself and pelted away into the darkness**

Draco shrugged, "I wanted to get the rat and prove to Ron that I wasn't a bad person. It seemed like the right thing to do."

"You were being very nice in trying to get the rat," admitted Sirius "but in all honesty he's not worth your compassion."

'**Draco!' Hermione moaned.** **She and AJ looked at each other, then followed at a sprint; it was impossible to run full out under the cloak; they pulled it off and it streamed behind them like a banner as they hurtled after Ron; they could hear his feet thundering along ahead and his shouts at Crookshanks.**

Remus smiled, "I'm sure that must have been a sight to see."

**'Get away from him - get away - Rat, come here -' There was a loud thud. 'Got it!' AJ and Hermione almost fell over Draco; they skidded to a stop right in front of him. **

"Get the cloak on and get back into the castle before you get caught." Stated Charlie

Bill sighed, "That would be a good idea and wouldn't cause any problems. So I think we all know that's not what they're going to do."

**He was sprawled on the ground, but Scabbers was back in his pocket; he had both hands held tight over the quivering lump.**

"What is the damn rats problem?" growled Ted

Tonks shrugged, "I like Sirius' idea that he's afraid of the dark."

'**Draco- come on back under the cloak -' Hermione panted. 'Dumbledore the Minister - they'll be coming back out in a minute -'**

"Take her advice and run like hell." Yelled Regulus

AJ snickered, "Calm down Uncle Reggie, we're okay now."

**But before they could cover themselves again, before they could even catch their breath, they heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws... Something was bounding toward them, quiet as a shadow - an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog.**

"Really?" asked Remus "You can never do anything normal. You had to make a huge show of things."

Kingsley snickered, "I think we've noticed that Sirius has a flare for dramatics."

**AJ reached for her wand, but too late -the dog had made an enormous leap and the front paws hit her on the chest; she keeled over backward in a whirl of hair; she felt its hot breath, saw inch long teeth - But the force of its leap had carried it too far; it rolled off her.**

"Merlin," sighed Andy "you lot can't get a break no matter where you turn."

Ted nodded, "That's becoming painfully obvious. Now we just have to wait and see how much damage Mr. Dramatic can cause in a short amount of time."

**Dazed, feeling as though his ribs were broken,** **AJ tried to stand up; she could hear it growling as it skidded around for a new attack. **

"Are you kidding me?" laughed Charlie "This is how you prove your innocents?"

Sirius winced, "I'm sorry pup, I honestly didn't mean for it to happen like this."

"Don't worry about it daddy, I know you're sorry." Smiled AJ

**Draco was on his feet. As the dog sprang back toward them he pushed AJ aside; the dog's jaws fastened instead around Draco's outstretched arm. **

Narcissa sighed, "Somehow I knew this was going to go from bad to worse but I didn't think it would end in a blood bath."

**AJ lunged forward, she seized a handful of the brute's hair, but it was dragging Draco away as easily as though he were a rag doll.**

"Were you okay?" asked Bill "That had to of hurt."

Draco nodded, "I was fine for the most part…Madam Pomfrey really wasn't pleased with the injuries but she healed me pretty quickly."

**Then, out of nowhere, something hit AJ so hard across the face she was knocked off her feet again. She heard Hermione shriek with pain and fall too.**

"What in the hell could have attacked you now?" screeched Tonks

AJ rubbed her ear, "You'll find out soon enough Tonks."

**AJ groped for her wand, blinking blood out of her eyes.** **'Lumos!' she whispered.**

"Head wounds always bleed worse then any other wound, I'm sure you'll be fine." Smiled Andy

**The wand light showed her the trunk of a thick tree; they had chased Scabbers into the shadow of the Whomping Willow** **and its branches were creaking as though in a high wind, whipping backward and forward to stop them going nearer.**

Kingsley gaped, "Are you kidding me? You dragged them to the Whomping Willow?"

"He didn't plan it," defended Narcissa "I'm sure he has a plan. A fucked up plan no doubt. But a plan none the less."

**And there, at the base of the trunk, was the dog, dragging Draco backward into a large gap in the roots – Draco was fighting furiously, but his head and torso were slipping out of sight – 'Draco!' AJ shouted, trying to follow, but a heavy branch whipped lethally through the air and she was forced backward again.**

Bill groaned, "The tree is extremely pissed off now. It doesn't like to be disturbed."

"You know this from experience?" laughed Hermione

**All they could see now was one of Draco's legs, which he had hooked around a root in an effort to stop the dog from pulling him farther underground -** **but a horrible crack cut the air like a gunshot; Draco's leg had broken, and a moment later, his foot vanished from sight.**

Narcissa snorted, "You really did break your leg because of a dog."

"I told you!" laughed Draco "You just shook it off like I was crazy."

"Just try not to get on the bad side of anymore dogs. Apparently the two of you don't get along very well." Smiled Narcissa

'**AJ - we've got to go for help -' Hermione gasped; she was bleeding too; the Willow had cut her across the shoulder.**

**'No! That thing's big enough to eat him; we haven't got time -'**

Sirius scowled, "I would never eat a person! I don't even eat rodents when I'm padfoot."

"They didn't know what you were Siri," laughed Remus "all they knew was that a dog just attacked their best friend."

'**AJ - we're never going to get through without help…' Another branch whipped down at them, twigs clenched like knuckles.**

Remus winced, "That damn tree causes more problems."

"But none of it is your fault, you didn't choose to be bitten. Don't blame yourself for the things you can't control." Advised Hermione

**'If that dog can get in, we can,' AJ panted, darting here and there, trying to find a way through the vicious, swishing branches, but she couldn't get an inch nearer to the tree roots without being in range of the tree's blows.**

Andy groaned, "Try a freezing charm or stupefy it! Do something anything!"

"We hadn't learned the freezing charm yet or stupefy. Even if we had, it wouldn't have helped us, we could barely hold onto our wands long enough for us to cast a spell." Stated AJ

**'Oh, help, help,' Hermione whispered frantically, dancing uncertainly on the spot, 'please...'** **Crookshanks darted forward. He slithered between the battering branches like a snake and placed his front paws upon a knot on the trunk. Abruptly, as though the tree had been turned to marble, it stopped moving. Not a leaf twitched or shook.**

Regulus blinked, "I'm starting to think fur ball has some serious powers going on."

"That's so cool," breathed Tonks "that's a good thing to know. Just in case you get suck by the tree again."

**'Crookshanks!'** **Hermione whispered uncertainly. She now grasped AJ's arm painfully hard.** **'How did he know -?'**

Hermione smiled sweetly while AJ mock glared.

**'He's friends with that dog,' said AJ grimly. 'I've seen them together. Come on - and keep your wand out -'**

"Sirius befriends a cat," laughed Kingsley "I never thought I would live to see the day."

Sirius snorted, "We're hardly friends. He just knew I wasn't an actual dog."

**They covered the distance to the trunk in seconds, but before they had reached the gap in the roots, Crookshanks had slid into it with a flick of his bottlebrush tail. AJ went next; she crawled forward, headfirst, and slid down an earthy slope to the bottom of a very low tunnel. Crookshanks was a little way along, his eyes flashing in the light from AJ's wand. Seconds later, Hermione slithered down beside her.**

"You guys are too brave for your own good." Sighed Charlie

Regulus nodded, "Who goes head first into a dark tunnel? You could have broken your neck or something."

**'Where's Draco?' she whispered in a terrified voice.**

**'This way,' said Harry, setting off, bent-backed, after Crookshanks.**

"How could you tell?" asked Bill

"They had left a nice trail for us to follow. That and there was only one path to follow." Snickered AJ

**'Where does this tunnel come out?' Hermione asked breathlessly from behind her.**

"I figured since she had the map she would know." Said Hermione

Sirius shook his head; "We left it blank so no one could follow it."

**'I don't know... It's marked on the Marauder's Map but Fred and George said no one's ever gotten into it... It goes off the edge of the map, but it looked like it was heading for Hogsmeade...'**

"If it's heading for Hogsmeade it could lead to an abandon building." Suggested Narcissa

Ted nodded, "That's true or someone's home. I doubt it would lead to one of the shops."

**They moved as fast as they could, bend almost double; ahead of them, Crookshanks' tail bobbed in and out of view. On and on went the passage; it felt at least as long as the one to Honeydukes... All AJ could think of was Draco and what the enormous dog might be doing to him...**

"That sounds really dirty." Laughed Kingsley

Sirius glared, "We were just standing there in silence, it was weird to be completely honest with you."

**She was drawing breath in sharp, painful gasps, running at a crouch... And then the tunnel began to rise; moments later it twisted, and Crookshanks had gone. Instead, AJ could see a patch of dim light through a small opening. She and Hermione paused, gasping for breath, edging forward. Both raised their wands to see what lay beyond.**

"Completely irresponsible!" shouted Molly "How could you follow a cat through a tunnel? I'm surprised you weren't suspended for such idiocy!"

Remus glared, "Molly I would appreciate it if you didn't call my daughter an idiot. She was trying to save her friend and she wasn't going to stand by and let it happen. You need to calm down and not worry about her and her past or future actions."

**It was a room, a very disordered, dusty room. Paper was peeling from the walls; there were stains all over the floor; every piece of furniture was broken as though somebody had smashed it.** **The windows were all boarded up.**

"What in the hell did you guys walk into?" asked Charlie

Bill shrugged, "It's gotta be an abandoned home. There's a few in Hogsmeade that have been like that for a few years now."

**AJ glanced at Hermione, who looked very frightened but nodded. AJ pulled herself out of the hole, staring around. The room was deserted, but a door to their right stood open, leading to a shadowy hallway. **

"Be careful not to touch anything," advised Andy "you don't want to get your fingerprints on anything."

**Hermione suddenly grabbed AJ's arm again. Her wide eyes were travelling around the boarded windows.** **'AJ,' she whispered, 'I think we're in the Shrieking Shack.'**

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief; the Shrieking Shack wasn't haunted in the least.

**AJ looked around. Her eyes fell on a wooden chair near them. Large chunks had been torn out of it; one of the legs had been ripped off entirely.** **'Ghosts didn't do that,' she said slowly.**

"Well that's not true," said Narcissa "a ghost has a certain amount of power they carry on past their death. It drains them but they can break things."

**At that moment, there was a creak overhead. Something had moved upstairs. Both of them looked up at the ceiling. Hermione's grip on AJ's arm was so tight she was losing feeling in her fingers.**

Hermione winced, "Sorry, you're just. I don't know, you're the strong one in our little group."

"Strong one?" laughed AJ

"Well I mean like, you're level headed and you're the best in Defense class. You're the rock pretty much." Explained Hermione

**She raised her eyebrows at Hermione; she nodded again and let go. Quietly as they could, they crept out into the hall and up the crumbling staircase. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust except the floor, where a wide shiny stripe had been made by something being dragged upstairs.** **They reached the dark landing.**

Regulus bit his lip, "Just be careful and try not to get yourselves killed."

"How much trouble could they get into in the shrieking shack?" laughed Tonks

**'Nox,' they whispered together, and the lights at the end of their wands went out.**

Kingsley nodded, "Good. Sneak up on them and then attack."

"Attack?" laughed Sirius "Really?"

**Only one door was open. As they crept toward it, they heard movement from behind it; a low moan, and then a deep, loud purring.**

Andy raised a brow, "A purring? What the hell?"

"It's the cat Andy," snickered Narcissa "did you forget about the cat?"

"Well!" Andy stuck her tongue out at her little sister.

**They exchanged a last look, a last nod. Wand held tightly before her, AJ kicked the door wide open. **

Draco smirked, "Scared the shit out of me when you did that."

"AJ wanted to be all bad ass about it," laughed Hermione "you know how she is."

**On a magnificent four-poster bed with dusty hangings laid Crookshanks, purring loudly at the sight of them. On the floor beside him, clutching his leg, which stuck out at a strange angle, was Draco. AJ and Hermione dashed across to him.**

Charlie smiled, "That's great that you're checking on your friend but you shouldn't have let your guard down."

"It's just Sirius," mumbled Remus "he wasn't going to hurt them. Especially AJ."

'**Draco- are you okay?'**

**'Where's the dog?'**

**'Not a dog,' Draco moaned. His teeth were gritted with pain. 'AJ, it's a trap -'**

Bill snickered, "Like a band aid I suppose. Just rip it off and get it over with."

**'What -'**

**'He's the dog... he's an Animagus.' Draco was staring over AJ's shoulder.**

"Now that was a little scary!" admitted AJ

Hermione nodded, "I honestly didn't know what to think at that point."

"Did you think I was guilty?" asked Sirius, it was something he always wanted to know.

"No," said AJ honestly "in my heart I knew that you were innocent even if everything was leading to you being guilty."

**AJ wheeled around. With a snap, the man in the shadows closed the door behind them. A mass of filthy matted hair hung to his elbows. **

Narcissa winced, "I guess getting a shower in Azkaban would be too much to ask for."

**If eyes hadn't been shining out of the deep, dark sockets, he might have been a corpse. The waxy skin was stretched so tightly over the bones of his face, it looked like a skull. His yellow teeth were bared in a grin.** **It was Sirius Black.**

Sirius looked green, he hated how he looked during and after Azkaban before he got cleaned up.

**'Expelliarmus!' he croaked, pointing Draco's wand at them.**

"Really?" growled Regulus "Are you still curious as to why people assumed you were guilty?"

Remus snickered, "It would have been worse if they had their wands, they could have hexed him or something and he would have been handed over to the dementors."

**AJ and Hermione's wands shot out of their hands, high in the air, and Black caught them. Then he took a step closer. His eyes were fixed on AJ.**

"He was probably shocked to see the young women you grew up to be." Admitted Andy

Ted nodded, "I know I was surprised when I saw you for the first time."

**'I thought you'd come and help your friend,' he said hoarsely. His voice sounded as though he had long since lost the habit of using it.** **'Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful... it will make everything much easier...'**

"You sound like an honest and innocent man." Stated Kingsley "I can really see why AJ trusted you from the beginning."

**Draco, spoke to Sirius Black. 'If you want to kill AJ, you'll have to kill us too!' **

Tonks smiled, "Your so brave and so stupid at the same time."

"I wasn't about to let him think that we were going to let him kill AJ without getting through us first." Remarked Draco

**he said fiercely,** **though the effort of standing upright was draining him of still more color, and he swayed slightly as he spoke.**

Narcissa sighed, "You should being laying down if you can't get medical attention right away."

**Something flickered in Black's shadowed eyes.** **'Lie down,' he said quietly to Draco. 'You will damage that leg even more.'**

"Now that sounds like the Sirius we all know and love," grinned Regulus "now all you have to do is stop talking like a murderer and you'll be good."

Bill smirked, "But then he wouldn't be Sirius, he would be a normal person."

**'Did you hear me?' Draco said weakly, though he was clinging painfully to AJ to stay upright. 'You'll have to kill all three of us!'**

Everyone smiled at the young man; he really was a good friend.

**'There'll be only one murder here tonight,' said Sirius Black, and his grin widened. **

"There ya go." Huffed Charlie "Now AJ, Hermione and Draco are going to be super eager to listen to what you need to say."

**AJ opened her mouth but closed it; nothing would come out of her mouth. She didn't understand what was going on, she really thought Sirius Black was innocent but he wasn't talking like an innocent man. Finally AJ looked Sirius Black in the eyes, she couldn't find another emotion besides sadness. What did he have to be upset about?"**

Ted sighed, "A lot. I'm assuming Sirius blamed himself for James and Lily's deaths the entire time he was in Azkaban. Like we've said before, you relive your worst moments, you can't escape them."

"But I have my family with me now." Smiled Sirius "I'm getting over the demons, slowly but surely."

'**Everyone says you killed my parents.' Said AJ. 'Did you?'**

Hermione frowned, "Maybe if you had phrased that differently you could have avoided a huge screaming match."

"Yeah but then we wouldn't have this great story to tell." Laughed AJ

**'I don't deny it,' he said very quietly. 'But if you knew the whole story.'**

Remus winced, "Siri…of all the things to say, that was probably the one to avoid."

'**The whole story? The whole story?' repeated AJ her hair turning dark purple in anger. 'What in the hell is that supposed to mean! You either did or you didn't there is no story!'**

"So you seem to be taking this well," snickered Bill "I wonder how else Sirius is going to put his foot in his mouth."

Charlie snorted, "We could make a drinking game out of it!"

"Do you like dating my daughter?" asked Sirius with a grin, which caused Charlie to smile, and hold AJ a little tighter.

**'You've got to listen to me,' Black said, and there was a note of urgency in his voice now. 'You'll regret it if you don't...You don't understand...'**

"Why do I have the feeling AJ is going to snap any minute now?" asked Kingsley

'**What the fuck are you talking about?' growled AJ 'I don't want to play games anymore! Just tell me what the fuck happened so we can move on with our lives which for some reason I feel will only be a few more moments for you!'**

Regulus sighed, "This escalated quickly. All of this could have been avoided if you weren't such an idiot Sirius."

"Sorry Reggie," glared Sirius "I didn't know what I was saying, Azkaban really fucked with my head."

**Ron's ragged breathing came from near the bed; Hermione was quite silent. And then came a new sound - Muffled footsteps were echoing up through the floor - someone was moving downstairs.**

Everyone tensed; whoever was coming was going to get the wrong idea and may cause Sirius to harm someone.

**'WE'RE UP HERE!' Hermione screamed suddenly. 'WE'RE UP HERE - SIRIUS BLACK – QUICK!'**

Hermione winced, "I'm really sorry. I wanted to believe that you were innocent but everything you were saying and doing was pointing to you being guilty. I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry about it Mio, my head wasn't screwed on straight. Don't be sorry." Sirius gave her smile, which she gladly returned.

**Black made a startled movement that almost dislodged Crookshanks. The door of the room burst open in a shower of red sparks and AJ wheeled around as Professor Lupin came hurtling into the room, his face bloodless, and his wand raised and ready.**

Remus shrugged, "I wasn't prepared for what I saw and the tree was still frozen when I came upon it."

**His eyes flickered over Draco, lying on the floor, over Hermione, cowering next to the door, to AJ glaring at Sirius.** **Then Professor Lupin spoke, in a very tense voice.** **'Where is he, Sirius?'**

"He?" asked Ginny "He who? Sirius was after AJ who is not a he."

Sirius glared, "Have you not been paying attention to anything that we've been discussing? I was never after AJ! I was after the damn rat! Where have you been? Ya know what? Now would be a great time to get your head out of your ass. Don't start Molly! I'm running out of patients." Molly snapped her mouth shut but not without glaring at Sirius.

**AJ looked to AJ and Draco who both returned her bewildered look. He turned to look at Sirius Black again. Sirius Black's face was quite expressionless. For a few seconds, he didn't move at all. Then, very slowly, he raised his empty hand and pointed straight at Draco.** **Mystified, AJ glanced around at Draco, who looked bewildered.**

Draco smiled, "I was beyond confused at that point."

"It almost sounds as if Sirius is after you," snickered Tonks "better watch your back."

**'But then...' Lupin muttered, staring at Sirius Black so intently it seemed he was trying to read his mind,** **'... why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless' – **

Narcissa scoffed, "He was faking his death? What a pathetic little weasel!"

"More like rat," laughed Hermione "that's an insult to the weasel family."

**Lupin's eyes suddenly widened, as though he was seeing something beyond Black, something none of the rest could see, '- unless he was the one... unless you switched... without telling me?'** **Very slowly, his sunken gaze never leaving Lupin's face, Black nodded.**

Andy smiled, "Good now we have proof that you didn't have anything to do with Lily and James deaths. You're going to be a free man.

**'Professor,' AJ interrupted loudly, 'what's going on -?' But she never finished the question, because what she saw made her voice die in her throat. Professor Lupin was lowering his wand, a loving gazing fixed at Black. **

"He was still the keeper of your heart even after all those years." Smiled Ted

Remus nodded, "He's my mate. Without him I'm not whole."

**The Professor walked to Black's side, seized his hand, pulled him to his feet so that Crookshanks fell to the floor, and embraced Sirius Black like a lover.**

Everyone smiled; Sirius and Remus were bound to each other through and through.

**'DON'T BELIEVE IT!' Hermione screamed.**

"I'm guessing you didn't take it so well?" asked Bill

Hermione snorted, "I was just so confused I couldn't help but snap and throw words out like that and hoped they made sense."

**Lupin let go of Black and turned to her. She had raised herself off the floor and was pointing at Lupin, wild-eyed.** **'I didn't tell anyone besides AJ!' Hermione shrieked.** **'I've been covering up for you -'**

"Did you have any idea what was going on?" asked Andy

Draco smiled, "I didn't have a clue. All I knew was that AJ was pissed and Hermione was angry."

**'You're wrong,' said Lupin. 'I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now - Let me explain...'**

**'NO!' Hermione screamed. 'AJ, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too - he's a werewolf!'**

"How does all that fit together?" asked Molly "You aren't making any sense. It's almost as if you were confounded."

AJ scowled "She wasn't confounded! She didn't know what to believe and everything was jumbled up in her head so when it finally came out she just snapped."

**There was a ringing silence. Everyone's eyes were now on Lupin, who looked remarkably calm, though rather pale.** **'Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione,' he said. 'Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want AJ dead.'** **'But I won't deny that I am a werewolf.'**

"How did you stay so calm?" asked Tonks "I would have been nervous, terrified to have a student figure out my secret."

Remus shrugged, "I was used to people finding out and not accepting it. You grow used to being an outcast."

**Draco made a valiant effort to get up again but fell back with a whimper of pain. Lupin made toward him, looking concerned, but Draco gasped, 'Get away from me, werewolf!'**

Draco winced but before he could apologize Remus ruffled the blonde hair with a small smile.

**Lupin stopped dead.** **Then, with an obvious effort, he turned to Hermione and said, 'How long have you known?'**

Everyone glared at Snape this was his entire fault.

**'Ages,' Hermione whispered. 'Since I did Professor Snape's essay...'**

Snape sneered, of course she would be the one to figure it out.

**'He'll be delighted,' said Professor Lupin coolly. 'He assigned that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant...Did you check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realize that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?'**

"Oh that's what it was." Sighed Ron

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Good job moron! You got it right."

**'Both,' Hermione said quietly.**

**Lupin forced a laugh.** **'You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione.'**

Bill smiled, "That she is. You are going to be a great curse breaker."

"Who said anything about being a curse breaker?" laughed AJ while Hermione blushed.

"I know these sort of things." Scoffed Bill

'**The staff already knew.' Remarked Professor Lupin**

**'Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a werewolf.' Draco gasped. 'Is he mad?'**

Narcissa smirked, "Yes he is, he's also manipulative and a bastard." Dumbledore narrowed his eyes slightly but never commented.

**'Some of the staff thought so,' said Professor Lupin. 'He had to work very hard to convince certain teachers that I'm trustworthy -'**

"Only one," snarked Sirius "the overgrown dungeons bat."

"He's a bastard, what do you expect from someone like him?" asked Ted with a shrug.

'**Will someone tell us what the fuck is going on and fast!' shouted AJ shocking the room into silence.**

Draco and Hermione laughed, they were shocked that AJ hadn't snapped before hand.

**'I have not been helping Sirius,' said Lupin. 'If you'll give me a chance, I'll explain.**' **He separated AJ's, Draco's and Hermione's wands and threw each back to its owner; AJ caught hers, stunned. 'There,' said Lupin, sticking his own wand back into his belt 'You're armed, we're not. Now will you listen?'**

Kingsley sighed, "That's awfully ballsy of you."

"We weren't going to attack them. We would never harm a professor." Snickered AJ

**'If you haven't been helping him,' AJ said, 'how did you know he was here?'**

**'The map,' said Lupin. 'The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it -'**

Charlie smirked, "Of course you were. You were making sure AJ was okay. Don't lie."

"Can you blame him?" laughed Regulus "Those three are trouble magnets."

**'You know how to work it?' AJ said suspiciously.**

Sirius grinned, "We are the makers of the ingenious map."

"We know that now," smiled Hermione "but at the time it was a little odd for a professor talking about it and examining it."

**'Of course I know how to work it,' said Lupin, waving his hand impatiently. 'I helped write it.** **I'm Moony - that was my friends' nickname for me at school. **

"Pun fully intended," snickered Regulus "you guys are mean."

**I was watching it carefully this evening, because I had an idea that you, Draco, and Hermione might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I?' **

"When aren't you right?" giggled AJ

Remus smirked, "I'm always right cub, get used to it."

**He had started to pace up and down, looking at them. Little patches of dust rose at his feet. 'You might have been wearing your father's old cloak, AJ-'**

"You knew them well even though you hadn't spent that much time with them." Smiled Ted

Remus nodded, "AJ is a lot like James, more so then Lily so it was easy for me to figure out where she would be."

**'How d'you know about the cloak?'**

"Good question," said Tonks "it's not something that many people know about."

**'The number of times I saw James disappearing under it...' said Lupin, waving an impatient hand again. **

Regulus shifted, "I would have been impatient too. There was a lot that needed to be said in such a short amount of time."

**'The point is, even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak, you still show up on the Marauder's Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid, and set off back toward the castle. But you were now accompanied by somebody else.'**

"Whoa," breathed Charlie "that must have scared the shit out of you."

Kingsley scowled, "I want to know why no one noticed Peters name on the map before and told someone."

"The twins had no idea who Peter was when they had the map. Even if they had known, who would listen to them? Everyone thinks they're just jokesters." Argued Charlie

**'What?' said AJ 'No, we weren't!'**

"That's what you think." Laughed Bill

**'I couldn't believe my eyes,' said Lupin, 'I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you? And then I saw another dot, moving fast toward you, labeled Sirius Black...** **I saw him collide with you; I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow -'**

Narcissa tapped her foot; "Feel free to hurry this along Remmy. I want to know what's going to happen."

**'One of us!' Draco said angrily.**

"Explaining this would have been so much easier if you would just believe us." Laughed Sirius

Draco snickered, "Nothing is ever easy when the three of us is involved."

**'No, Draco,' said Lupin. 'Two of you.' He had stopped his pacing, his eyes moving over Draco. 'Do you think I could have a look at the rat?' he said evenly.**

"You sound like a crazy stalker or something," remarked Ted "it's all about the rat."

AJ snorted, "He's the cause of all our anger and pain lately."

**'What?' said Draco 'What's the rat got to do with it?'**

"Just hand the fucker over," growled Charlie "he doesn't deserve to be held or receive any form of compassion."

**'Everything,' said Lupin. 'Could I see him, please?'**

**'What?' Draco said again. 'What's Ron's rat got to do with anything?'**

"Everything evidently." Scowled Bill "But just asking for the rat is a little weird."

Sirius nodded, "We were a little preoccupied at the time we didn't have time to form a normal conversation."

**'That's not a rat,' croaked Sirius Black suddenly.**

**'What? Not a rat?'**

Everyone laughed, the situation was serious but they could still find the humor in it all.

**'No, he's not,' said Lupin quietly. 'He's a wizard.'**

"Right," snickered Tonks "that clears everything up."

Remus grinned, "The whole conversation could have gone a lot better but what can you do."

**'An Animagus,' said Black, 'by the name of Peter Pettigrew.'**

Sirius, Remus and AJ all glared darkly at the book. Bill handed the book to Andy, "Hopefully this chapter will be less gruesome…**Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs…**"

**AN: Thank you so much for all the reviews! They mean a lot to me and make me work all that much harder on the chapters. The twins are coming back before the reading of Book 4. I'm sorry these past few chapters have been on the short side, but these really are short chapters themselves lol. Always I'm up for suggestions or to answer questions. Read and Review :)**


	64. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs

**It took a few seconds for the absurdity of this statement to sink in.** **Then Draco voiced what AJ was thinking.** **'You're both mental.'**

Narcissa snickered, "I don't think anyone in the Black family likes to be called mental. Even if they are."

"It's not nice to talk about Bella when she's not hear." Laughed Andy

**'Ridiculous!' said Hermione faintly.**

Charlie nodded, "It sounds absolutely crazy. I wouldn't believe any of it without proof."

**'Peter Pettigrew's dead!' said AJ. 'He was killed twelve years ago supposedly by Sirius!"**

"I loved that you said supposedly," remarked Sirius "it made me really happy."

AJ smiled, "You were innocent until proven guilty."

**'I meant to,' he growled, his yellow teeth bared, 'but little Peter got the better of me... not this time, though!'**

Ted rolled his eyes, "Damn it Siri! You're supposed to be innocent not a raving lunatic!"

"Can you blame him?" asked Bill "That rat caused his best friends death and caused him to go Azkaban for no reason."

"I know Bill, I know. But if Sirius wanted AJ and her friends to listen to her he shouldn't have acted like that." Sighed Ted

**And Crookshanks was thrown to the floor as Black lunged at Scabbers; Draco yelled with pain as Black's weight fell on his broken leg.**

"I really should have just let the rat go when I had the chance." Muttered Draco

**'Sirius, NO!' Professor Lupin yelled, launching himself forwards and dragging Black away from Draco again. 'WAIT! You can't do it just like that - they need to understand - we've got to explain -'**

Kingsley shook his head, "I don't know how this must have looked to an outsider. It sounds like something you would see on TV."

"It was weird," agreed Hermione "Sirius kept trying to get the rat which was just weird. None of it was making sense to us."

**'We can explain afterwards!' snarled Black, trying to throw Professor Lupin off.**

Tonks laughed, "Now how exactly would you explain that? Once the rat is dead he can't change back into a wizard. So it's like you killed a rat for no reason."

**One hand was still clawing the air as it tried to reach Scabbers, who was squealing like a piglet, scratching Draco's face and neck as he tried to escape.**

"Why did you hold on?" asked Regulus

Draco shrugged, "I really don't know but in my mind I needed to hold the rat because something was going to happen."

**'They've - got - a - right - to - know - -everything!' Lupin panted, still trying to restrain Black. 'A boy has kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand, and AJ- you owe AJ the truth, Sirius!'**

"That's how you get Sirius to do anything, you throw AJ's name around a few times and things get done." Grinned Remus

AJ smirked, "I am a miracle worker, it's a gift I have."

**Black stopped struggling, though his hollowed eyes were still fixed on Scabbers, who was clamped tightly under Draco's bitten, scratched, and bleeding hands.**

"I would have gotten sick," mumbled Tonks "I may be an Auror but blood still grosses me out."

**'All right, then,' Black said, without taking his eyes off the rat. 'Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for...'**

Hermione burst out laughing, "I forgot you said that! I thought you had lost your mind right then and there."

"I can't believe you are laughing over this." Grunted Ron looking jealous that he wasn't there.

**'You're crazy, both of you,' said Draco shakily, looking round at AJ and Hermione for support. 'I've had enough of this. I'm off.'** **He tried to heave himself up on his good leg, but Lupin raised his wand again, pointing it at Scabbers.**

Narcissa raised a brow, "You didn't curse my son when you were aiming at the rat did you?"

"No of course not," stated Remus "I didn't even curse the damn thing like I wanted to."

**'You're going to hear me out, Draco,' he said quietly. 'Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen.'**

Bill nodded, "Right, because you don't sound crazy at all calling a rat Peter."

"Well that's true," snickered Sirius "mostly bunny rabbits are called Peter. Right Reggie?" Regulus glared at Sirius while muttering things about flea baths.

**'HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S A RAT!' Draco yelled, trying to force the rat back into his front pocket, but Scabbers was fighting to hard;** **Draco swayed and overbalanced, and AJ caught him an pushed him back down to the bed. Then, ignoring Sirius, AJ turned to Professor Lupin.**

Charlie winced, "Now you're in for it. She's going to be mad and a mad AJ is not a fun thing to deal with."

**'Start explaining,' growled AJ hair flashing black with purple 'because people saw Sirius kill Peter and now you're saying he's the rat. It doesn't make sense!"**

Andy smiled, "Only you would talk to a Professor like that."

"AJ has no filter or sense of authority," laughed Hermione "it's one of the many things I love about her."

AJ waggled her eyebrows, "Love you too pookie."

**'They didn't see what they thought they saw!' said Black savagely, still watching Scabbers struggling in Ron's hands.**

"Wait," Bill paused "what does that mean?"

**'Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter,' said Professor Lupin, nodding. 'I believed it myself - until I saw the map tonight. Because the Marauder's map never lies... Peter's alive. Draco is holding him, AJ.'**

Bill nodded, "Right, that cleared things up."

"It'll be explained soon," smiled Sirius "it's a little confusing."

**AJ looked down at Draco, and as their eyes met, they agreed, silently: Sirius and Professor Lupin were both out of their minds.**

Everyone started laughing while Remus and Sirius pouted.

**Their story made no sense whatsoever. How could Scabbers be Peter Pettigrew? Azkaban must have unhinged Sirius after all - but why was Professor Lupin playing along with him? **

"Well, they weren't exactly sane when they begin school together." Snickered Narcissa

Tonks smirked, "That's becoming obvious Aunt Cissa."

**Then Hermione spoke, in a trembling, would-be calm sort of voice, as though trying to will Professor Lupin to talk sensibly.** **'But Professor Lupin... Scabbers can't be Pettigrew... it just can't be true, you know it can't...'**

"Not a very good argument," said Kingsley "you're going to have to think of a better one if you want to win a debate."

**'Why can't it be true?' Lupin said calmly, as though they were in class, and Hermione had simply spotted a problem in an experiment with grindylows.**

Andy bit her lip, "Just get to the point of the story where you kill Peter."

"Peter wasn't killed though." Mumbled Ron

"I know that!" glared Andy "I want this damn book over with so that asshole you have for a headmaster can have Sirius freed!"

**'Because... because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework - the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things... and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list.'**

AJ and Hermione shared smiles, there was going to be two more unregistered names soon. Maybe three if Narcissa agreed.

**Professor Lupin started to laugh.** **'Right again, Hermione!' he said. 'But the Ministry never knew that here used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts.'**

"We still don't have it on file that Peter is an Animagus." Growled Tonks

Kingsley nodded, "I know babe, it'll be on there soon."

**AJ had lost the little patients she had. "Alright that's great, five points to Gryffindor because Hermione answered the question correctly! Can we get on with the damn story?" **

"I love you," laughed Charlie "I wish I was there for this!"

Sirius smiled, "I could tell that AJ was getting annoyed and she was reaching her breaking point."

**Sirius smiled for the first time since AJ had seen him 'Hurry up Remus, I've waited twelve years, I'm not going to wait much longer.'**

"Damn," muttered Bill "that really is a long time to wait."

**'All right... but you'll need to help me, Sirius,' said Lupin, 'I only know how it began...'** **Lupin broke off. There had been a loud creak behind him. The bedroom door had opened of its own accord. All five of them stared at it. Then Lupin strode toward it and looked out into the landing.**

Ted blinked, "Is someone there?"

"Who else would know where they are or how to get in?" asked Andy

"**No one there…"**

"**This place is haunted!" said Draco.**

Draco rolled his eyes, he sounded like Ron there.

"**It's not," said Lupin, still looking at the door in a puzzled way. "The Shrieking Shack was never haunted… The screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me."**

Charlie winced, "There has to be a cure for this or something. There just has to be."

"There isn't Charlie, but thank you for trying." Smiled Remus

**He pushed his graying hair out of his eyes, thought for a moment then said, "That's where all of this starts — with my becoming a werewolf. None of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitten… and if I hadn't been so foolhardy…"**

AJ scowled, "None of it was your fault! I can't believe you could even think that."

**He looked sober and tired. Draco started to interrupt, but Hermione, said, "Shh!" She was watching Professor Lupin very intently.**

"Sorry," grinned Hermione "I just really wanted to know how it happened and why."

Narcissa nodded, "It's really not something you talk about in every day conversation."

"**I was a very small boy when I received the bite. My parents tried everything, but in those days there was no cure.** **The potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. **

"So you're saying that there is a cure?" asked Bill

AJ shook her head, "No it's not a cure. My papa still changes, there's nothing you can do about the transformation."

**It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week, preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform… I'm able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again.**

"I hate that you go through that," mumbled Sirius "you don't deserve the pain."

"**Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other parents weren't likely to want their children exposed to me.**

Regulus rolled his eyes, "That's because they're judgmental assholes who are self absorbed and they can't see how it's not going to affect their children."

"The world is slow to a change," mumbled Ted "but we can change it if we try and not give up."

"**But then Dumbledore became Headmaster, and he was sympathetic. He said that as long as we took certain precautions, there was no reason I shouldn't come to school…" Professor Lupin sighed, and looked directly at AJ. "I told you, months ago, that the Whomping Willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts. The truth is that it was planted because I came to Hogwarts. **

Kingsley snorted, "It's not your fault! We really need to work on this complex you seem to be carrying around."

**This house" — Lupin looked miserably around the room, — "the tunnel that leads to it — they were built for my use. Once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle, into this place, to transform. The tree was placed at the tunnel mouth to stop anyone coming across me while I was dangerous."**

"Or trying to fly into the school." Deadpanned Draco

AJ scowled, "It was a fun trip till the tree decided to fight us."

**AJ couldn't see where this story was going, but she was listening raptly all the same. The only sound apart from Professor Lupin's voice was Scabbers's frightened squeaking.**

"He knew exactly what we were talking about and he was worried." Growled Sirius

Hermione glared, "Evil bastard. I hope he gets what's coming to him sooner rather then later."

"**My transformations in those days were — were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. **

"I'm so sorry Remus," cried Andy "we're going to find a cure! I swear it!"

Narcissa nodded, "We'll do something, you can't give up hope."

**The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumor… Even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't dare approach it…**

"Just goes to show you how gullible people really are." Stated Charlie

Tonks nodded, "People suck, you know that as well as I do."

"**But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends. Sirius Black… Peter Pettigrew… and, of course, your father, AJ— James Potter.**

"Did AJ have another father she didn't know about?" snickered Ted

Remus raised a brow, "What do you mean?"

"You said your father, James Potter." Remarked Ted "Like she had more then one father." Remus through a pillow while Ted laughed.

"**Now, my three friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. I told them my mother was ill, and that I had to go home to see her…**

"Lame," laughed Kingsley "you have to come up with better excuses if you're going to pull the wool over AJ's eyes."

**I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, Hermione, worked out the truth…**

Charlie shrugged, "It's really not hard to piece it all together if you think about it logically."

"**And they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi."**

"That was a lot of fun," grinned Sirius "just being able to do it was awesome. But doing it with friends made it so much better."

Andy smiled, "The whole experience was probably like nothing you've ever experienced."

"**My dad broke the law too?" said AJ with a smirk.**

Tonks burst out laughing, "Really AJ? That's how you phrase it?"

**"Yes, indeed," said Professor Lupin smiling. "It took them the best part of three years to work out how to do it. Your father and Sirius here were the cleverest students in the school, and lucky they were, because the Animagus transformation can go horribly wrong — **

"I would like to point out that Remus said that Sirius and James were the cleverest students!" laughed Narcissa

Regulus nodded, "Never would that happen! Thank Merlin I was hear to witness it."

**one reason the Ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from James and Sirius. Finally, in our fifth year, they managed it. They could each turn into a different animal at will."**

"Fifth year?" asked Hermione "That's pretty cool."

"**But how did that help you?" said Hermione, sounding puzzled.**

"**They couldn't keep me company as humans, so they kept me company as animals," said Lupin. "A werewolf is only a danger to people. **

Draco smiled, "That's good then. At least you can have your friends around you even if you aren't completely in the right frame of mind."

**They sneaked out of the castle every month under James's Invisibility Cloak. They transformed… Peter, as the smallest, could slip beneath the Willow's attacking branches and touch the knot that freezes it. **

"Touching a knot, that's just weird." Muttered Charlie "People are going to want to get close to the knot so they can make it freeze."

Bill nodded, "It was a game back then. Remember?"

**They would then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them."**

"Your mind probably knows that you aren't alone," smiled Kingsley "your inner wolf probably craves that feeling of being in a pack"

"**Hurry up, Remus," snarled Sirius, who was still watching Scabbers with a horrible sort of hunger on his face.**

AJ snickered, "Bickering like an old married couple."

"We are a married couple pup, but we are in no way old." Laughed Sirius

"**I'm getting there, Sirius, I'm getting there… well, highly exciting possibilities were open to us now that we could all transform. Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night.**

Bill grinned, "Really? That sounds so cool! I want to do that at night!"

"Well maybe we can all do it sometime after the readings." Laughed Remus

**Sirius and James transformed into such large animals, they were able to keep a werewolf in check. I doubt whether any Hogwarts students ever found out more about the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmeade than we did…** **And that's how we came to write the Marauder's Map, and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. James was Prongs."**

Tonks snickered, "Who made up these names anyhow?"

"We did it all for each other, it was funny what we had come up with a few time." Laughed Sirius

"**What animal —?" AJ began, but Hermione cut him off. "That was still really dangerous! Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?"**

Regulus snorted, "There ya go Hermione. Tell off the teacher who is going to be the judge of your final grade."

"**A thought that still haunts me," said Professor Lupin heavily. "And there were near misses, many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless — carried away with our own cleverness.**

"You were young and cocky," shrugged Ted "can't expect much else from you."

Narcissa smiled, "Sirius and James were always a little cocky. It's in their genetic makeup."

**Lupin's face had hardened, and there was self-disgust in his voice. "All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether I should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus. But I didn't do it. Why? **

"Because you're not a sell out. You know your friends never would have betrayed you and you were returning the favor." Remarked Draco

**Because I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that I'd led others along with me… and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me. **

AJ scowled, Dumbledore didn't deserve the trust that people put in him.

**He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and he gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am. And so I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school using dark arts he learned from Voldemort, that being an Animagus had nothing to do with it… so, in a way, Snape's been right about me all along."**

"He is not right about anything!" yelled AJ "You are not a bad person! You were a child when you were bit! Nothing was your fault!"

Hermione nodded, "Snape is an evil person and you shouldn't listen to anything he says."

"We don't and we're turning out fine." Smiled Draco

"**Snape?" said Black harshly, taking his eyes off Scabbers; for the first time in minutes and looking up at Professor Lupin. "What's Snape got to do with it?"**

Sirius sneered, "His name was the last one I ever wanted to hear."

"**He's here, Sirius," said Professor Lupin heavily. "He's teaching here as well."**

"Now even that surprised me," remarked Ted "it's not like you like kids. Or people in general."

Snape sneered, "Shut up Tonks."

**He looked up at AJ, Draco, and Hermione.** "**Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons… you see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me —"**

"It was a prank!" growled Charlie "Get over it you low life!"

**Black made a derisive noise.** "**It served him right," he sneered. "Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up to… hoping he could get us expelled…"**

Bill smirked, "Looks like you and your future father-in-law are getting along swimmingly."

"Leave him alone," snickered Hermione "he does need to get along with Remus and Sirius for AJ's sake."

"**Severus was very interested in where I went every month." Lupin told AJ, Draco, and Hermione. "We were in the same year, you know, and we — er — didn't like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous, I think, of James's talent on the Quidditch field… **

Regulus scoffed, "Even I know that's bullshit and I was younger then you guys. James got the girl and Snape lost the love of his life. That's why he hated James and hates AJ."

"Somehow I doubt that that would be something that AJ needed to hear." Grinned Remus

**Anyway Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me toward the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be — er — amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me. **

Andy snickered, "It's kind of funny. Just the fact that he listened makes it comical."

**Well, of course, Snape tried it — if he'd got as far as this house, he'd have met a fully-grown werewolf — but your father, who'd heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life… Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden by Dumbledore to tell anybody, but from that time on he knew what I was…"**

"Because he's an asshole," groaned Tonks "can't we move on from this?"

Kingsley kissed Tonks head, "Hopefully we'll see Snape get his ass kicked soon."

'**So Snape has a bug up his ass because of prank?' asked AJ making everyone crack a smile.**

Sirius laughed loudly, "I was just happy to see you and then when you started to talk, I realized how much you were your own person."

"**That's right," sneered a cold voice from the wall behind Professor Lupin.** **Severus Snape was pulling off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing directly at Professor Lupin.**

Andy tossed the book to AJ, "Hurry up! Read AJ!"

AJ smiled but the scowled when she read the title, "**The Servant of Lord Voldemort…**"

**AN: Whoa two updates in one day! Go me! Thank you so much for all the amazing reviews last chapter! That made my night! I'm always up for suggestions or to answer questions! Read and Review :)**


	65. The Servant of Lord Voldemort

**Hermione screamed.**

Narcissa smiled, "I would do the same thing. Anytime Snape pops up out of nowhere you know you're in for trouble."

**Black leapt to his feet. AJ felt as though she'd received a huge electric shock.**

"He has that affect on people." Grunted Kingsley

Ted nodded, "Now we get to see how the ass acts. We all know that he won't bother listing to reason."

**'I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow,' said Snape, throwing the cloak aside,** **careful to keep this wand pointing directly at Lupin's chest.**

"Why would you point it at Remus chest?" snarled Andy "If Sirius was a murderer wouldn't you be pointing it at Sirius?"

Snape glared, "I had my reasons."

"No you didn't. Your reason was because you don't like Remus and that he turns into a werewolf! I can't even describe how disgusting you are! This is why Lily ended the friendship with you! Because have absolutely no compassion for people whatsoever! I cannot stand you Severus Snape!" shouted Andy

**'Very useful, Potter, I thank you...' Snape was slightly breathless, but his face was full of suppressed triumph.**

AJ shuddered, "I hate that he actually touched my cloak…I should have burned it or something."

**'You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?' he said, his eyes glittering. 'I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight,**

"That's not good," mumbled Charlie "now you can take it at least without worrying about harming someone."

Draco snorted, "You would think so wouldn't you? But no. The dungeons bat didn't bring the potion! He just came to act like the hero even though none of us needed saving."

**so I took a goblet full along. And very lucky I did...lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map.** **One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight.'**

"Why didn't I just erase the damn map!" Remus wanted to kick himself

Sirius kissed him, "You weren't think straight love. You saw that Peter was with AJ and you reacted on instinct."

**'Severus -' Lupin began, but Snape overrode him.**

"Of course," growled Regulus "you're such a bastard and if you did anything to my brother or brother-in-law I'm kicking your ass."

Tonks grinned, "I would love to see that Uncle Reggie, but honestly he's not worth it."

**'I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout -'**

"Just listen to what they have to say!" yelled Bill "You can prevent deaths if you actually listen!"

**'Severus, you're making a mistake,' said Lupin urgently. 'You haven't heard everything - I can explain - Sirius is not here to kill AJ-'**

Kingsley snorted, "Like he's going to listen to you. He doesn't care what you say, he only hears what he wants to hear."

AJ nodded, "Of course, did you honestly expect anything different from him?"

**'Two more for Azkaban tonight,' said Snape, his eyes now gleaming fanatically.** **'I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this... He was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin... a tame werewolf -'**

"How could you say something like that?" yelled Charlie "I really want to know how you could form that sentence and think that it's okay? Remus has done nothing but be kind and courteous to you throughout the entire school year. I always knew that you were a lowlife but I didn't know how low."

**'You fool,' said Lupin softly. 'Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?'**

Bill snickered, "I can see what you mean Charlie, he was really kind."

**BANG!**

"What the fuck did you do?" growled Regulus. For once fear seemed to have flickered across Snape's dark eyes.

**Thin, snakelike cords burst from the end of Snape's wand and twisted themselves around Lupin's mouth, wrists, and ankles;** **he overbalanced and fell to the floor, unable to move. **

Before anyone could react Regulus was out of his seat punching Snape anywhere he could reach. It took Remus and Sirius to pull Regulus off. Snape was now sporting a black eye, a busted lip and many scars. Regulus was breathing hard and glaring, for once AJ couldn't think of anything to say to lighten the mood. It didn't surprise her that The Black family was feared in the Wizarding World.

**With a roar of rage, Black started toward Snape, but Snape pointed his wand straight between Black's eyes.**

AJ glared, "Bastard."

"Fucker," growled Hermione

Draco nodded, "All of the above and then some."

**'Give me a reason,' he whispered. 'Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will.'** **Black stopped dead.**

"Like you would need a reason!" sneered Narcissa "We went to school with your pathetic ass, you would hex, jinx or curse someone just for kicks and giggles."

**It would have been impossible to say which face showed more hatred.**

Ted shrugged, "I'm betting on Sirius. He's always been the kind of person to keep his anger and emotions pent up, now he can finally let them all out."

"The tension in the room was unbearable at that point." Admitted AJ

**AJ stood there, paralyzed, not knowing what to do. She glanced around at Draco and Hermione. Draco looked just as confused as she did, still fighting to keep hold on the struggling Scabbers. **

Draco sighed, "I was tempted to just let the little fucker go but I knew if I did I would regret it."

**Hermione, however, took an uncertain step toward Snape and said, in a very breathless voice, 'Professor Snape - it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w - would it?'**

"Not good," sighed Bill "never a good idea to try to take sense into an asshole like that."

Charlie bit his lip, "Be careful, he's known to play dirty and I somehow doubt he's going to care that you're students."

**'Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school,' Snape spat. 'You, Potter, and Malfoy are out-of-bounds, in the company of a convicted murderer and a werewolf.** **For once in your life, hold your tongue.'**

"You know what?" shouted Sirius "I am sick and tired of you throwing in my husbands face about him being werewolf! You need to back off! Remus is a better person then you could ever hope to be!"

**'But if - if there was a mistake -'**

AJ snorted, "Like he would care. He doesn't listen to reason Mio. He only listens to the judgmental conga line in his head."

"He's always been like that too," scoffed Tonks "don't even bother talking to him."

**'KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!' Snape shouted, looking suddenly quite deranged. 'DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!'**

Kingsley glared, "She doesn't understand because you aren't giving them a chance to explain! You keep contradicting yourself."

**A few sparks shot out of the end of his wand, which was still pointed at Black's face.** **Hermione fell silent.**

"I would have too," muttered Ted "fucking psycho that one is."

Sirius nodded, "Well yeah Ted, he was flipping out over nothing. Like usual."

**'Vengeance is very sweet,' Snape breathed at Black. 'How I hoped I would be the one to catch you...'**

"Pathetic," grunted Andy "I can't stress that enough."

**'The joke's on you again, Severus,' Black snarled. 'As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle' - he jerked his head at Draco- 'I'll come quietly...'**

Narcissa raised a brow, "Am I missing something? You just said you would go quietly with the rat. What the hell happened?"

"Snape is an asshole. That's what happened." Mumbled Draco

**'Up to the castle?' said Snape silkily. 'I don't think we need to go that far. All I have to do is call the dementors once we get out of the Willow.**

AJ glared darkly, "You're such a bastard. You knew that Sirius never received a trial! You knew that there was a chance he could have been innocent but of course you can't think like that. All you can do is be a prick and harp over something that happened when you were kids!"

"They tried to have me killed!" yelled Snape

"What's your fucking point?" AJ yelled back "It was a prank which didn't even work out! Weren't you a death eater in back in the day? The professors seemed to have forgiven you for killing innocent men, women and children. But you can't seem to forgive them for almost putting you in danger. Interesting."

**They'll be very pleased to see you, Black... pleased enough to give you a little kiss, I daresay...'**

Tonks shuddered, "How can you talk about it like nothing happened?"

**What little color there was in Blacks face left it.** **'You -you've got to hear me out,' he croaked. 'The rat - look at the rat -'**

"Okay, I admit. That sounded a little crazy. But the rat was the problem." Argued Sirius

Remus kissed him, "Don't worry about it padfoot. You had reason to ramble the way you were."

**But there was a mad glint in Snape's eyes that AJ had never seen before. He seemed beyond reason.** **'Come on, all of you,' he said. He clicked his fingers, and the ends of the cords that bound Lupin flew to his hands. 'I'll drag the werewolf. Perhaps the dementors will have a kiss for him too -'**

"Like Sirius, Remus did nothing wrong!" shouted Regulus "You are a cold heartless bastard!"

Ted shuddered, "I can't believe you guys were so close to getting kissed."

**Before she knew what she was doing, AJ had crossed the room in three strides and blocked the door.**

"You are insane." Laughed Charlie "You're going to piss Snape off worse then ever before."

**'Get out of the way, Potter, you're in enough trouble already,' snarled Snape. 'If I hadn't been here to save your skin -'**

Andy snickered, "Like they were in any danger to begin with."

"Doesn't matter to him," ground out Bill "he just wants to see someone receive the kiss."

**'Professor Lupin could have killed me about a hundred times this year,' AJ said. 'I've been alone with him loads of times, having defense lessons against the dementors. He could have killed me and hid the body. But he didn't!'**

Draco raised a brow, "Killed you and hid the body?"

"She really likes to watch movies apparently." Snickered Hermione

**'Don't ask me to fathom the way a werewolf's mind works,'** **hissed Snape. 'Get out of the way, Potter.'**

Remus glared, "Last time I checked werewolf's didn't have separate minds from the rest."

**'YOU'RE A PATHETIC JACKASS!' AJ yelled. 'YOU CAN'T LET SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU WERE KIDS! GO FU -'**

"I can only imagine how that sentence could have ended." Laughed Regulus

AJ smirked, "I respect my elders, Snape is the only exception to the rule."

**'SILENCE! I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT!' Snape shrieked, looking madder than ever. 'Like father, like daughter, Potter! I have just saved your neck; you should be thanking me on bended knee! **

"Yeah right!" laughed Sirius "Neither James or AJ would ever bow down to a scumbag like you!"

**You would have been well served if he'd killed you! You'd have died like your father, too arrogant to believe you might be mistaken in Black** **- now get out of the way, or I will make you. GET OUT OF THE WAY, POTTER!'**

Ted glared, "Last time I checked James died protecting his wife and daughter. Oh that's right, you refuse to see James in a different light then from when he was a teenager."

"Who cares anymore?" asked AJ "He's never going to change and one day he'll have to figure out how to deal with his wrong doings."

**AJ made up her mind in a split second.** **Before Snape could take even one step toward her, she had raised her wand.** **'Expelliarmus!' she yelled**

Everyone burst out laughing; if anyone deserved to be cursed it was Snape.

**- Except that she wasn't the only voice that shouted. There was a blast that made the door rattle on its hinges; Snape was lifted off his feet and slammed into the wall, then slid down it to the floor, a trickle of blood oozing from under his hair. **

"Who else cursed him?" asked Regulus

Charlie shrugged, "Had to of been AJ and at least on other person. The spell isn't powerful enough to do something like that."

**He had been knocked out. AJ looked around. Both Hermione and Draco had tried to disarm Snape at exactly the same moment.**

"I knew you wouldn't let him get away with talking about your dad the way he did." Admitted Draco

Hermione nodded, "You're a very proud and protective person. When someone insults your family you jump on the defensive."

**Snape's wand soared in a high arc and landed on the bed next to Crookshanks.** **'You shouldn't have done that,' said Black, looking at AJ. 'You should have left him to me...'**

"I feel that if she would have left Snape to you, you would have honestly committed murder right then and there." Snickered Andy

Sirius shrugged, "He deserved it no doubt."

**'We attacked a teacher...We attacked a teacher...' Hermione whimpered, staring at the lifeless Snape with frightened eyes. 'Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble -'**

"That's exactly what you should be panicking over," laughed Regulus "nothing else is as important at as that."

**AJ rolled her eyes. 'We are also in an abandoned shack with a supposed murderer, a werewolf on a full moon and a damn rat that is possibly a person! Attacking Snape was the least of our worries Hermione!' Hermione nodded, finally calming down.**

Narcissa giggled, "Your responses don't even surprise me anymore."

"I love it," grinned Kingsley "it really makes you see how these situations escalate too quickly."

**Lupin was struggling against his bonds.** **Black bent down quickly and untied him. Lupin straightened up, rubbing his arms where the ropes had cut into them.**

Sirius growled, "Bastard. I hope Reggie hexes the living daylights out of you after the readings are over."

**'Thank you, AJ,' he said.** **'You, boy - give me Peter, please. Now.'**

"I do have a name you know." Muttered Draco

Remus smiled, "My mind was going in a hundred directions and I couldn't think straight."

**Draco ****turned to AJ then back to Lupin 'Okay, say Pettigrew could turn into a rat - there are millions of rats - how's he supposed to know which one he's after if he was locked up in Azkaban?'**

"Well that's true," remarked Tonks "it's hard to tell two rats apart even if one is actually a wizard."

**'You know, Sirius, that's a fair question,' said Lupin, turning to Black and frowning slightly. 'How did you find out where he was?'**

Bill smirked, "Good question. Maybe you would like to explain."

"It starts off with Fudge being a complete moron." Muttered AJ

**Black put one of his claw-like hands inside his robes and took out a crumpled piece of paper, which he smoothed flat and held out to show the others. It was the photograph of Ron Weasley and his family that had appeared in the Daily Prophet the previous summer, and there, on Ron's shoulder, was Scabbers.**

Charlie made a face, "The Prophet? They pass out newspapers in Azkaban now?"

"Yes they do, along with a complimentary chocolate bar and a nice comfy bed." Deadpanned Ted "No you jackass! Someone gave it to him."

**'How did you get this?' Lupin asked Black, thunderstruck.**

"HA!" laughed Charlie "See? Remus wants to know too."

**'Fudge,' said Black. 'When he came to inspect Azkaban last year, he gave me his paper. And there was Peter, on the front page on a boy's shoulder... I knew him at once... how many times had I seen him transform? And the caption said the boy would be going back to Hogwarts... to where AJ was...'**

Regulus scoffed, "Once again he looks like any other rat that you come across on the streets. We need actual proof to nail this asshole to the wall."

"If we could continue on, we may get the proof." Glared Ron

"Who are you getting an attitude with?" asked Regulus "Did you not see what I just did to Snape. Just shut up you little pain in the ass, I am not in the mood to deal with you or you're annoying self."

**'My God,' said Lupin softly, staring from Scabbers to the picture in the paper and back again. 'His front paw...'**

**'What about it?' said Draco.**

**'He's got a toe missing,' said Black.**

Andy looked green, "He cut off his toe? Who cuts off their toe?"

"Well he never was the best when it came to Potions…or Defense…or any class for that matter." Snickered Ted "He probably did it at school on accident."

**'Of course,' Lupin breathed. 'So simple... so brilliant... he cut it off himself?'**

Hermione made a face, "That is the most disgusting thing I had heard that night. Just wrong on so many levels."

**'Just before he transformed,' said Black. 'When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James.**

"He did it to make a scene, prove to the world what you were capable of." Sighed Bill

AJ shuddered, "Those innocent people never saw it coming."

**Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself - and sped down into the sewer with the other rats...'**

"What were his parents told?" asked Tonks

Remus sighed, "His mother was told that he was in a tragic accident, his father was never involved in his upbringing. We don't even know who his father was to be honest."

**'Didn't you ever hear Draco?' said Lupin. 'The biggest bit of Peter they found was his finger.'**

"That should have been the first clue that something was off. When there's an explosion like that, you won't come across remains. It's just not possible." Argued Hermione

**'Look, the rat could have been in a fight with another rat or something. He's been in Ron's family for-'**

Sirius glared, "Too damn long in my opinion."

**'Twelve years, in fact,' said Lupin. 'Ever wonder why?'**

'**No.' answered AJ, Draco and Hermione.**

"I don't even know why I asked that." Laughed Remus

Draco smirked, "It was a long shot."

**'Not looking too good at the moment, though, is he?' said Lupin. 'I'd guess he's been losing weight ever since he heard Sirius was on the loose again...'**

"Wait, how would he know?" asked Regulus

Narcissa nodded toward Ron, "I'm sure that when they heard Sirius escaped the rat was in the same room. He knew that Sirius wasn't after AJ, he was after the rat."

**'He's been scared of my cat.' Admitted Hermione nodding toward Crookshanks, who was still purring on the bed.**

"He was always skittish around cats, even when he was just Peter." Admitted Remus

**But that wasn't right, AJ thought suddenly... Scabbers had been looking ill before he met Crookshanks... ever since Ron's return from Egypt... since the time when Sirius had escaped...**

Charlie kissed AJ, "The way you put things together is amazing. It's like you're putting an entire puzzle together but with only a few pieces."

"It's easy for me to see the little things that people would over look." Admitted AJ

**'He's the most intelligent of his kind I've ever met.** **He recognized Peter for what he was right away. And when he met me, he knew I was no dog. It was a while before he trusted me... Finally, I managed to communicate to him what I was after, and he's been helping me...' said Sirius.**

Tonks snickered, "You sound a tad crazy their Uncle Siri."

**'What do you mean?' breathed Hermione.**

Hermione snorted, "I sound like such an idiot! I just couldn't make sense of any of it."

"You're not an idiot at all, we're all trying to figure this out and we're confused just as much as you." Said Bill

**'He tried to bring Peter to me, but couldn't... so he stole the passwords into Gryffindor Tower for me... As I understand it, he took them from a boy's bedside table...'**

Sirius smiled, "Good thing we're reading this. Neville will be happy to prove McGonagall wrong."

**'But Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for It.' croaked Black. 'This cat - Crookshanks, did you call him? - told me Peter had left blood on the sheets... I supposed he bit himself... Well, faking his own death had worked once.'**

"He could have changed back into Peter and then cut himself." Remarked Regulus "You never know with this guy, he did cut his own finger off after all."

**AJ rubbed her forehead. 'This all makes perfect sense. Thanks for explaining it guys! But it still doesn't add up to why you have such a guilty conscious!' **

Kingsley sighed, "Being guilty is expected no matter what. He loved James like a brother, guilt is normal in a time like that."

"I don't think being in Azkaban for twelve years made things any easer." Muttered Bill

**'AJ... I as good as killed them,' he croaked. 'I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me... I'm to blame, I know it... **

AJ kissed Sirius' cheek, "You thought that you were protecting your friends by having Peter be the Secret-Keeper. No one suspected him. It's the perfect plan, he had everyone fooled."

"Having you and Remus here with me, makes everything so much easier to deal with. Thanks pup for telling me what I needed to hear." Whispered Sirius

**The night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter, make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place, he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. **

Hermione buried her head into Bill's shoulder, she knew AJ wouldn't appreciate sympathy but she couldn't help but feel bad for her sister.

**I was scared. I set out for your parents' house straight away. And when I saw their house, destroyed, and their bodies... I realized what Peter must've done... what I'd done...'** **His voice broke. He turned away.**

AJ looked around the room, it seemed as if she and Snape were the only ones with a mask of indifference up.

"**Enough of this," said Lupin, and there was a steely note in his voice AJ had never heard before.**

"Now that was scary," laughed Draco, "you sounded cold. It didn't suit you at all."

"**There's one certain way to prove what really happened. Draco, give me that rat."** **Draco nodded. He held out Scabbers and Lupin took him. Scabbers began to squeak without stopping, twisting and turning, his tiny black eyes bulging in his head. "Ready, Sirius?" said Lupin.**

Charlie nodded, "I wouldn't have been able to wait that long. You waited long enough and even to wait a few more minutes must have been torturous."

"I was surprised Sirius lasted as long as he had," smiled Remus "he's never been known for his patients."

**Black had already retrieved Snape's wand from the bed. He approached Lupin and the struggling rat, and his wet eyes suddenly seemed to be burning in his face.**

Regulus shifted, the only time he had ever seen Sirius cry was when their grandfather died and even then he didn't do it in front of anyone. He was always proud and always wanted to prove to his family that he was a man, like their father.

"**Together?" he said quietly.**

"**I think so", said Lupin, holding Scabbers tightly in one hand and his wand in the other. "On the count of three. One — two — THREE!"**

"You didn't explain what was going to happen!" snapped Andy

Narcissa rolled her eyes, "Men. You never think of the little things. They're going to be freaked out when they see the rat twitching and such."

**A flash of blue-white light erupted from both wands; for a moment, Scabbers was frozen in midair, his small gray form twisting madly, the rat fell and hit the floor. **

"Does that hurt?" asked Tonks "Like if you force and animagus to reveal there true form?"

Charlie shook his head, "No it's more uncomfortable then anything. It just feels like you're not in control of your movements."

**There was another blinding flash of light and then —** **It was like watching a speeded-up film of a growing tree. A head was shooting upward from the ground; limbs were sprouting; a moment later, a man was standing where Scabbers had been, cringing and wringing his hands. **

"That is so weird" breathed Ted "I've seen people change and go back to normal before but hearing about it makes it so much more abnormal."

**He was a very short man, hardly taller than AJ and Hermione. His thin, colorless hair was unkempt and there was a large bald patch on top. **

Kingsley looked away, "Please don't go into much more detail. I have no urge to hear about the way this thing looks."

"You have to know," argued Hermione "for when you finally catch him."

**He had the shrunken appearance of a plump man who has lost a lot of weight in a short time. His skin looked grubby, almost like Scabbers's fur, and something of the rat lingered around his pointed nose and his very small, watery eyes. **

Bill smiled, "He sounds handsome. Did he ever have a girlfriend?"

"No," snorted Sirius "well he did try to date Amelia Bones. But oddly enough that didn't end well."

Regulus burst out laughing, "Didn't end well? I remember that from when I was just a first year! She hexed him so bad he was in the hospital wing for two weeks."

**He looked around at them all, his breathing fast and shallow. AJ saw his eyes dart to the door and back again.**

AJ glared, she should have known that he would have escaped.

"**Well, hello, Peter," said Lupin pleasantly, as though rats frequently erupted into old school friends around him.** "**Long time, no see."**

"Long time no see?" asked Narcissa "You're far better then I am. I would have used him as target practice the second he changed."

"**S—Sirius… R—Remus…" Even Pettigrew's voice was squeaky. Again, his eyes darted toward the door. "My friends… my old friends…"**

Charlie glared, "How can he even say that? Does he honestly think he's going to get away with what he did?"

"Of course he's going to try and talk himself out of it," scoffed Bill "you can't expect anything else from someone like him."

**Black's wand arm rose, but Lupin seized him around the wrist, gave him a warning took, then turned again to Pettigrew, his voice light and casual.**

Draco snickered, "You do the same thing when you're mad AJ. You act all calm and collected but your eyes are really intense."

"**We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night Lily and James died. You might have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around down there on the bed —"**

"Squeaking around on the bed?" giggled Tonks "Sounds like dirty rat sex."

Hermione scowled, "Ew Tonks! Use a filter would you?"

"**Remus," gasped Pettigrew, and AJ could see beads of sweat breaking out over his pasty face, "you don't believe him, do you…? He tried to kill me, Remus…"**

"Well that part was true." Snickered AJ

Sirius scowled, "I had a good reason thought!"

"**So we've heard," said Lupin, more coldly. "I'd like to clear up one or two little matters with you, Peter, if you'll be so —"**

"Now he's going to plead his pathetic little case." Muttered Ted

Draco nodded, "Trust me, just listing to him talk was annoying the hell out of us. He just wouldn't shut up."

"**He's come to try and kill me again!" Pettigrew squeaked suddenly, pointing at Black, and AJ saw that he used his middle finger, because his index was missing. "He killed Lily and James and now he's going to kill me too… You've got to help me, Remus…"**

"Now how does that make sense?" asked Charlie "Sirius tried to kill him, so he went into hiding?"

Andy snorted, "I think we've gathered that nothing he says will ever make sense."

"**No one's going to try and kill you until we've sorted a few things out," said Lupin.**

Narcissa snickered, "How is that supposed to get him to open up? If anything he's just going to clam up or won't shut up."

"**Sorted things out?" squealed Pettigrew, looking wildly about him once more, eyes taking in the boarded windows and, again, the only door. "I knew he'd come after me! I knew he'd be back for me! I've been waiting for this for twelve years!"**

"He doesn't even make sense!" shouted Bill "What is he talking about? Will you just kill the fucker and get it over with?"

Sirius snarled, "I wish we would have. He deserved it."

"**You knew Sirius was going to break out of Azkaban?" said Lupin, his brow furrowed. "When nobody has ever done it before?"**

"You go Remus!" laughed Tonks "Go professor on his ass and make him confess."

"**He's got dark powers the rest of us can only dream of!" Pettigrew shouted shrilly. "How else did he get out of there? I suppose He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him a few tricks!"**

Kingsley raised a brow, "Are you sure he was working for Voldemort? He's pretty stupid and I doubt he has much magical ability for Voldemort's taste."

**Black started to laugh, a horrible, mirthless laugh that filled the whole room.** "**Voldemort, teach me tricks?" he said.**

"That proves that Sirius wasn't working for Voldemort," exclaimed Regulus "the never call him by his name. They call him the Dark Lord or some shit."

Remus nodded, "That's true, that really was enough proof for all of to know that Sirius wasn't on his side."

"**Professor Lupin?" said Hermione timidly. "Can — can I say something?"**

"**Certainly, Hermione," said Lupin courteously.**

Hermione blushed, "I didn't want to be rude!"

"Right because our manners were very important at the time." Snickered AJ

"**Well — Scabbers — I mean, this — this man — he's been around AJ for years. If he's working for You-Know-Who, how come he never tried to hurt AJ before now?"**

"Good point." Remarked Bill "Not that I'm saying that he's innocent but I can see why people would jump to his defense."

"**There!" said Pettigrew shrilly. "Thank you! You see, Remus? I have never hurt a hair of AJ's head! Why should I?"**

AJ scowled, "I didn't like him saying my name at all. It just felt weird."

"Nicknames are personal," said Tonks "they're not meant for people like him to know them."

"**I'll tell you why," said Black. "Because you never did anything for anyone unless you could see what was in it for you. Voldemort's been in hiding for fifteen years; they say he's half dead. **

Andy shook her head, "That's truly disgusting. He only does things if it directly benefits himself. He doesn't care that he killed his supposed best friends. I just don't understand any of it."

**You weren't about to commit murder right under Albus Dumbledore's nose, for a wreck of a wizard who'd lost all of his power, were you? You'd want to be quite sure he was the biggest bully in the playground before you went back to him, wouldn't you? **

"Now really Sirius," snapped Molly startling the room "you always push people! I'm not surprised in the least that you forced a confession out of the poor man! You're always pushing peoples buttons and forcing them to do and say things they normally wouldn't do. I really don't see how AJ could live a normal childhood with someone like you."

Sirius glared darkly, "I'm going to pretend that you did not just make the assumption that I forced that scum bag into doing something that he didn't want to do! We needed a confession Molly! I am an innocent man and I will not be treated like a criminal when the bastard is out there causing pain to others! I did not force him to be the Secret-Keeper nor to run to Voldemort and give up said Secret! As far as AJ goes she's not a child anymore! Her childhood has been over for a very long time because of PETER! AJ is not your concern. If anyone has a say in how I raise my daughter, it would be my husband or brother! Do not judge me in my own home Molly."

**Why else did you find a wizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren't you, Peter? Just in case your old protector regained strength, and it was safe to rejoin him…"** **Pettigrew opened his mouth and closed it several times. He seemed to have lost the ability to talk.**

"Thank Merlin!" cheered Narcissa "I was really getting tired of hearing about his whining."

"**Er — Mr. Black — Sirius?" said Hermione.** **Black jumped at being addressed like this and stared at Hermione as though he had never seen anything quite like her.**

Remus snickered, "That made him sound old and of course Sirius will never get old."

"I'm not old." Mumbled Sirius "Even when I am older I will still be young."

"**If you don't mind me asking, how — how did you get out of Azkaban, if you didn't use Dark Magic?"**

Ted shook his head, "It's not impossible to break out. All you have to do is keep your head on straight. That is a hard thing to mange but it's doable."

"**Thank you!" gasped Pettigrew, nodding frantically at her. "Exactly! Precisely what I —"** **But Lupin silenced him with a look. **

AJ, Draco and Hermione snickered, that look alone could silence Voldemort.

**Black was frowning slightly at Hermione, but not as though he was annoyed with her. He seemed to be pondering his answer.**

"That probably wasn't the easiest question to answer, especially when you hadn't slept or had a decent meal in over twelve years." Remarked Andy

Regulus nodded, "Sirius never did think well when he hadn't slept well the previous night."

"**I don't know how I did it," he said slowly. "I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the Dementors couldn't suck it out of me… but it kept me sane and knowing who I am… helped me keep my powers… so when it all became… too much… I could transform in my cell… become a dog. **

"So being an animal prevents you from being sucked into a black hole essentially?" asked Hermione

Bill shifted, "Sort of. The Dementor can tell that you are feeling things, but it isn't sure what the feels are."

**Dementors can't see, you know…" He swallowed. "They feel their way toward people by feeding off their emotions… They could tell that my feelings were less — less human, less complex when I was a dog… but they thought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so it didn't trouble them. But I was weak, very weak, and I had no hope of driving them away from me without a wand…**

"Can you produce a patronus without a wand?" asked AJ innocently

Remus scoffed at AJ's innocent act, "No one has been able to do it, but that doesn't mean that it's not possible. And not that doesn't mean you should try it in your spare time." AJ smiled sweetly but didn't respond.

**But then I saw Peter in that picture... I realized he was at Hogwarts with AJ... perfectly positioned to act, if one hint reached his ears that the Dark Side was gathering strength again...'**

"He could have handed AJ to Voldemort at anytime," mumbled Charlie "we need to find him and kill him. I don't want him anywhere near AJ or any of us."

**Pettigrew was shaking his head, mouthing noiselessly, but staring all the while at Black as though hypnotized.**

Draco scowled, "It was like he was worshiping every word that Uncle Siri said. It was really disturbing."

"He always did that," admitted Ted "I remember when they all started at Hogwarts, Peter worshiped James and Sirius."

**'...Ready to strike at the moment he could be sure of allies... and to deliver the last Potter to them. If he gave them AJ, who'd dare say he'd betrayed Lord Voldemort? He'd be welcomed back with honors...So you see, I had to do something. I was the only one who knew Peter was still alive...'**

Kingsley shuddered, "Just thinking about handing a child to Voldemort makes my skin crawl. Murder is never okay, but when you murder a child, you're showing how pathetic you truly are."

**'It was as if someone had lit a fire in my head, and the dementors couldn't destroy it... It wasn't a happy feeling... it was an obsession... but it gave me strength, it cleared my mind. So, one night when they opened my door to bring food, I slipped past them as a dog... **

"The dementors bring your food?" asked Ron "Why don't they just suck your soul out right then and there?"

Hermione huffed, "They need to be called upon to suck a soul out you moron! Don't you pay attention in class?"

"Of course I do!" argued Ron

**It's so much harder for them to sense animal emotions that they were confused... I was thin, very thin... thin enough to slip through the bars... I swam as a dog back to the mainland... I journeyed north and slipped into the Hogwarts grounds as a dog. I've been living in the forest ever since, except when I came to watch the Quidditch, of course.** **You fly as well as your father did, AJ...'**

Tonks grinned, "I saw James fly a few times and I think AJ is much better."

**He looked at AJ, who did not look away.** **'Believe me,' croaked Black. 'Believe me, AJ. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them.'**

"You're such a good person," cried Hermione "you are just so sweet even after everything that's happened to you! I just…I don't know how to put it Sirius."

Sirius looked to AJ to sort out Hermione, "She's just happy that Azkaban didn't steal your sweet spirit. Just ignore her for now."

**AJ sighed, 'I know. I believe you okay, we don't have to make a big deal out of it.' Hermione rolled her eyes while Draco snickered at AJ's offhandedness.**

"You couldn't just let your emotions out?" laughed Draco

AJ snorted, "I'd rather not, but thanks for the offer."

**'No!' Pettigrew had fallen to his knees as though AJ's nod had been his own death sentence.**

"You really are the person who was going to make the decision," remarked Remus "only you could make the decision."

**He shuffled forward on his knees, groveling, his hands clasped in front of him as though praying.** **'Sirius - it's me... it's Peter... your friend... you wouldn't -'**

Regulus scowled, "I'm pretty sure selling your friends out to Voldemort ended that friendship rather quickly."

"Like he would see it that way," scoffed Bill "all he knew was that he was going to be killed and he wanted to save his own ass."

**Sirius kicked out and Pettigrew recoiled.** **'There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them,' said Black.**

Everyone laughed; Sirius always had a good sense of humor.

**'Remus!' Pettigrew squeaked, turning to Lupin instead, writhing imploringly in front of him. 'You don't believe this wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?'**

"The more people more, the more people that can let it slip." Growled Charlie

'**I know why I wasn't informed,' said Lupin 'I've already forgiven him for that.'**

Draco raised a brow "Why weren't you informed?"

"Sirius was my mate and his first instinct is to protect me, like I do for him. He didn't want me to know and then have the death eaters torture me." Explained Remus

**'Shall we kill him together?' asked Sirius.**

**'Yes, I think so,' said Lupin grimly.**

**'You wouldn't... you won't...' gasped Pettigrew.**

Bill smirked, "Just do it. Get it over with and kill the fuck."

'**AJ...AJ... you look just like your father... just like him...'**

"I really wanted to throw up after that," mumbled AJ "him comparing me to my father was too much."

Hermione nodded, "You looked ready to hex him, I'm still surprised you didn't."

**'DON'T YOU DARE TALK TO ME ABOUT MY FATHER!' screamed AJ 'HOW DARE YOU? YOU SOLD THEM OUT TO VOLDEMORT!'**

"That was when I knew that your temper was going to cause a problem someday." Snickered Sirius

'**AJ,' whispered Pettigrew, shuffling toward her hands outstretched. 'AJ, James wouldn't have wanted me killed... James would have understood, AJ... he would have shown me mercy...'**

Andy sighed, "He would have. James was very companionate. But James let his emotions overrule his mind. That's where you and he differ."

"That's true," agreed Remus "you always remain calm during situations and you don't let emotions get the better of you."

**Both Black and Lupin strode forward, seized Pettigrew's shoulders, and threw him backward onto the floor.** **He sat there, twitching with terror, staring up at them.**

Hatred filled the room, it was almost suffocating.

**'You sold Lily and James to Voldemort,' said Black, who was shaking too. 'Do you deny it?'**

Narcissa glared, "He can't deny it! There is so much proof against him it's not even funny."

**Pettigrew burst into tears. It was horrible to watch, like an oversized, balding baby, cowering on the floor.** **'Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done?'**

"Um let me think," snarked Kingsley "how about die! You stupid piece of shit!"

Tonks nodded, "I would never, could never do what he did."

**'YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!' roared Black. 'DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!'**

"Ouch," winced Ted "that had to of hurt. Good! I'm loving you snapping at the jackass."

**Black and Lupin stood shoulder-to-shoulder, wands raised.** **'You should have realized,' said Lupin quietly, 'if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Good-bye, Peter.'**

Andy bit her lip, "Whatever stops you, I'm actually happy about it."

"Why?" sneered Ginny

"Because my cousin who is like a brother to me isn't a murderer and neither is Remus!" snarled Andy

**Hermione covered her face with her hands and turned to the wall.**

Hermione nodded, "I couldn't face that. Even if he did deserve death, I couldn't witness it."

**'NO!' AJ yelled. She ran forward, placing herself in front Pettigrew, facing the wands.** **'You can't kill him,' he said breathlessly. 'You can't. We'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the dementors... He can go to Azkaban... but don't kill him.'**

"You're such a good person," smiled Charlie "it would have been so easy for you to just kill him."

AJ nodded, "Some days I wish we had just killed him, but I know it was better like this."

**No one moved or made a sound except Pettigrew, whose breath was coming in wheezes as he clutched his chest. Black and Lupin were looking at each other. Then, with one movement, they lowered their wands.**

"I didn't want to," admitted Sirius "I really wanted to just kill him."

Remus nodded, "We wanted him to feel the pain we had felt for twelve years."

**'You're the only person who has the right to decide, AJ,' said Black. 'But think... think what he did...'**

Charlie nodded, he deserved death but AJ didn't deserve that on her conscious. Neither did Sirius or Remus.

**'He can go to Azkaban,' AJ repeated. 'If anyone deserves that place, he does...'**

"Do you think he'll ever wind up in Azkaban?" asked Hermione

Tonks snorted, "No way in hell. We're feeding his sorry ass to the dementors the minute we capture him."

**AJ stepped out of the way. Thin cords shot from Lupin's wand this time, and next moment, Pettigrew was wriggling on the floor, bound and gagged.**

"Too bad," grinned Draco "that wouldn't have been a hard loss."

Kingsley snickered, "It would have been hard for the ministry to explain that one."

**'But if you transform, Peter,' growled Sirius, his own wand pointing at Pettigrew too, 'we will kill you. You agree, AJ?'** **AJ looked down at the pitiful figure on the floor and smiled sweetly with a nod so that Pettigrew could see him.**

Everyone shifted uncomfortably at that. AJ had a very scary smile when she put on the sweet look.

**'Right,' said Lupin, suddenly businesslike. 'Draco, I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madam Pomfrey, so I think it's best if we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the hospital wing.'** **He hurried over to Draco, bent down, tapped Draco's leg with his wand, and muttered, 'Ferula.' Bandages spun up Draco's leg, strapping it tightly to a splint. Lupin helped him to his feet; Draco put his weight gingerly on the leg and didn't wince.**

Andy smiled, "Good job Remus! That's actually the best spell to use when you're in that situation."

"You should teach us some first aid spells." Smiled Draco "It'll come in handy when dealing with the three of us."

**'That's better,' he said. 'Thanks.'**

**'What about Professor Snape?' said Hermione in a small voice, looking down at Snape's prone figure.**

Bill scoffed, "Who cares? He already has brain damage. Whatever you did didn't have an affect on him."

**'There's nothing seriously wrong with him,' said Lupin, bending over Snape and checking his pulse. 'You were just a little - overenthusiastic. Still out cold. Er - perhaps it will be best if we don't revive him until we're safety back in the castle.** **We can take him like this...' he muttered, 'Mobilicorpus.'**

Snape glared, "Why not revive me?"

"Because you're an asshole." Deadpanned AJ "Seriously though would you have done us any help if you had been awake? No. You would have just stood there and claimed someone was impersonating him."

**As though invisible strings were tied to Snape's wrists, neck, and knees, he was pulled into a standing position, head still lolling unpleasantly, like a grotesque puppet.**

Regulus laughed, "Awesome! My favorite version of Snape, the kind that can't open his mouth and have words come out."

**He hung a few inches above the ground, his limp feet dangling. Lupin picked up the Invisibility Cloak and tucked it safely into his pocket.**

"Good," sighed Ted "you don't need to forget that and have it lying around."

Kingsley nodded, "That's another thing that would be useful for an Auror. There is a spell to turn yourself invisible but it's very complex and very few have mastered it."

**'And two of us should be chained to this,' said Black, nudging Pettigrew with his toe. 'Just to make sure.'**

"This?" snickered Bill

Narcissa scoffed, "He doesn't deserve to be called anything but it or this."

**'I'll do it,' said Lupin.**

**'And me,' said Draco limping forward.**

"I was silently praying I needed to shock him or something." Smirked Draco

AJ snickered "If only."

**Black conjured heavy manacles from thin air; soon Pettigrew was upright again, left arm chained to Lupin's right, right arm to Draco's left. **

Charlie sighed; he wished that he hadn't escaped.

**Crookshanks leapt lightly off the bed and led the way out of the room, his bottlebrush tail held jauntily high.**

AJ tossed the closed book to Ginny. Ginny rubbed her head where the book had hit, "Fine. I'll read **The Dementor's Kiss…**"

**AN: Hope you liked this chapter! I've gotten a few PM's about how AJ is unemotional and too perfect. I'm writing AJ more 'hard' because honestly I can't stand stories where the girl is always blushing or stuttering. That may be the reason why I never got into the Twilight series. For perfect…I don't know what to say about that. The twins will be back in a few chapters don't worry! I'm always up for suggestions or to answer questions. Read and Review :)**


	66. The Dementor's Kiss

**AJ had never been part of a stranger group. **

Draco raised a brow, "Really? Never been in a stranger group?"

"Shut up," laughed AJ "I thought we said we would never talk about that again!"

**Crookshanks led the way down the stairs; Lupin, Pettigrew, and Draco went next, looking like entrants in a six-legged race.**

Andy laughed, "We used to do the three-legged race when we go to Teddy's family reunion! That was a lot of fun."

"That's another thing we have to do during Christmas break." Smiled Hermione

**Next came Professor Snape, drifting creepily along, his toes hitting each stair as they descended, held up by his own wand, which was being pointed at him by Sirius. AJ and Hermione brought up the rear.**

"You make it sound like a train or something." snickered Regulus "If you have him smash his head a few times I would be okay with that."

**Getting back into the tunnel was difficult. Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron had to turn sideways to manage it; Lupin still had Pettigrew covered with his wand. **

Remus scowled, "I should have knocked him out when I had the chance. Damn it."

"You didn't know what he was going to do Remmy," smiled Hermione "we can't predict the future no matter how hard Trelawney tries to."

**AJ could see them edging awkwardly along the tunnel in single file. Crookshanks was still in the lead. AJ went right after Sirius, who was still making Snape drift along ahead of them; he kept bumping his lolling head on the low ceiling. AJ had the impression Sirius was making no effort to prevent this.**

Kingsley laughed loudly, "Good for you Sirius! I would have liked to have seen a bit more pain but this will do."

"Why would you say that?" asked Ginny "He's a professor and you're in law enforcement! How could you goad him into causing someone pain?"

"Since when you do care about causing people pain? Look at all you put AJ through alone! Also, I don't like Snape; I'm not a fan of Death Eaters. Past or present." Kingsley stated calmly with a look of hate in his eyes.

**"You know what this means?" Black said abruptly to AJ as they made their slow progress along the tunnel. "Turning Pettigrew in?"**

Ted smiled, "As soon as we're done you're a free man Siri! Dora and Kingsley are going to go straight to Amelia Bones as soon as we're done. Nothing is stopping us this time."

**"You're going to date?" asked AJ "I'm sorry! I don't know why I said that; I'm not good with emotions or emotional situations so I always say something random. Or inappropriate, mostly both."**

"Are you kidding me?" laughed Tonks "That's what you said?"

Charlie laughed loudly, "Wait till you hear some of the conversations we had during her fourth year."

"Wait till you hear some of the conversations I walked in on." Bill muttered looking green.

**"You sounded just like James just now. He was the same way about emotions. Lily was better with them." Laughed Sirius. "I'll be free…but I'm also – I don't know if anyone ever told you – I'm your godfather."**

Regulus grinned, "You're so eloquent. You should become a public speaker."

"How about you sleep outside with the raccoons tonight?" smiled Sirius

**"Yeah, I heard," said AJ.**

**"Well… your parents appointed me your guardian," said Black stiffly. "If anything happened to them…"** **AJ waited. Did he want to gain custody of her?**

Andy gaped, "From the time you were born Sirius was at your side. I'm surprised that Lily and James even got to see you."

"He was supposed to get custody of," remarked Regulus "but I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that the Will was read or a trial was giving."

"There was proof and the trial was never need." Explained Dumbledore

AJ glared "What proof? All you had to do was give him some damn truth serum and your good to go. But no! You did nothing just like you did nothing when Death Eaters claimed the imperious curse. You're pathetic and I have no idea what side you're on."

**"I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle," said Black. "But… well… think about it. Once my name's cleared… if you wanted a… a different home…"**

"It's a tough call," snickered Hermione "living with a loving parent or the Dursleys."

Charlie grinned, "You never know what could be going on in AJ's head."

**"Live with you?" AJ said, "Leave the Dursleys?"**

"I sounded like I didn't want to." Winced AJ

**"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to," said Black quickly. "I understand, I just thought I'd –"**

Sirius glared, "After what I've heard about those asses I can see why AJ was so eager to leave."

"She's going to leave Padfoot." Smiled Remus "We'll make sure of it."

**"Are you insane?"** **said AJ, her voice easily as croaky as Black's. "Of course I want to leave the Dursleys!"** **Sirius turned right around to look at him; Snape's head was scraping the ceiling but Sirius didn't seem to care.**

Narcissa snickered, "He didn't and him being insane, you're right on the mark with that."

**"You want to?" he said. "You mean it?"**

**"Yeah, I mean it!" said AJ.**

"Best moment his life I'm sure," smiled Regulus "now we can see how this was messed up."

Draco glared, "It could have been avoided if professors actually were there to help their students."

**Black's gaunt face broke into the first true smile AJ had seen upon it. The difference it made was startling, as though a person ten years younger were shining through the starved mask; for a moment, he was recognizable as the man who had laughed at AJ's parents' wedding.**

"It was like someone had flipped a switch, your whole face lit up." Smiled AJ

Sirius grinned, "Having you living with Remus and myself is a dream come true, everything you have gone through was unavoidable."

**Black saw Snape up through the hole, then stood back for AJ and Hermione to pass. At last, all of them were out.** **The grounds were very dark now; the only light came from the distant windows of the castle. Without a word, they set off. Pettigrew was still wheezing and occasionally whimpering.**

"Pathetic little shit." Grunted Bill "Should have knocked his ass out with a two by four."

**"One wrong move, Peter," said Lupin threateningly ahead. His wand was still pointed sideways at Pettigrew's chest.**

Remus growled lowly, "I didn't even need a reason at that point. Killing him would have done the whole world a service."

"Then you wouldn't be here with your husband and daughter," smiled Andy "we have to look on the bright side of all of this."

**Silently they tramped through the grounds, the castle lights growing slowly larger. Snape was still drifting weirdly ahead of Black, his chin bumping on his chest. And then –** **A cloud shifted. **

Tonks gapped, "Oh Merlin! The full moon!"

"Shit." Muttered Charlie "You're screwed. And not in the fun way."

**There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Their party was bathed in moonlight.** **Snape collided with Lupin, Pettigrew, and Draco, who had stopped abruptly. Sirius froze. He flung out one arm to make AJ and Hermione stop.**

Kingsley growled "Why didn't you bring the damn potion in the damn shack you stupid fuck!" Snape rolled his eyes; he didn't have an excuse other then to cause Lupin pain.

**AJ could see Lupin's silhouette. He had gone rigid. Then his limbs began to shake.** **"Oh, my –" Hermione gasped. "He didn't take his potion tonight! He's not safe!"**

"I couldn't believe what I was seeing," admitted Hermione "I was beyond worried about Remus and all of us. It was too much to take."

Bill kissed AJ's head, "Mio don't be embarrassed, it's hard to see the ones we love and care about it pain."

**"Run," Black whispered. "Run. Now."** **But AJ couldn't run. Draco was chained to Pettigrew and Lupin.** **Sh****e leapt forward but Sirius caught her around the chest and threw her back.**

"You're damn right I threw you back," mumbled Sirius "I'll be damned if you were going to get killed because of something like that."

"**Leave it to me – RUN!"**

Remus winced, he could remember the yelling but he had no way to stop himself.

**There was a terrible snarling noise.** **Lupin's head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws.**

Everyone looked away, mostly with tears in their eyes. They couldn't believe what Remus went through every month without fail.

**As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws, Sirius disappeared from AJ's side. He had transformed. The enormous, bearlike dog bounded forward. **

"You have to get out of there," muttered Regulus "I know you want to protect your friend but you need to protect yourselves also."

Andy nodded, "The woods aren't safe on a full moon."

**As the werewolf wrenched itself free of the manacle binding it, the dog seized it about the neck and pulled it backward, away from Draco and Pettigrew. They were locked, jaw-to-jaw, claws ripping at each other.**

"Pettigrew," snarled Narcissa "now he's going to get away. Bastard."

**Hermione screamed, Pettigrew had dived for Lupin's dropped wand.** **Draco****, unsteady on his bandaged leg, fell. There was a bang, a burst of light – and Draco lay motionless on the ground.**

Tonks sighed, "Just another thing to add onto our every growing list of reasons why need to kill him."

"We can make it look like an accident if we have to." Scowled Ted

**Another bang – Crookshanks flew into the air and back to the earth in a heap.** _**"Expelliarmus!" **_**AJ yelled, pointing his own wand at Pettigrew; Lupin's wand flew high into the air and out of sight. "Stay where you are!" AJ shouted, running forward.**

Regulus glared, "Like he would do that. No he has to play games so he can go back to his Master and say that he tried to take AJ Potter back to him."

**Too late. Pettigrew had transformed. AJ saw his bald tail whip through the manacle on Draco outstretched arm and heard a scurrying through the grass.**

"Fucking bastard," muttered Charlie "he doesn't even deserve to be sentenced."

"He won't." smirked AJ, she would make sure he didn't get a trail.

**There was a howl and a rumbling growl; AJ turned to see the werewolf taking flight; it was galloping into the forest –** **"Sirius, he's gone, Pettigrew transformed!" AJ yelled.**

Sirius sighed, "I heard you and I wanted to assure you everything would be okay. But I needed to keep you safe.

**Sirius was bleeding; there were gashes across his muzzle and back, but at AJ's words he scrambled up again, and in an instant, the sound of his paws faded to silence as he pounded away across the grounds.**

"I'm sorry love," winced Remus "I didn't mean to hurt you."

Sirius smiled, "You're my mate and I'm not going to let you face your transformation alone."

**AJ and Hermione dashed over to Draco.** **"What did he do to him?" Hermione whispered. Draco's eyes were only half-closed, his mouth hung open; he was definitely alive, they could hear him breathing, but he didn't seem to recognize them.**

"He tried to confuse him," snickered Tonks "it's not funny but that is one of the easiest charms to do and he couldn't even do that right."

Draco smiled, "Well I for one am glad that he couldn't master it."

**"We'd better get them up to the castle and tell someone," said AJ, pushing her green hair out of her eyes, trying to think straight.** **"Come –"**

"I am not a dog, I don't come on command." Smirked Hermione

**But then, from beyond the range of their vision, they heard a yelping, a whining: a dog in pain…** **"Sirius," AJ muttered, staring into the darkness.**

Bill groaned, "Can't you just go up to the castle and get help?"

"There wasn't enough time," explained AJ "Sirius was in trouble and I needed to help him."

**She had a moment's indecision, but there was nothing they could do for Draco at the moment, and by the sound of it, Black was in trouble –**

Narcissa sighed, "I understand completely, but I wish that Draco wasn't alone."

**AJ set off at a run, Hermione right behind her. The yelping stopped abruptly. As they reached the lakeshore, they saw why – Sirius had turned back into a man. He was crouched on all fours, his hands over his head.**

"What's going on?" asked Kingsley "Were you that hurt?"

Charlie gaped, "Are you kidding me? I'm going to kill fudge! This is all his fault!"

_**"Nooo,"**_ **he moaned. **_**"Nooo… please…"**_ **And then AJ saw them. Dementors, at least a hundred of them, gliding in a black mass around the lake toward them. **

"I agree with Charlie!" yelled Ted "This is all Fudges fault! Damn him!"

**She spun around, the familiar, icy cold penetrating her insides, fog starting to obscure his vision; more were appearing out of the darkness on every side; they were encircling them…** **"Hermione, think of something happy!" AJ yelled, raising her wand, blinking furiously to try and clear her vision, shaking her head to rid it of the faint screaming that had started inside it –**

Hermione sighed, "I really wanted to do it but it's really hard."

"Don't beat yourself up over it," smiled Remus "you'll learn how to do it."

_**I'm going to live with my godfather. I'm leaving the Dursleys.**_ **She forced himself to think of Sirius, and only Sirius, and began to chant: **_**"Expecto patronum! Expecto patronum!"**_

Tonks groaned, "That's really not a happy thought though."

**Sirius gave a shudder, rolled over, and lay motionless on the ground, pale as death.** _**He'll be all right. I'm going to go and live with him.**_

"Oh Merlin," breathed Charlie "this is too close. You have to get out of there punk."

Bill nodded, "There are too many of them for you to take on. I don't think you're powerful enough AJ."

_**"Expecto –"**_ **Hermione whispered, **_**"expecto – expecto –"**_ **But Hermione couldn't do it. The Dementors were closing in, barely ten feet from them. They formed a solid wall around AJ and Hermione, and were getting closer…**

"Come on," muttered Tonks "you can do it! Just think something happy!"

_**"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"**_ **AJ yelled, trying to blot the screaming from her ears. **_**"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"**_

Ted nodded, "Just keep going, don't give up! Please don't give up."

**A thin wisp of silver escaped his wand and hovered like mist before him. At the same moment, AJ felt Hermione collapse next to her. She was alone… completely alone…** _**"Expecto – expecto patronum –"**_

Remus shook his head, "Don't think like that! You have to remain positive!"

"I know it's hard, but you can do it!" yelled Andy

**AJ felt her knees hit the cold grass. Fog was clouding her eyes. With a huge effort, she fought to remember – Sirius was innocent – innocent – **_**We'll be okay – I'm going to live with him –**_ _**"Expecto patronum!"**_ **s****he gasped.**

"It's getting too much for you," mumbled Kingsley "they're gaining power."

**By the feeble light of his formless Patronus, she saw a Dementor halt, very close to her. It couldn't walk through the cloud of silver mist AJ had conjured. A dead, slimy hand slid out from under the cloak. It made a gesture as though to sweep the Patronus aside.**

Sirius looked sick, "You shouldn't be going through this. You should be safe in the castle."

"I wasn't going to let you die daddy," argued AJ "you may not have been my parent at the time, but I did love you."

**"Shit**–**" AJ gasped. "He's innocent… **_**expecto – expecto patronum **_–**"** **She could feel them watching her; hear their rattling breath like an evil wind around her.**

Regulus groaned, "You're already being drained of your magic. One Dementor you can take on, but hundreds is just too much. It's too much for anyone."

**The nearest Dementor seemed to be considering her. Then it raised both its rotting hands – and lowered its hood.**

Everyone groaned, they didn't want to hear about what it looked like.

**Where there should have been eyes, there was only thin, gray-scabbed skin, stretched blankly over empty sockets. But there was a mouth… a gaping, shapeless hole, sucking the air with the sound of a death rattle.**

Ron looked sick, "Really that's what it looks like?"

"No, it looked like puppies and rainbows. Yes you moron!" yelled AJ

**A paralyzing terror filled AJ so that she couldn't move or speak. Her Patronus flickered and died.**

Narcissa let out a whimper, "How did you get out of this alive?"

**White fog was blinding her. She had to fight… **_**expecto patronum**_… **s****he couldn't see… and in the distance, she heard the familiar screaming… **_**expecto patronum**_… **s****he groped in the mist for Sirius, and found his arm… they weren't going to take him…**

Sirius pulled AJ into his side, which she gratefully leaned into. She needed to know that her dad was alive and well. He wasn't leaving her now or ever if she could help it."

**But a pair of strong, clammy hands suddenly attached themselves around AJ's neck. They were forcing her face upward… **

"It's trying to suck your soul." said Charlie "Where in the hell are you Dumbledore?"

Dumbledore sighed, "I wasn't aware of what was going on."

"Of course you didn't, you don't care about anyone but yourself." Growled Charlie

**She could feel its breath… It was going to get rid of her first… She could feel its putrid breath… Her mother was screaming in her ears… She was going to be the last thing AJ ever heard –**

Hermione wiped away tears, "I didn't know that's what was going through your head. I'm so sorry AJ."

**And then, through the fog that was drowning her, she thought she saw a silvery light growing brighter and brighter…**

"Is someone helping?" asked Regulus happily "Someone may have noticed and called for help!"

Draco shifted, "Right Uncle Reggie, that's possible."

**She felt herself fall forward onto the grass… Facedown, too weak to move, sick and shaking, AJ opened her eyes. The Dementor must have released her. The blinding light was illuminating the grass around her… The screaming had stopped, the cold was ebbing away…**

"Someone produced a Patronus." Mumbled Tonks "But who? Who could have done that?"

Ted scowled, "Obviously not Dumbledore. He wasn't aware of what was going on with his STUDENTS!"

**Something was driving the Dementors back… It was circling around AJ and Sirius and Hermione… They were leaving…** **The air was warm again…**

"You're okay," sighed Sirius kissing AJ's head "you're okay. That's all that matters to me."

**With every ounce of strength she could muster, AJ raised her head a few inches and saw an animal amid the light, galloping away across the lake…**

Charlie shifted, "So we know that whoever it was is very powerful and their patronus is an animal that gallops. Right. This won't be hard."

"How many animals gallop?" scowled Ron

"Well let's see here," glared Charlie "for every animal that gallops there is a male and female version. Then you have to see if it was a baby animal or an adult. There are a lot of factors Ron!"

**Eyes blurred with sweat, AJ tried to make out what it was… It was as bright as a unicorn… Fighting to stay conscious, AJ watched it canter to a halt as it reached the opposite shore. **

Remus blinked, "There's a very powerful Patronus. Very powerful in deed." AJ looked away while Remus smiled happily.

**For a moment, AJ saw, by its brightness, somebody welcoming it back… raising her hand to pat it… someone who looked strangely familiar… but it couldn't be…AJ didn't understand. She couldn't think anymore. She felt the last of her strength leave her, and her head hit the ground as he fainted.**

"I'm surprised you didn't pass out beforehand." Muttered Andy

Ginny tossed the book to Regulus, "**Hermione's Secret…**"

**AN: Hope you liked it! Read and Review :)**


	67. Hermione's Secret

"**Shocking business… shocking… miracle none of them died… never heard the like… by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape…"**

Charlie scowled, "What is this jackass talking about now?"

"You know its Fudge just by what was said?" laughed AJ

"**Thank you, Minister."**

"**Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say. First Class, if I can wangle it!"**

Ted gaped, "No fucking way! You are kidding me right?"

"He won't get it," snarled Regulus "Hell will freeze over before I see that happen."

"**Thank you very much indeed, Minister."**

"**Nasty cut you've got there… Black's work, I suppose?"**

Sirius smiled, "No I wish I had though.

"**As a matter of fact, it was Potter, Malfoy, and Granger, Minister…"**

"You told the minister that?" shouted Remus "What is wrong with you? You could have gotten them expelled from school! You're a heartless bastard!"

Snape glared, "They deserved it."

"**No!"**

"Right," deadpanned Kingsley "like he cares either way."

**"Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm, to judge by their behavior. **

AJ cocked her head, "By our behavior? The only one that was acting out of character was Hermione. You're such a jackass."

"I think we've come to that conclusion." Snickered Hermione

**They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. They weren't responsible for their actions. **

Andy glared, "They were helping Sirius because they knew he was innocent and you refused to believe them! No one is going to listen to your sob story and believe it."

**On the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape… They obviously thought they were going to catch Black single-handed. **

"You do know that if you were to go along with whatever story they came up with, the minister would have listened." Snarled Narcissa

Tonks snorted, "Like he would do that. He only cares about himself and sometimes I don't even think that even matters."

**They've got away with a great deal before now… I'm afraid it's given them a rather high opinion of themselves… and of course Potter has always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the headmaster —**

"Oh will you bite me!" snarled AJ "I don't ask for these things to happen! If you recall I went to three teachers in first year none of which helped. Second year I got a teacher to help who ended up trying to wipe my memory! I don't get special treatment; I get punished just as much as anyone else does. You have no idea what you're talking about half the time so why don't you just shut the fuck up!"

**And any other student would be suspended — at the very least — for leading his friends into such danger. **

"She didn't lead us anywhere!" shouted Draco "Haven't you noticed that AJ is always trying to talk people out of helping her? It's so they don't get hurt in the processes. But you don't see it that way, you see it as her having to be the hero."

Charlie grinned, "We know, Snape is the only one who doesn't see AJ the way the rest of the world does."

**Consider, Minister — against all school rules — after all the precautions put in place for his protection — out-of-bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer — and I have reason to believe she has been visiting Hogsmeade illegally too —"**

"Why would you throw that in there?" asked Bill "That had nothing to do with anything. All you care about is punishing James Potters daughter, yet you fail to see that she is also Lily's. But more then that, she is her own person. She's not Hermione Grangers best friend. She's not Charlie Weasley's fiancé. She is AJ Potter, sarcastic, tough, and completely outspoken. You need to realize that."

Regulus titled his head "Fiancé? Charlie Weasley's fiancé? What does that mean?"

"Thanks Bill," muttered Charlie "we aren't engaged yet. We just talked the other day about getting married and if that was something we both wanted. Obviously I would go to Sirius an Remus before I buy a ring, but it is something we both want."

Remus nodded, "As long as AJ is happy, we're happy." Charlie nodded, relieved that they hadn't tried to kill him.

"**Well, well… we shall see, Snape, we shall see… The girl has undoubtedly been foolish…"**

Sirius scowled, "You're just made a couple third years cursed you before you could even blink."

**AJ lay listening with her eyes tight shut. She felt very groggy. The words she was hearing seemed to be traveling very slowly from her ears to her brain, so that it was difficult to understand… Her limbs felt like lead; her eyelids too heavy to lift… She wanted to lie here, on this comfortable bed, forever…**

"That bed felt so nice underneath my body," sighed AJ "I love beds."

Hermione bit her lip, "You love anything that you can lay on." AJ burst out laughing while Hermione hid her face.

"**What amazes me most is the behavior of the Dementors… you've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?"**

"Um maybe a patronus?" asked Remus "Last time I checked that was what made them leave."

"**No, Minister… by the time I had come 'round they were heading back to their positions at the entrances…"**

"**Extraordinary. And yet Black, and AJ, and the girl —"**

"**All unconscious by the time I reached them. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretchers, and brought them all straight back to the castle."**

Narcissa scowled "Naturally? Naturally? If you had it your way you would have left them their for death."

"He has to play the part for the minister." Sneered Andy "He has to act like he's a good person and he has the best interest of the students at heart."

**There was a pause. AJ's brain seemed to be moving a little faster, and as it did, a gnawing sensation grew in the pit of her stomach…She opened her eyes.**

Remus shook his head with a smile, "You should try to get a few more hours of sleep but I know you and you probably had more pressing matters to attend to."

**She was lying in the dark hospital wing. At the very end of the ward, she could make out Madam Pomfrey with her back to AJ, bending over a bed. AJ squinted. Draco's blonde hair was visible beneath Madam Pomfrey's arm.**

"At least you're okay," sighed Ted "even try to do that spell can add badly."

Draco shrugged, "I didn't have any lasting affects thank Merlin."

**AJ moved her head over on the pillow. In the bed to her right lay Hermione. Moonlight was falling across her bed. Her eyes were open too. **

"How are you people awake?" asked Kingsley "I would feel like shit and not be able to wake up."

**When she saw that AJ was awake, pressed a finger to her lips, and then pointed to the hospital wing door. It was ajar, and the voices of Cornelius Fudge and Snape were coming through it from the corridor outside.**

Hermione smiled sweetly, "You honestly don't think that I wouldn't listen in on that conversation do you? We needed to make sure Sirius was okay."

"Of course," muttered Snape "anything to break the rules."

**Madam Pomfrey now came walking briskly up the dark ward to AJ's bed. She turned to look at her. She was carrying the largest block of chocolate she had ever seen in her life. It looked like a small boulder.**

Bill smirked, "Make sure you eat it all. It'll really help in whatever plan you two are cooking up."

"**Ah, you're awake!" she said briskly. She placed the chocolate on AJ's bedside table and began breaking it apart with a small hammer.**

"I really don't like chocolate." Shuddered AJ

Remus gaped, "How can you not like chocolate? It's the most delicious substance ever."

"I'm sorry papa," laughed AJ "I just don't like chocolate. It's too sweet."

"**How's Draco?" said AJ and Hermione together.**

Draco smiled, "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"**He'll live," said Madam Pomfrey grimly. "As for you two, you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're — Potter, what do you think you're doing?"**

"Leaving," snickered Regulus "what else do you expect?"

Sirius smiled, "I have no idea what or how they did this but I thank Merlin they did."

"**I need to see the headmaster," AJ said grabbing her wand.**

"You're better off handling the situation on your own." Snorted Tonks

"**Potter," said Madam Pomfrey soothingly, "it's all right. They've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The Dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now…"**

Everyone tensed; they had no idea that Sirius was that close to getting killed.

"**WHAT?"** **AJ jumped up out of bed; Hermione had done the same. But her shout had been heard in the corridor outside; next second, Cornelius Fudge and Snape had entered the ward.**

Andy rolled her eyes, "This will be no help whatsoever. Fudge won't listen and Snape will just ignore you."

"How in the hell are they going to pull this off?" asked Charlie

"**Minister, listen!" AJ was about to continue but was cut off by the door opening again. It was Dumbledore.**

Everyone glared; he was no help when the students needed him the most.

"**I wish to speak to AJ and Hermione alone," Dumbledore stated.**

"Why?" asked Sirius "You never listen to people anyhow."

Dumbledore sighed, "I needed to speak with them and it was important that it was handled alone."

**Snape took a step toward Dumbledore.** "**Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen," he breathed.** "**You haven't forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven't forgotten that he once tried to kill me?"**

"If he wanted to kill he would have," growled Regulus "you seem to forget who our father was. He could have killed you and made it look like an accident so why don't you just shut up?"

"**My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly.**

Remus gapped, "Is it? Because you seem to forget peoples past quiet a bit."

"He remembers what he wants to remember." Muttered AJ

**Snape turned on his heel and marched through the door Fudge was still holding. It closed behind them, and Dumbledore turned to AJ and Hermione. They both burst into speech at the same time.**

Hermione smirked, "That probably wasn't the best idea we've ever had."

"**Professor, Black's telling the truth — we saw Pettigrew — he escaped when Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf —"**

"That was AJ." Smirked Charlie

"— **He's a rat —"**

Bill smiled, "Hermione."

"— **Pettigrew's front paw, I mean, finger, he cut it off —"**

"— **Pettigrew attacked Draco, it wasn't Sirius —"**

"Of course it wasn't Siri," scoffed Narcissa "he wouldn't hurt anyone. Unless it's Peter then it's justified."

**But Dumbledore held up his hand to stem the flood of explanations.** **"There is not a shred of proof to support Black's story, except your word — and the word of two thirteen-year-old wizards will not convince anybody. A street full of eyewitnesses swore they saw Sirius murder Pettigrew. I myself gave evidence to the Ministry that Sirius had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper. What we need is more time."**

Regulus glared, "All you have to do is use the damn truth serum! What is wrong with you?"

"It wasn't needed." Dumbledore all but shouted

"Yes it was needed!" yelled Regulus "My brother was imprisoned for something that wasn't his fault!"

"**But —" Hermione began. And then her eyes became very round. "OH!"**

Tonks gaped while Kingsley glared at the headmaster, he never should have permitted the use of a time turner.

"**Now, pay attention," said Dumbledore, speaking very low, and very clearly. "Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight.**

"More then one innocent life?" asked Charlie "Who else are they going to free?"

Bill shrugged, "Maybe they can get Peter!"

"That can't happen. It would change too much in the ripple affect of time." Muttered Charlie

**But remember this, both of you: you must not be seen. Miss Granger, you know the law — you know what is at stake… You — must — not — be —seen."**

Kingsley stiffened, "Do you have any idea how much trouble they can get into? What is wrong with you?"

"They could have been arrested!" shouted Tonks

**Dumbledore had turned on his heel and looked back as he reached the door.** "**I am going to lock you in. It is —" he consulted his watch, "five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."**

"Good luck?" shouted Sirius "That's what you tell my daughter and her friend? Good luck? They have no idea what they are doing or how it could affect them and everyone around them!"

"**Good luck?" AJ repeated as the door closed behind Dumbledore. "Three turns? What's he talking about? What are we supposed to do?"**

Andy snorted, "You cause more harm then good. Have you ever noticed that?"

"That seems to be a common theme in AJ's life since she came in contact with Dumbledore." Muttered Ted

**But Hermione was fumbling with the neck of her robes, pulling from beneath them a very long, very fine gold chain.** "**AJ, come here," she said urgently. "Quick!"**

Remus bit his lip, "Don't get caught, please don't get caught doing something like this?"

"They won't," said Narcissa "they can't. They just can't."

**AJ moved toward her, completely bewildered.** **She was holding the chain out. She saw a tiny, sparkling hourglass hanging from it.** "**Here —"** **She had thrown the chain around AJ's neck too.** "**Ready?" she said breathlessly.**

Ron scowled, "For what? None of this makes sense."

"You'll find out soon if you would shut up." Snarled Hermione

"**I guess?" AJ said.**

Draco smiled, "Now that's really trusting someone."

"I knew that she had to have had a good and she wouldn't lead me into danger." Remarked AJ

**Hermione turned the hourglass over three times.** **The dark ward dissolved. AJ had the sensation that he was flying very fast, backward. A blur of colors and shapes rushed past her, her ears were pounding, and she tried to yell but couldn't hear her own voice —**

"You actually can't talk when you're in the middle of going back in time." Stated Regulus

Draco raised a brow, "How do you know Uncle Reggie?"

"Well it's just obvious in a not obvious way." Mumbled Regulus turning red.

**And then she felt solid ground beneath her feet, and everything came into focus again —** **She was standing next to Hermione in the deserted entrance hall and a stream of golden sunlight was falling across the paved floor from the open front doors. She looked wildly around at Hermione, the chain of the hourglass cutting into his neck.**

Tonks groaned, "You have to leave the entrance hall before someone sees you or you are seen!"

"I cannot believe you," muttered Remus "of all the stupid things you've done this has got to be the worst!"

"I was handling it okay, well mostly." Mumbled Hermione

"I understand that Hermione and I'm not mad at you, but this was completely irresponsible on Dumbledore's part." Growled Remus

**"Hermione, what —?"**

AJ smirked, "I was beyond confused at that point."

"**In here!" Hermione seized AJ's arm and dragged her across the hall to the door of a broom closet; she opened it, pushed him inside among the buckets and mops, and then slammed the door behind them.**

Kingsley let out a breath, "Thank Merlin, don't do anything stupid! Please!"

"**Hermione, what happened?" asked AJ**

"You just went back in time, no big deal." Laughed Charlie

**"We've gone back in time," Hermione whispered, lifting the chain off AJ's neck in the darkness. "Three hours back…"**

Bill gapped, "Wait! You can save Buckbeak!"

"Do it!" cheered Charlie "Save him!"

**AJ rubbed her head, "Of course we did. Why wouldn't we go back in time? Merlin help us."**

Narcissa laughed, "Really? You weren't scared at all?"

"No, I knew that we wouldn't get caught. Hermione is too cautious for that to happen." Smiled AJ

"**Shh! Listen! Someone's coming! I think — I think it might be us!" Hermione had her ear pressed against the cupboard door.** "**Footsteps across the hall… yes, I think it's us going down to Hagrid's!"**

Sirius shook his head, "That's crazy. But it good way of course."

**AJ wanted a few questions answered.** "**Where did you get that hourglass thing?"**

"I think that's what we are all wondering." Growled Tonks

Regulus shook his head, "Safe. Hogwarts is safe. What in the hell changed?"

"**It's called a Time-Turner," Hermione whispered, "and I got it from Professor McGonagall on our first day back. I've been using it all year to get to all my lessons. Professor McGonagall made me swear I wouldn't tell."**

"That must have been hard to keep a secret that big from your friends." Sighed Narcissa

Hermione nodded, "I needed to have AJ and Draco help me through it all but not being able to talk to them or have them help me out was really hard."

"**What could Dumbledore mean when he said more then one life could be saved?" asked AJ "It doesn't make any sense. Three hours ago we were with Hagrid…wait…Buckbeak! We can save Buckbeak!"**

Charlie grinned madly; they were going to save Buckbeak! Sirius was going to be okay and so was Buckbeak!

"**What if we get caught?" asked Hermione "If anyone sees us AJ…"**

"You'll be arrested," groaned Tonks "it doesn't matter how old you are. You will be arrested for being in possession of the Time Turner."

**AJ rolled her eyes, "Then we run for it. We'll go straight for the woods. Mio, I'm not letting Sirius receive the Dementors Kiss! I'm just not."**

Sirius hugged AJ, "Thank you pup. You have no idea how that means to me. Love you."

"I love you too Daddy." Smiled AJ

**"Okay, but we'll go around by the greenhouses!' said Hermione breathlessly. "We need to keep out of sight of Hagrid's front door, or we'll see us!** **We must be nearly at Hagrid's by now!"**

Hermione sighed, "That made no sense at all. I don't even know how to explain it without sounding like a crazy person."

"Well you are kind of crazy if you're hanging out with us." Snickered Draco

**AJ set off at a sprint, Hermione behind her. They tore across the vegetable gardens to the greenhouses, paused for a moment behind them, then set off again, fast as they could, skirting around the Whomping Willow, tearing toward the shelter of the forest…**

Molly shook her head, "Completely irresponsible. You could have been killed."

"Well we weren't so no need to be all dramatic." Glared AJ

**Safe in the shadows of the trees, AJ turned around; seconds later, Hermione arrived beside her, panting.** **"Right," she gasped. "We need to sneak over to Hagrid's… Keep out of sight, AJ…"**

Ginny groaned, "We get it! You need to stay out of sight!"

"I needed to make sure AJ understood!" barked Hermione "You don't understand what we could have done!"

**They made their way silently through the trees, keeping to the very edge of the forest. Then, as they glimpsed the front of Hagrid's house, they heard a knock upon his door. **

Remus shifted, "That must be you guys now. Sweet Merlin."

**They moved quickly behind a wide oak trunk and peered out from either side. Hagrid had appeared in his doorway, shaking and white, looking around to see who had knocked. And AJ heard her own voice.**

Regulus bit his lip, "I know you want to but don't grab the rat. That could have dire consequences that you can't even imagine."

"I really wanted to," admitted AJ "but I knew we couldn't"

**"Let's move along a bit," Hermione whispered. "We need to get nearer to Buckbeak!"**

"Can you free him now?" asked Narcissa

Hermione shook her head, "No we had to wait a little longer."

**After what felt like hours, there was a knock on Hagrid's front door. The execution party had arrived. Hagrid turned, around and headed back into his cabin, leaving the back door ajar. **

"You guys are so ballsy." Mumbled Kingsley "Just thinking about this is enough to make me sick."

**AJ watched the grass flatten in patches all around the cabin and heard three pairs of feet retreating. She, Draco, and Hermione had gone… but the AJ and Hermione hidden in the trees could now hear what was happening inside the cabin through the back door.**

Ted bit his nail, "This is over soon right? I really want this to be over like now."

"So many things could go wrong," muttered Bill "I don't even want to know how this plays out."

**"Where is the beast?" came the cold voice of Macnair.**

**"Out – outside," Hagrid croaked.**

Andy scowled, "He doesn't even care that he's about to execute a defenseless animal!"

**Then they heard Fudge.** **"We – er – have to read you the official notice of execution, Hagrid. I'll make it quick. And then you and Macnair need to sign it. Macnair, You're supposed to listen too, that's procedure –"** **Macnair's face vanished from the window.**

"I don't understand it," grunted Sirius "how is Macnair working in the ministry like this?"

Ted snorted, "You know as well as I do that Ministry doesn't care that he was an ex death eater. Like Malfoy he claimed the imperious."

**It was now or never.** **"Wait here," AJ whispered to Hermione. "I'll do it."**

Everyone tensed in anticipation, if anything went wrong they didn't even want to think of how this could cause problems.

**As Fudge's voice started again, AJ darted out from behind her tree, vaulted the fence into the pumpkin patch, and approached Buckbeak. She was careful not to blink when she bowed. Silently praying that Buckbeak would move.**

AJ scowled, "Of course he wouldn't, that would make my life simple."

**AJ drowned out Fudges annoying voice in favor of concentrating on Buckbeak. "Come on, I'm here to help you, come on!" But it was no use he wouldn't budge and AJ could see the fire in his eyes, he didn't like being told what to do, how ironic.**

"Don't push him, that will only make him want to stay more. You have to be calm around him." Explained Charlie

Remus nodded, "He needs to go now though or Fudge will see them and shit is going to hit the fan!"

**Thinking quickly AJ tugged on the rope a little harder, "Please Buckbeak! Please! Do this for Hagrid! You love Hagrid." That seemed to do the trick; Buckbeak got up and followed AJ to the forest where Hermione was biting her lip.**

"Sweet Merlin," sighed Regulus "you're just dancing on your grave today."

AJ winced, "I know what the phrase means, but I don't think I appreciate it right now."

**"Stop!" he whispered to Hermione. "They might hear us."**

Ted shook his head once the readings were over he was getting Dumbledore to step down. He obviously didn't know how to be a Headmaster.

**Hagrid's back door had opened with a bang. AJ, Hermione, and Buckbeak stood quite still; even the Hippogriff seemed to be listening intently.** **Silence… then – "Where is it?" said the reedy voice of the Committee member. "Where is the beast?"**

"He's not a beast!" snarled Charlie "You're an asshole and you don't understand how sweet animals really are!"

Tonks nodded, "There is going to be some more laws put into affect after this about animals and their protection."

**"It was tied here!" said the executioner furiously. "I saw it! Just here!"**

"Maybe he should get his eyes checked." Snickered Bill

**"Beaky!" said Hagrid huskily.** **There was a swishing noise, and the thud of an axe. The executioner seemed to have swung it into the fence in anger.** **And then came the howling, and this time they could hear Hagrid's words through his sobs.** **"Gone! Gone! Bless his little beak, he's **_**gone**_**! Musta pulled him free! Beaky, yeh clever boy!"**

Sirius shook his head, "I don't understand any of this. So what you heard wasn't Buckbeak being killed?"

"I guess not," laughed AJ "I don't know how it worked out either and believe me, I tried to figure it out."

**Buckbeak started to strain against the rope, trying to get back to Hagrid. AJ and Hermione tightened their grip and pulled him deeper into the woods preventing them from hearing anymore.**

Andy sighed, "Not good, you have to hear what they're talking about or at least able to hear if they're leaving or not."

**They stepped a little closer just in time to hear footsteps, the soft cursing of the executioner, the snap of the door, and then silence once more.**

Everyone was still worried for AJ and Hermione. They weren't in the clear yet.

**"We have to move closer, we have to be able to see the Whomping Willow." Whispered AJ**

"This is such a bad idea," groaned Tonks "I know you have to save Siri but this is a bad idea when there are other ways to do this. Legally."

Kingsley nodded, "I swear to Merlin when this book is over with we're having a chat Albus. You will be taking responsibility for your actions."

**"OK," said Hermione, getting a firmer grip on Buckbeak's rope. "But we've got to keep out of sight, AJ, remember…"**

"We know!" shouted Ron

AJ glared, "Back the fuck off Ron! She was reminding me because she knew I wanted to catch Peter!"

**They moved around the edge of the forest, darkness falling thickly around them, until they were hidden behind a clump of trees through which they could make out the Willow.** **"There's Draco!" said AJ suddenly.**

"Thanks for remembering me." Smirked Draco

**A dark figure was sprinting across the lawn and its shout echoed through the still night air. They watched the entire scene play out in front of them. AJ had to look away in fear of doing something stupid.**

Remus sighed, "I know, it's hard to not try and change the future. Getting Peter would have been easy but in the long run it would have been catastrophic."

"Bastard." Mumbled Sirius

**"AJ, there's something I don't understand… Why didn't the Dementors get Sirius? I remember them coming, and then I think I passed out… there were so many of them…"**

Regulus squealed, "Now we can finally know what happened!"

"Did you just squeal?" laughed Narcissa "Reggie! You're such a girl."

**AJ sat down too. She explained what she'd seen; how, as the nearest Dementor had lowered its mouth to AJ's, a large silver something had come galloping across the lake and forced the Dementors to retreat.**

Charlie shrugged, "Whoever did it is really powerful. Casting something that strong to ward off hundreds of Dementors is unheard of."

**Hermione's mouth was slightly open by the time AJ had finished.** **"But what was it?"**

"I think it was a Patronus," laughed Bill "call me crazy but that could have been it."

Hermione mock glared, "I know that now Bill."

**"There's only one thing it could have been, to make the Dementors go," said AJ. "A real Patronus. A powerful one."**

AJ winced at her choice of words.

"**Did you see what they looked like?" said Hermione eagerly. "Was it one of the teachers?"**

Ted groaned, "It wasn't Snape was it?"

"Kingsley snorted, "Doubtful. Maybe it was the Head jackass himself over there."

**AJ looked at Hermione, "Do you promise not to judge me?" seeing Hermione nod AJ continued, "It looked like my dad. I know he's dead but it looked like him…I don't know maybe I'm just losing my mind."**

"I know! I sounded crazy! But I'm just saying what I thought I saw." Stated AJ

**And then, at last, after over an hour…"Here we come!" Hermione whispered.**

Narcissa raised a brow, "Why did you talk to AJ about what she saw?"

"AJ doesn't like talking about personal stuff like that," remarked Hermione "I knew she wanted to leave it be after she said what she did."

**She and AJ got to their feet. Buckbeak raised his head. They saw themselves walking toward the castle.**

Draco smiled, "Sounds really weird and cool at the same time."

**The moon slid out from behind its cloud. They saw the tiny figures across the grounds stop. Then they saw movement**

Remus groaned, "Get out of the forest! I'm transforming and I'm heading into the forest!"

"You won't hurt them," soothed Regulus "you know that. They're fine."

**"Hermione!" said AJ suddenly. "We've got to move! Not to interfere! Professor Lupin's going to run into the forest, right at us!"**

Sirius sighed, "Come on, just leave the woods. You can't be in there right now."

**Hermione gasped.** **"Quick!" she moaned, dashing to untie Buckbeak. "Quick! Hagrid's cabin is empty right now!"**

"Good, now you have a place to keep you safe and out of anyone's field of vision." Smiled Bill

Charlie nodded, "Hagrid won't be back anytime soon which is a good thing."

**They ran as fast as they could, Buckbeak cantering along behind them. They could hear the werewolf howling behind them…the cabin was in sight; AJ skidded to the door, wrenched it open, and Hermione and Buckbeak flashed past him; AJ threw herself in after them and bolted the door.**

"Really?" laughed Tonks "Does everything have to be so close with you two?"

Andy snickered, "They're safe now and that's all that matters."

**"That was really close."** **Said ****AJ was looking out of the window. Buckbeak seemed very happy to find himself back inside Hagrid's house. He lay down in front of the fire, folded his wings contentedly, and seemed ready for a good nap.**

"He's going to be able to sleep and eat wherever he wants now." Grinned Charlie

**AJ stared out the window, any moment her dad was going to come out and save her. He wouldn't let her down…but he was dead. He couldn't protect her anymore. Then it her!**

Regulus looked around, "What? What hit you?"

"Maybe James really did do it?" muttered Sirius "But that makes no sense."

**She jumped up, "Hermione! I know her produced the patronus! I'll be back!" She ran down to the edge of the lake and pulled out her wand.** _**"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"**_ **s****he yelled.**

Everyone was beaming at the young women. They knew she could do it, but it was still amazing to hear.

**And out of the end of his wand burst, not a shapeless cloud of mist, but a blinding, dazzling, silver animal. Now it was galloping around and around the black shapes on the ground, and the Dementors were falling back, scattering, retreating into the darkness… They were gone.**

"What was your Patronus?" asked Andy

AJ smirked, "You'll find out soon enough."

**The Patronus turned. It was cantering back toward AJ across the still surface of the water. It wasn't a horse. It wasn't a unicorn, either. It was a stag.** **She watched as it shuddered and disappeared.**

"It really was your dad," mumbled Sirius "he's apart of you AJ. Always will be."

**Then, with a great leap of her heart, she heard hooves behind her. She whirled around and saw Hermione dashing toward her, dragging Buckbeak behind her.**

Hermione scowled, "Do you have any idea how afraid I was for you?"

"I'm sorry!" snickered AJ "But it really wasn't my fault. It was yours for not trusting me."

_**"What are you doing?"**_ **she said fiercely.**

**"I just saved all our lives," said AJ. "Get behind here behind this bush – I'll explain."**

Remus shook his head; "None of this makes sense anymore. I can't wrap my mind around this time business."

**Hermione listened to what had just happened with her mouth open yet again.** **"Only you saw you? Because you thought it was your dad. Right, makes sense." AJ smiled.**

"You're turning into AJ!" laughed Charlie "That's exactly what she would say in a situation like that!"

Bill snickered, "They're a lot a like, they're sisters in all but blood. We've got our work cut out for us."

**Together they peered around the bush at the other bank. Snape had regained consciousness. He was conjuring stretchers and lifting the limp forms of AJ, Hermione, and Black onto them. A fourth stretcher, no doubt bearing Draco, was already floating at his side. Then, wand held out in front of him, he moved them away toward the castle.**

"You seem so sweet there," snarked Narcissa "too bad we know that you're just a jackass."

Snape sneered, "I was helping them! I could have left them there to die if I wanted to."

"There ya go, that makes you sound so much better then how we're describing you." Muttered Narcissa

**"Right, it's nearly time," said Hermione tensely, looking at her watch. "We've got about forty-five minutes until Dumbledore locks the door to the hospital wing. We've got to rescue Sirius and get back into the ward before anybody realizes we're missing…"**

Kingsley groaned, "Madam Pomfrey! She's going to notice something! That women doesn't miss a thing."

**"Do you reckon he's up there yet?" said AJ, checking her watch. She looked up at the castle and began counting the windows to the right of the West Tower.**

"Good," complimented Tonks "make sure you know exactly how the plan is going to go."

Regulus nodded, "Then get Sirius the hell out of there before the Dementors come."

**"Look!" Hermione whispered. "Who's that? Someone's coming back out of the castle!"**

"One of the ministry officials," muttered Ted "it has to be because someone has to call on the Dementors."

**AJ stared through the darkness. The man was hurrying across the grounds, toward one of the entrances. Something shiny glinted in his belt.** **"Macnair!" said AJ. "The executioner! He's gone to get the Dementors! This is it, Hermione –"**

Charlie scowled, "Of course, why doesn't it surprise me that this asshole is the one who's going to call them?"

"He's another one who gets a sick pleasure out of seeing people in pain or causing pain." Muttered Remus

**Hermione put her hands on Buckbeak's back and AJ gave her a leg up. Then she placed her foot on one of the lower branches of the bush and climbed up in front of Hermione. She pulled Buckbeak's rope back over his neck and tied it to the other side of his collar like reins.**

Andy smirked, "Was it fun to fly on him?"

"I somehow doubt Hermione had fun," snickered AJ "she was a little green for a while there."

Draco snorted, "A little? She looked like she was ready to die."

"Shut up, both of you!" laughed Hermione

**"Ready?" she whispered to Hermione. "You'd better hold on to me –"** **Sh****e nudged Buckbeak's sides with her heels.**

Sirius winced, "Be careful he doesn't like that very much."

**AJ urged Buckbeak forward. They were gliding quietly toward the upper floors of the castle… AJ pulled hard on the left-hand side of the rope, and Buckbeak turned. AJ was trying to count the windows flashing past –** **"Whoa!" she said, pulling backward as hard as he could.**

"Good, you're almost there and soon Sirius can get out of there without being kissed." Smiled Regulus

Kingsley smirked, "Lets not count of chickens before they hatch or whatever. They still have to get back in the hospital wing without getting caught."

**Buckbeak slowed down and they found themselves at a stop, unless you counted the fact that they kept rising up and down several feet as the Hippogriff beat his wings to remain airborne.**

"Hurry, Hippogriffs don't like to be airborne like that for too long." Explained Charlie

Bill groaned, "We really don't need to hear about all the ways this could go wrong."

**"He's there!" AJ said, spotting Sirius as they rose up beside the window. He reached out, and as Buckbeak's wings fell, was able to tap sharply on the glass.**

"Did they scare the shit out of you?" snickered Draco

**Sirius looked up. AJ saw his jaw drop.** **He leapt from his chair, hurried to the window and tried to open it, but it was locked.**

Sirius laughed, "I had no idea what to expect but the two of you midair about to free me was the last."

"Always expect the unexpected when it comes to AJ." Laughed Remus

**"Stand back!" Hermione called to him, and she took out her wand, still gripping the back of AJ's robes with her left hand.** _**"Alohomora!"**_

Kingsley laughed loudly, "Really? That's all it took? Nice to know that if there is a felon at Hogwarts they won't escape anytime soon."

**"Get on – there's not much time," said AJ, gripping Buckbeak firmly on either side of his sleek neck to hold him steady. "You've got to get out of here – the Dementors are coming – Macnair's gone to get them."**

"That won't take more then a minute, especially if they're hungry." Muttered Remus

Hermione nodded, "I knew we were cutting it close but there was really nothing we could do."

**Sirius placed a hand on either side of the window frame and heaved his head and shoulders out of it. It was very lucky he was so thin.** **In seconds, he had managed to fling one leg over Buckbeak's back and pull himself onto the Hippogriff behind Hermione.**

"You really did!" laughed Andy "Well you're in the process but it's still the same thing!"

**"Okay, Buckbeak, up!" said AJ, shaking the rope. "Up to the tower – come on."**

AJ snickered, "I felt like I was controlling an over grown horse."

"He was stubborn like a horse," snickered Hermione "he's so much like you AJ it's not even funny."

**The Hippogriff gave one sweep of its mighty wings and they were soaring upward again, high as the top of the West Tower. Buckbeak landed with a clatter on the battlements, and AJ and Hermione slid off him at once.**

Remus nodded, "Good now Siri you need to leave!"

"I know, it was just hard to say goodbye to AJ." Admitted Sirius

**"Sirius, you'd better go, quick," AJ panted. "They'll reach Flitwick's office any moment, they'll find out you're gone."**

Draco, AJ and Hermione snickered thinking about the explosion to come in the next chapter.

**Buckbeak pawed the ground, tossing his sharp head.** **"What happened to the other boy? Draco?" croaked Sirius.**

"You hadn't seen Draco since he was born," smiled Narcissa "it's not weird that you wouldn't remember him or his name."

Ted smiled, "You're sweet Siri, I'll give you that but you need to leave!"

**Sirius was still staring down at AJ.** **"How can I ever thank –"**

"You blood adopted me, you're going to gain custody of me and you're pretty much the coolest dad ever. You've done enough for me." Smiled AJ

Sirius kissed AJ's head, "That's not nearly enough but it'll do for now."

**"GO!" AJ and Hermione shouted together.**

"Listen to them Uncle Siri!" shouted Tonks "You can't get caught now!"

**Black wheeled Buckbeak around, facing the open sky.** **"We'll see each other again," he said. "You are – truly your father's daughter, AJ…"**

Remus smiled, "That you are cub, that you are."

"Thank Merlin it's over," smiled Regulus "it's really over now."

**He squeezed Buckbeak's sides with his heels. AJ and Hermione jumped back as the enormous wings rose once more… The Hippogriff took off into the air… He and his rider became smaller and smaller as AJ gazed after them… then a cloud drifted across the moon… They were gone.**

AJ jumped up, "I'm a little hungry so I'm just going to grab something to eat real quick. I'll be back in a few."

"There's some chocolate chip and blueberry muffins left in the basket for you if you want." Smiled Andy

AJ walked into the kitchen and grabbed a random muffin and looked out the window, it was lovely summer day. She hoped the books would be over soon so her dad could be a free man, she hated that he couldn't live his life because no one thought to give him a trial.

"What's up?" asked Hermione causing AJ to jump, "You never eat muffins and you have that look like you're really upset. Tell me."

AJ sighed, "I'm late Mio."

"Late for what?" asked Hermione

"I'm late for my period and I'm never late," explained AJ "I don't know."

Hermione nodded, "Okay well lets not panic yet. How late are you?"

"A week. Okay that's a lie. I'm ten days late tomorrow will be eleven. We use the contraceptive spell but you know that's not guaranteed." Said AJ

"Okay," Hermione sighed, "I don't know bug. How do you want to handle this? Charlie has to know."

AJ nodded, "Here's the plan. We're going to finish this book and then I'm going to do that spell on a drop of my blood to see if I am. If I am, I'll tell Charlie and if not. Well then we'll get really wasted and thank the Gods I'm not." Hermione snickered and followed AJ back into he living room. She was worried for AJ; she didn't know how her friend would handle this. Or her protective family.

Sirius smiled, "**Owl Post Again…**"

**AN: I know I cut this chapter a lot, but I'm really eager to get into book 4 and bring the twins back. Hope you liked it! Read and Review :)**


	68. Owl Post Again

**"AJ!"** **Hermione was tugging at her sleeve, staring at her watch. "We've got exactly ten minutes to get back down to the hospital wing without anybody seeing us – before Dumbledore locks the door –"**

Charlie groaned, "Ten minutes is going to go by really fast especially when you're so pressed for time as it is."

"They'll make it," smiled Andy "they have to. Failing at this is not an option."

**"Okay," said AJ, wrenching her gaze from the sky, "let's go…"**

Sirius smiled sadly, "I kept looking back. It would have been so easy to stay and keep you safe. But I knew that wasn't a good idea."

**They slipped through the doorway behind them and down a tightly spiraling stone staircase. As they reached the bottom of it, they heard voices. They flattened themselves against the wall and listened. It sounded like Fudge and Snape.**

"Oh how fun to walk in on that conversation," muttered Andy "be careful not have Fudge or Snape catch you. We all know how those two are."

Snape glared, "I knew you two had something to do with it."

**They were walking quickly along the corridor at the foot of the staircase.** **"…Only hope Dumbledore's not going to make difficulties," Snape was saying. "The Kiss will be performed immediately?"**

"Of course you would ask something like that." Muttered Regulus

**"As soon as Macnair returns with the Dementors. This whole Black affair has been highly embarrassing. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to informing the Daily Prophet that we've got him at last… I daresay they'll want to interview you, Snape…and once young AJ back in her right mind, I expect she'll want to tell the **_**Prophet**_ **exactly how you saved her…"**

AJ scoffed, "Yeah like I would ever willingly talk to the Prophet about anything let alone a lie like that."

"You couldn't be interviewed anyhow," argued Ted "you're still a minor. You have to have your guardian present with you when they ask you questions just in case they get misquote you or take it too far."

**AJ clenched her teeth. She caught a glimpse of Snape's smirk as she and Fudge passed AJ and Hermione's hiding place. Their footsteps died away. **

Kingsley bit his lip, "Just make sure that it's really safe, even having a ghost catch you could be a problem."

**AJ and Hermione waited a few moments to make sure they'd really gone then started to run in the opposite direction. Down one staircase, then another, along a new corridor – then they heard a cackling ahead.**

"Peeves!" snickered Remus "Of course he would be the first person to know that Sirius escaped."

Tonks groaned, "I really don't want him to see you guys! He's going to make up a stupid little rhyme and get you caught."

_**"Peeves!"**_ **AJ muttered, grabbing Hermione's wrist. "In here!"** **They tore into a deserted classroom to their left just in time. Peeves seemed to be bouncing along the corridor in boisterous good spirits, laughing his head off.**

"He has a sick sense of humor," muttered Charlie "I never did understand him."

**"Oh, he's horrible," whispered Hermione, her ear to the door. "I bet he's all excited because the Dementors are going to finish off Sirius…"**

Sirius shook his head, "No Peeves probably noticed that the room was empty and he knew that I had gotten one over on the Headmaster."

**She checked her watch.** **"Three minutes, AJ!"**

Bill jumped, "Come on! Hurry up!"

"We're fine now Bill." Hermione said sweetly

**They waited until Peeves's gloating voice had faded into the distance, then slid back out of the room and broke into a run again.** **They had reached the end of the corridor with the hospital wing entrance. "OK – I can hear Dumbledore," said Hermione tensely. "Come on, AJ!"**

"Does anyone else find this extremely confusing?" asked Regulus

AJ nodded, "I lived it Uncle Reggie and I still have no idea how it all happened."

**They crept along the corridor. The door opened. Dumbledore's back appeared.** **"I am going to lock you in," they heard him saying. "It is five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."**

Sirius started laughing, "You are such a manipulative person. You have so much power and yet you do nothing but push people with it. You could have given AJ and Hermione truth serum but no. You decided to play this little game, you could have forced the ministry to listen all those years ago but you didn't. There seems to be a common factor where you are the problem."

**Dumbledore backed out of the room, closed the door, and took out his wand to magically lock it. Panicking, AJ and Hermione ran forward. Dumbledore looked up, and a wide smile appeared under the long silver mustache.** **"Well?" he said quietly.**

"Obviously they did everything right if they're coming back from the past." Muttered Draco

Kingsley nodded, "That made a lot of sense. I'm so glad you explained it to us."

**"We did it!" said AJ breathlessly. "Sirius has gone, on Buckbeak…"**

"You broke the law like a couple professionals, congratulations." Laughed Charlie

**Dumbledore beamed at them.** **"Well done. I think –" He listened intently for any sound within the hospital wing. "Yes, I think you've gone, too – get inside – I'll lock you in –"**

Andy winced, "Madam Pomfrey is going to be so pissed. Good luck with that."

"AJ is her favorite patient though," laughed Hermione "it'll be okay."

**AJ and Hermione slipped back inside the dormitory.** **It was empty except for Draco, who was still lying motionless in the end bed. As the lock clicked behind them, AJ and Hermione crept back to their own beds, Hermione tucking the Time-Turner back under her robes. A moment later, Madam Pomfrey came striding back out of her office.**

Ted blinked, "You two really did it. You changed time; I'm beyond shocked at this point. I can't believe it."

"I'm really surprised that nothing was seriously affected by it," remarked Remus "there is so much that could have gone wrong."

**"Did I hear the headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my patients now?"**

Bill bit his lip, "Try not to say anything sarcastic AJ, she won't appreciate that at all."

**She was in a very bad mood. AJ and Hermione thought it best to accept their chocolate quietly. Madam Pomfrey stood over them, making sure they ate it. But AJ could hardly swallow. **

"We knew what was to come," snickered AJ "and I knew that Snape was going to be pissed."

Snape glared, "I had a right to be angry! You helped him escape!"

"You're right I did. I helped my innocent godfather escape a fate that is considered worse then death. I would do it again if I had to." Glared AJ

**She and Hermione were waiting, listening, their nerves jangling… And then, as they both took a fourth piece of chocolate from Madam Pomfrey, they heard a distant roar of fury echoing from somewhere above them…**

Narcissa laughed, "A roar of fury? You need anger management Severus."

**"What was that?" said Madam Pomfrey in alarm.** **Now they could hear angry voices, growing louder and louder. Madam Pomfrey was staring at the door.** **"Really – they'll wake everybody up! What do they think they're doing?"**

"You're so stupid," laughed Remus "you're going to cause a scene in the hospital wing. Stupid move."

Tonks grinned, "Well look on the bright side, maybe Madam Pomfrey will poison him or something."

**AJ was trying to hear what the voices were saying. They were drawing nearer –** **"He must have Disapparated, Severus. We should have left somebody in the room with him. When this gets out –"**

"You cannot do that on Hogwarts grounds," argued Hermione "and why doesn't the Minister know this?

Bill snorted, "I think we've gathered that the minister has no idea what he's talking about or how anything works."

**"HE DIDN'T DISAPPARATE!" Snape roared, now very close at hand. "YOU CAN'T APPARATE **_**OR **_**DISAPPARATE INSIDE THIS CASTLE!** **THIS – HAS – SOMETHING – TO – DO – WITH – POTTER!"**

"Well technically it did but to accuse me of that was really mean." Said AJ with a smirk

**"Severus – be reasonable –AJ has been locked up –"**

Tonks rolled her eyes, "She wasn't locked up, she's not a criminal. Oh that's right, the minister doesn't care if you're a criminal or not."

**BAM. The door of the hospital wing burst open.** **Fudge, Snape, and Dumbledore came striding into the ward. Dumbledore alone looked calm. **

Snape snarled, of course he was calm he had something to do with the whole thing!

**"OUT WITH IT, POTTER!" he bellowed. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"**

"Just fucked with time, nothing major." Snickered AJ

**"I didn't do anything," smiled AJ "I've been in here the whole time."**

Hermione shook her head, "You really know how to push peoples buttons bug. It's your gift."

"Anything that involves pissing Snape off brings joy to my life." Smiled AJ

**"See here, Snape, be reasonable," said Fudge. "This door's been locked, we just saw –"**

Ted nodded, "Yeah Snape, be reasonable."

"The door was locked, how else could they get out?" asked Andy

**"THEY HELPED HIM ESCAPE, I KNOW IT!" Snape howled, pointing at AJ and Hermione. His face was twisted; spit was flying from his mouth.**

Sirius made a face, "Now I'm starting to realize why you're still single and it doesn't have to do with your hair or even your face in general."

**"Calm down, man!" Fudge barked. "You're talking nonsense!"**

"Really now," laughed Bill "you are making a scene over nothing."

**"YOU DON'T KNOW POTTER!" shrieked Snape. "SHE DID IT, I KNOW SHE DID IT –"**

Charlie rolled his eyes, "I would love to know how you intended to prove that."

"I would have had I been given the chance." Sneered Snape

**"That will do, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly. "Think about what you are saying. This door has been locked since I left the ward ten minutes ago. Madam Pomfrey, have these students left their beds?"**

AJ smirked; she had to fight very hard to not laugh at the face Snape had been making that day.

**"Of course not!" said Madam Pomfrey, bristling. "I would have heard them!"**

Andy snickered, "She doesn't lie so you can take her word for it."

**Snape stood there, seething, staring from Fudge, who looked thoroughly shocked at his behavior, to Dumbledore, whose eyes were twinkling behind his glasses. Snape whirled about, robes swishing behind him, and stormed out of the ward.**

"You're so pathetic to get upset that an innocent man wasn't going to die." Muttered Regulus

Sirius nodded, "That's just how he is Reggie, he'll never change."

**"Fellow seems quite unbalanced," said Fudge, staring after him. "I'd watch out for him if I were you, Dumbledore."**

Everyone burst into laughter; they all knew that Snape was unbalanced.

**As Dumbledore and Fudge left the dormitory, Madam Pomfrey hurried to the door and locked it again. Muttering angrily to herself, she headed back to her office.**

"Well if you want to be completely honest that was really messed up for Snape and Dumbledore to cause such a racket." Admitted Andy

**There was a low moan from the other end of the ward. Draco had woken up. They could see him sitting up, rubbing his head, looking around.**

Draco smiled, "I was so confused at that point. I had no idea what was going on."

"I think you were better off in the hospital wing," smiled Narcissa "you were hit with a pretty nasty curse."

"**What – what happened?" he groaned. "AJ? Why are we in here? Where's Sirius? Where's Lupin? What's going on?"**

Remus smiled, "I may have been in the process of packing."

"There was no reason for you to leave," grumbled Hermione "you are the best defense teacher we've ever had."

**AJ and Hermione looked at each other.** "**You explain," said AJ, helping herself to some more chocolate.**

AJ shrugged, "I always leave a lot of information out because I don't like talking about what happened."

**When AJ, Draco, and Hermione left the hospital wing at noon the next day, it was to find an almost deserted castle. The sweltering heat and the end of the exams meant that everyone was taking full advantage of another Hogsmeade visit. **

"No I should think not," smirked Sirius "you don't need to get caught again or something."

Charlie nodded, "Snape is banking on getting you into trouble now, just be careful around him."

**Neither Draco nor Hermione felt like going, however, so they and AJ wandered onto the grounds, still talking about the extraordinary events of the previous night and wondering where Sirius and Buckbeak were now.**

"I think on the beaches of Spain." Smiled Ted

Tonks grinned, "Or walking around the streets of Paris. Uncle Siri always liked to test fate."

**A shadow fell across them and they looked up to see a very bleary-eyed Hagrid, mopping his sweaty face with one of his tablecloth-sized handkerchiefs and beaming down at them.**

"You two made his entire life," smiled Bill "he loved Buckbeak."

**"Know I shouldn' feel happy, after wha' happened las' night," he said. "I mean, Black escapin' again, an' everythin' – but guess what?" he didn't give them a chance to speak he was so happy. "Beaky! He escaped! He's free! Bin celebratin' all night!"**

Kingsley grinned, "That had to have made his breath smell delightful."

"I wonder how much alcohol it takes to make him drink." Grinned AJ

**"That's wonderful!" said Hermione, giving Draco a reproving look because he looked as though he was close to laughing.**

Draco snickered, "Well can you blame me? He was so happy over this and you all just told me how you completed it."

**"Yeah… can't've tied him up properly,"** **said Hagrid, gazing happily out over the grounds. "I was worried this mornin', mind… thought he mighta met Professor Lupin on the grounds, but Lupin says he never ate anythin' las' night. Snape told all the Slytherins this mornin'…Professor Lupin's a werewolf, see. An' he was loose on the grounds las' night… He's packin' now, o' course."**

"You bastard!" shouted Charlie "He could have continued being a professor, a job he loves if it wasn't for you! You know how hard it is for him to get a job and you pull this? You're a heartless bastard!"

Sirius nodded, "Isn't he just lovely? Can't you see him getting married and having kids in a few years?"

"**He's **_**packing**_**?" said AJ, alarmed. "I want to see him. I'll meet you back here."**

"How did AJ not convince you to stay?" asked Tonks "She seems to have you two wrapped around her finger."

**Professor Lupin's office door was open. He had already packed most of his things. The Grindylow's empty tank stood next to his battered old suitcase, which was open and nearly full. Lupin was bending over something on his desk and looked up only when AJ knocked on the door.**

Bill sighed, he liked Remus a lot and he didn't understand why people couldn't accept him the way he was.

**"I saw you coming," said Professor Lupin, smiling. He pointed to the parchment he had been poring over. It was the Marauder's Map.**

"Sneaky," grinned Narcissa "spying on your daughter already."

Remus rolled his eyes, "I wasn't spying. It just sort of happened."

**"I just saw Hagrid," said AJ. "And he said you'd resigned. It's not true, is it?"**

AJ glared at Snape, this was his entire fault.

**"I'm afraid it is," said Professor Lupin. **

"No reason for it," snarled Hermione "no reason at all."

"**Why?" asked AJ "You're the best defense teacher we've ever had, if you leave who knows what we'll have next year. I don't think you want to play with your best friends daughters future."**

Ted laughed loudly, "I would have to stay just because you said that!"

"Believe me, I was tempted." Smiled Remus "But I knew I had no choice in the matter."

**Professor Lupin laughed loudly. "You are so much like your father AJ but completely opposite at the same time."**

Remus laughed while AJ groaned, she couldn't believe what she had said to her professor.

"**Yeah well our anatomies are quite different if you hadn't noticed." AJ deadpanned before closing her eyes. "I'm sorry, I have no filter."**

"What is wrong with you?" laughed Kingsley

Sirius smirked, "She's AJ, she's her own person that's for sure."

"**That's true," laughed Professor Lupin "but I was referring to how you are a leader much like your father, but you would rather be in the shadows. Attention seeking is not your number one priority. But I do have some things for you before I go." He handed her the invisibility cloak and the map. "I'm no longer your professor and the map is rightfully yours."**

"That map has come in handy," smiled AJ "and it's nice to have it around. Just one more thing that belonged to my parents."

**There was a knock on the door. AJ hastily stuffed the Marauder's Map and the Invisibility Cloak into her pocket.** **It was Professor Dumbledore. He didn't look surprised to see AJ there.**

Dumbledore smiled, "AJ surprises me a great deal, I've learned to hide the expression though."

**"Your carriage is at the gates, Remus," he said.**

"Good," smiled Sirius "I'm glad you didn't have to worry about walking to the apparition spot."

Remus grinned, "I could have walked Siri, I was fine at the time."

"No you weren't you had just gone through a transformation, you needed rest." Argued Sirius

**"Thank you, Headmaster." Professor Lupin picked up his old suitcase and the empty Grindylow tank.** **"Well – goodbye, AJ," he said, smiling. "It has been a real pleasure teaching you. I feel sure we'll meet again sometime. Headmaster, there is no need to see me to the gates, I can manage…" AJ had the urge to hug him, but quickly thought better of it.**

Hermione nodded, "You didn't know him all that well at the time, you would have been uncomfortable doing it."

**"Goodbye, then, Remus," said Dumbledore soberly. Professor Lupin shifted the Grindylow tank slightly so that he and Dumbledore could shake hands. Then, with a final nod to AJ and a swift smile, Lupin left the office.**

"Where were you in all this?" Bill asked Ron

Ron shrugged, "I was around doing stuff."

**The exam results came out on the last day of term. AJ, Draco, and Hermione had passed every subject. Snape's behavior toward AJ over the past week had been quite alarming. **

"Really?" snickered Narcissa "It was alarming to you?"

Andy nodded, "I have expected him to snap someone's neck after the reaction he pulled in the hospital wing."

**AJ wouldn't have thought it possible that Snape's dislike for her could increase, but it certainly had. A muscle twitched unpleasantly at the corner of Snape's thin mouth every time he looked at AJ, and he was constantly flexing his fingers, as though itching to place them around AJ's throat.**

Sirius snarled, "I would like to see you try."

"I really think I should go to Hogwarts this year just to make sure you treat my niece with respect." Muttered Regulus

**Percy had got his top-grade N.E.W.T.s; Fred and George had scraped a handful of O.W.L.s each. Gryffindor House, meanwhile, largely thanks to their spectacular performance in the Quidditch Cup, had won the House championship for the third year running. After the feast they all boarded the train. AJ saw Ron and Ginny slip into a compartment with Dean and Seamus.**

Charlie snorted, "New best friends I see. Maybe you'll actually remain friends with them."

"Lets not put too much faith in his ability." Smirked Andy

**AJ looked out her window when she noticed an owl flying towards her with a letter. Draco opened the window to let the bird in, "Who's it from?" he asked**

"So you did get it on the train." Sirius smiled happily

"**It's from Sirius!" grinned AJ she held up part of the letter "He signed my permission slip for Hogsmeade. I don't have to sneak around this coming year."**

Remus smiled, "Good, now you can go with your friends and not worry about getting caught."

"Like that would have stopped me." Snickered AJ

**When the train stopped they all piled out. AJ was surprised to Charlie Weasley and who she assumed to be Bill waiting for their siblings. **

Bill smirked, "It was me, as you can tell I'm the handsome one."

"I think so." Hermione grinned while blushing.

**After Draco said goodbye and promised to write AJ and Hermione went over to the Weasley clan. Charlie grinned broadly "Hey punk, hey Hermione. How was the term?"**

Tonks smirked, "To be young and in love! How cute!"

"In love maybe, I don't know about young." Kingsley laughed at the scowl Charlie sent them.

**Bill came over, "Are you guys coming to the Quidditch game this summer? Dad said you two are Ron's best friends."**

Bill grinned, "Evidently they were wrong."

"**Sorry," grinned AJ "Ron's really not friends with us anymore. So I don't think we're going to the game."**

**Hermione nodded, "But thanks for thinking of us!"**

"Just go," laughed Ted "who cares if you're friends with Ron or not."

Molly blinked, "I had no idea what was going on. Why didn't they tell me of their fight?"

"Because they aren't insane. You would flip out Molly, don't pretend to be understanding." Snarked Ted

"**You can come as our guests!" grinned Charlie "Please punk? It'll be fun and Fred and George will be there, you're friends with them still."**

Tonks nodded, "There ya go! Fred and George! They're your friends and want your there."

**AJ smiled at Hermione, "Sure! That would be awesome. Just owl me this summer with the details I have to go, my uncle is waiting." AJ hugged Hermione and wave to Bill and a smiling Charlie.**

"I wonder how this could go wrong?" laughed Draco "You're too happy. And whenever you're happy something goes wrong."

Regulus winced, "Can't she just have fun? Is that too much to ask for?"

**"What's that?" he snarled, staring at the envelope AJ was still clutching in her hand. "If it's another form for me to sign, you've got another –"**

Sirius grinned, "Now you have leverage as far as I'm concerned."

**"It's not," said AJ cheerfully. "It's a letter from my godfather."**

"They don't know about Sirius!" laughed Narcissa "Don't tell them he's innocent!"

AJ nodded, "I didn't Aunt Cissa. Trust me."

**"Godfather?" sputtered Uncle Vernon. "You haven't got a godfather!"**

"Last time I checked she did." Growled Remus

**"Yes, I have," said AJ brightly. "He was my mum and dad's best friend. He's a convicted murderer, but he's broken out of wizard prison and he's on the run. **

Everyone laughed loudly; they hated the Dursleys and couldn't wait to make them suffer.

**He likes to keep in touch with me, though… keep up with my news… check if I'm happy…"** **And, grinning broadly at the look of horror on Uncle Vernon's face, AJ set off toward the station exit, Hedwig rattling along in front of her, for what looked like a much better summer than the last.**

Molly got up, "We can start the next chapter after lunch."

**AN: Next chapter the twins are coming back and we will find out if AJ is pregnant or not! Read and Review :)**


	69. Pregnant or Not

Hermione looked at AJ who nodded, "Um we have to go to the bathroom. Together. Now. So we'll be back in ya know a few or something."

"Smooth. I should call you Joe Cool from now on." AJ scoffed walking up the stairs to the bathroom. Hermione went into the library and grabbed the medical potions book she had seen there the night before.

AJ was siting on the toilet biting her lip while Hermione read over the spell. "Okay so it's fairly simple. All I need is a bit of your blood and then I mutter this incantation and your blood will either turn blue or pink."

"Okay," mumbled AJ "I'm ready." She cut her finger a bit and let the blood dribble into the little canister. Hermione nodded when she had enough and muttered the incantation looking nervous.

Hermione looked to AJ, "It says it takes up to four minutes for the results. So what's new with you?"

"Oh ya know just wondering if I'm going to be mother at sixteen or not!" growled AJ immediately regretting her tone she sighed, "Sorry Mio. I'm just really freaked out here. What if I am?"

Hermione shrugged, "If you are you are. The choice is yours on what you want to do and I'm going to support you no matter what you decide. Could you imagine Snape's face if you announced your pregnancy!"

"No!" laughed AJ "He would die, just flat out die. Is it time yet?"

"No you still have two minutes. Um I know this isn't something you want to talk about now but I'm thinking about telling Bill I like him. Maybe after lunch I'll tell him? What do you think?" asked Hermione

AJ grinned, "I think it's a great idea. Bill really likes you. I can tell by the way he's always trying to get you to talk and sit near him. You guys would be super cute. Maybe you could go to Egypt with him next summer or something, it would be nice to see where he works and just be able to spend time with him."

"Oh that would be so fun! Just the two of us in Egypt and maybe we could meet you guys at the dragon reserve for a weekend! I mean if you go next summer for a little while." Grinned Hermione

"Yeah, that would be totally awesome." AJ looked at her watch and gulped. "Okay this is it. We can look now."

"Do you want to look yourself or what?" asked Hermione quietly.

AJ bit her lip; she didn't know what to do. Her first instinct was to run and run far away. She wouldn't be a good mom; she could barely take care of herself let alone another person. Besides her Aunt Andy and Aunt Cissa, she had no mother figure; she had no idea how a mother was supposed to act. She was sarcastic, not mothering, she didn't do emotions because they were messy and made things complicated. How could she be a mom? Then her mind went to Charlie, her love, her friend, her everything. He made her stable; he made her realize that the world wasn't all bad, that there was still some good in it. Charlie was such a protector; he was kind and caring and so good with kids. He acted like his siblings father more often then not, AJ had no doubt in her mind that Charlie would be a good dad. If she were pregnant, he would help her be the mother he felt she could be. She turned to Hermione, "Lets both look." AJ looked in the canister and swallowed a lump in her throat the size of London. "I should tell Charlie, right? Go get him for me?"

Hermione ran down the steps and burst in the dining room, "Fred! George! Your back!"

"Hey! Miss me?" winked Fed

George scoffed "She missed me!"

"Oh yeah I missed you guys oh so much." Snickered Hermione "Where have you two been! You've missed a lot."

Fred smirked, "We were moving out and setting up a joke shop! Moms still livid but dad was really supportive."

"And we heard about Ginny," glared George "AJ knows we've got her back right?"

"Yeah of course she does, where is Mrs. Weasley and Ginny?" asked Hermione

Narcissa snickered, "Someone tampered with Ginny's dinner, I don't know who would do such a thing." Andy giggled along with her sister while, Remus, Sirius, Reggie and the twins tried to look innocent.

Hermione laughed but then turned serious, "Um Charlie, AJ wants to talk to you."

Sirius' brow furrowed "Is she okay?"

"Yeah she's fine, she just wants to talk about something in the upcoming book that Charlie won't like." Hermione sat down next to Bill "Hey you."

Bill grinned "Hey sweetheart. What's going on?" Hermione snickered and grabbed a sandwich silently praying for AJ.

"I thought Charlie spent a lot of time at Hogwarts this book?" Regulus looked confused, "So what could AJ tell him that he won't like?"

"I don't know Reggie, you know how AJ and Charlie are. Always protective of one another and stuff." Stuttered Hermione "Mr. Weasley! It's good to see you back too!"

Mr. Weasley beamed and started asking questions about muggle things which Hermione gladly answered. She knew that AJ's parents didn't believe her one bit.

Charlie walked into the bathroom where AJ was pacing, "Hey, are you okay punk?"

"Hm oh yeah, I'm fine, great actually," smiled AJ "just you know. Hanging out reading about my life."

"Nice, can you not lie to me punk? Just tell me what's wrong." Charlie mumbled, "Do you want to break up or something because if that's something you want, then I'll accept that. I don't want you to be with me if you don't want to."

AJ gaped, "No! No! Of course not Charlie! I love you with all my heart and the thought of being with you makes my chest ache." She took a deep breath, "Charlie, I'm late for my period. Ten days to be exact and that's the longest I've ever gone without my period and I thought you should know that I took a test."

"Okay you took a test and? What do you mean a test? What the hell?" asked Charlie he had no idea what AJ was talking about. One minute they were talking about a pregnancy scare and then they were talking about a test. AJ was never this hard to talk to; she was always easygoing and very outspoken.

AJ snickered, "A pregnancy test. I took a test to tell me if I'm pregnant or not." Charlie nodded; she let out a breath "The blood turned pink. Like it was obvious it was pink and not red anymore."

"Right," nodded Charlie "so pink means you're not pregnant? Or what are we having a girl or something? AJ you have to help me out here, you're being all evasive and you're never like that. I've never known anyone to take a test or have their blood turn a color. Stop playing games punk. Talk to me please!" Charlie knew he was pleading, but he was desperate to figure out what was going on in AJ's mind.

AJ clenched her jaw, "I'm pregnant Charlie! I'm sixteen years old and I'm pregnant. I have no idea what to do about this because I have no idea what you want to do or even if you want kids yet. You're still young; you have a lot going for you so I don't know. And my dads! They are going to kill you, or me or both! Not to mention my Uncle Reggie, he just started to like you and now this. What about school? What about Voldemort? Fuck! Will you say something!"

"You're pregnant?" Charlie asked "Like with a baby?"

"No, not with a baby. I'm pregnant with a raccoon!" huffed AJ

Charlie grinned, "We're going to be parents! You and me are going to be parents! I'll have to move closer but that's okay, I was going to anyhow. Your dads will be upset at first, but that's normal but they love you and they'll get over it and accept this because you're their daughter. Quidditch! I don't think you should play this year, or be near Snape. Don't go near him at all. Care for Magical Creatures is going to be a stretch too, maybe you shouldn't take that. Well did your Aunt Andy? We'll have to talk to her because she was pregnant in her seventh year and even though you aren't in seventh she'll still know what to take. A healer, you'll need a good one. I know of one that my friend Max's wife used during her pregnancy. And-" but AJ cut him off

"You're okay with this? Grinned AJ "Like really?"

Charlie smiled, "Of course I'm happy. Alessandra James Potter, I love you with all of my heart and soul. I want nothing more then to have a family with you. We're in this together."

"Together," laughed AJ "we're really going to do this."

"Yeah we are. And about school, we'll work that out too. Andy and Ted worked it out, and they both graduated top of their class. Voldemort won't know about the baby, I know you're not the kind of person to hide and even though that's what I want, I know you're going to fight in the war. The Dragon Reserves around the world are more protected then Hogwarts, we'll move there so the baby and I are protected. Well the baby could be what? Three or even four when the war really picks up. I don't know we'll figure it out thought."

AJ smiled and kissed Charlie deeply, "I love you Charlie. More then anything in this world and I think we can do this. I think we can be parents as long as we have each other. We should tell my parents after dinner in private."

"Sounds good punk, lets go get something to eat." Smiled Charlie, he couldn't be happier.

AJ and Charlie walked into the dinning room where Hermione raised a brow and AJ smiled. All of a sudden AJ was engulfed in a hug, "We missed you AJ!" cheered the twins

AJ snickered, "I missed you guys too! Can you let me go now?" They let her go with grins. Charlie, AJ and the twins sat down while AJ assured everyone she was okay. Sirius and Remus didn't look assured but they let it go for now. They ate and laughed as the twins joked around, it was nice to have the people that meant most to AJ back in the same house. Hermione explained how computers worked and why muggles needed electricity to a smile Arthur.

Molly and Ginny came back into the room, "That was rude and uncalled for!" yelled Molly

"Molly," sighed Arthur "it was a harmless prank. Ginny wasn't harmed, please sit down and leave it alone." Molly huffed but did as she was asked while Ginny glared at the room while siting near her mother.

Once everyone was done eating they all started to pile into the living room. AJ stopped Hermione and Bill before they left the dinning room, "Hey Bill did you know that Hermione has a crush on you?"

"You're so mean!" yelled Hermione

AJ snickered, "Please, I knew you wouldn't say anything unless I helped you out."

"Can me and my girlfriend go into the living room now?" asked a smirking Bill, AJ smiled at Hermione's face.

Hermione grinned, "Girlfriend? Is that what I am now?"

"Yeah Mio, you're taken." Smiled Bill

Once everyone was settled, George grabbed the book "I'll read this lovely chapter! **AJ Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter One The Riddle House…**"

**AN: Hope you liked this chapter! I wanted to have it up yesterday but the bar that I work nights at was packed, the downside to living in Manhattan. Just to remind people about AJ's middle name the '****J' in AJ's name stands for James because it's something different. My name is Giovanna Marciano. Obviously I'm a women and my middle name is my father's first name. Just thought I would switch it up from the ordinary. Read and Review :)**


	70. The Riddle House

**The villagers of little hangleton still called it 'the Riddle House', even though it had been may years since the riddle family had lived there.**

Fred made a face, "Wait, I thought all these stories began with something about you and how you're weird."

"They usually do," remarked AJ "oh wait this is probably the dream I had during the summer before fourth year. And I'm not weird, eccentric maybe. But not weird."

**It stood on a hill overlooking the village, some of its windows boarded, tiles missing from the roof, and ivy spreading unchecked over its face.**

Sirius raised a brow, "Is this Voldemort's house?"

"Voldemort's house?" laughed George "I bet he has a room in the basement for torturing people."

"Maybe he's a secret softy and he has puppies and kittens everywhere." Snickered Sirius

**Once a fine-looking manor, and easily the largest and grandest building for miles around, the riddle house was now damp, derelict and unoccupied.**

Narcissa gagged, "That's disgusting. There are no puppies in that house."

**The Little Hangletons all agreed that the old house was "creepy."**

"Now it's getting interesting." Snickered Hermione

Bill nodded, "Creepy associates itself with Voldemort no matter what."

**Half a century ago, something strange and horrible had happened there, something that the older inhabitants of the village still liked to discuss when topics for gossip were scarce.**

"Well if it's gossip then we don't know if it's true or not." Argued Remus

AJ nodded, "Yeah but this time the gossip was all true."

**The story had been picked over so many times, and had been embroidered in so many places, that nobody was quite sure what the truth was anymore. **

Regulus snickered, "This oughta be good. Wonder who murdered who."

"Why would you ask that?" Charlie looked at Reggie.

"I don't know, aren't muggle stories always like that?" shrugged Regulus

**Every version of the tale, however, started in the same place: Fifty years before, at daybreak on a fine summer's morning when the Riddle House had still been well kept and impressive, a maid had entered the drawing room to find all three Riddles dead.**

Tonks groaned, "Really? Dead? Why can't any of these stories begin with someone winning an award and living a long happy life?"

**The maid had run screaming down the hill into the village and roused as many people as she could.** "**Lying there with their eyes wide open! Cold as ice! Still in their dinner things!"**

"Dinner things?" asked Kingsley "What in the hell are dinner things?"

Fred smirked, "You never know, it could mean something sexy for the lady and something handsome for the man."

"Its dress clothes you baboons." Hermione muttered with a smile.

**The police were summoned, and the whole of Little Hangleton had seethed with shocked curiosity and ill-disguised excitement.**

Arthur smiled, "Police are like Aurors."

"Right, but the Police force isn't as elite as the Auror force." Smiled Hermione

**Nobody wasted their breath pretending to feel very sad about the Riddles, for they had been most unpopular. Elderly Mr. and Mrs. Riddle had been rich, snobbish, and rude, and their grown-up son, Tom, had been, if anything, worse.**

Ted snickered, "So he hasn't changed much over the past however many years?"

"Doubtful," laughed Andy "well he could have gotten worse."

**All the villagers cared about was the identity of their murderer — for plainly; three apparently healthy people did not all drop dead of natural causes on the same night.**

Kingsley shuddered, "He managed the killing curse that young. That's sick."

"He shouldn't have been able to at the time?" asked Draco

"Usually you can't do such a curse at that young of an age because your magic is still growing. Fully grown wizards and witches can't do the killing curse because their magic won't allow it." Explained Kingsley

**The Hanged Man, the village pub,** **did a roaring trade that night; the whole village seemed to have turned out to discuss the murders.**

Hermione grimaced, "The Hanged Man? Of all the names to come up with, they came up with that?"

**They were rewarded for leaving their firesides when the Riddles' cook arrived dramatically in their midst and announced to the suddenly silent pub that a man called Frank Bryce had just been arrested.**

"**Frank!" cried several people. "Never!"**

"I know!" shouted Fred

George nodded, "Fred is an outstanding gentlemen!"

"Fred is also dead." Deadpanned AJ

"And may his soul rest in peace." Said the Twins

**Frank Bryce was the Riddles' gardener. He lived alone in a run-down cottage on the grounds of the Riddle House. Frank had come back from the war with a very stiff leg and a great dislike of crowds and loud noises, and had been working for the Riddles ever since.**

Charlie gaped, "Wow, the Riddles actually had hearts! Who would've thought?"

**There was a rush to buy the cook drinks and hear more details.** "**Always thought he was odd," she told the eagerly listening villagers, after her fourth sherry. "Unfriendly, like. I'm sure if I've offered him a cuppa once, I've offered it a hundred times. Never wanted to mix, he didn't."**

"Why does that mean he's odd?" asked AJ "Some people like to be left alone."

Narcissa nodded, "Back then it wasn't considered normal for people to not associate with their neighbors."

**"Who else had a key to the back door, then?" barked the cook. "There's been a spare key hanging in the gardener's cottage far back as I can remember! Nobody forced the door last night! No broken windows! All Frank had to do was creep up to the big house while we was all sleeping…"**

"Or all someone had to do was mutter a simple charm and you're in." laughed Regulus

Andy snickered, "They must not have lived in a community where other witches and wizards live."

**By the following morning, hardly anyone in Little Hangleton doubted that Frank Bryce had killed the Riddles. **

"Huh, someone else is imprisoned without reason. Nice." Muttered Sirius

**But over in the neighboring town of Great Hangleton, in the dark and dingy police station, Frank was stubbornly repeating, again and again, that he was innocent,** **and that the only person he had seen near the house on the day of the Riddles' deaths had been a teenage boy, a stranger, dark-haired and pale. **

"Well that could be anyone, he doesn't have much of a case to go on." Remarked Arthur

Ted nodded, "They seem to have their hopes set that this Frank guy did it, so I doubt they'll listen."

**Then, just when things were looking very serious for Frank, the report on the Riddles' bodies came back and changed everything. The police had never read an odder report. **

"What report?" asked Charlie

AJ smiled, "When someone dies in the muggle world and there appears to be foul play, they do an autopsy to determine cause of death."

**A team of doctors had examined the bodies and had concluded that none of the Riddles had been poisoned, stabbed, shot, strangles, suffocated, or (as far as they could tell) harmed at all. In fact (the report continued, in a tone of unmistakable bewilderment), the Riddles all appeared to be in perfect health — apart from the fact that they were all dead.**

"The killing curse," muttered Snape "what a shocker."

**The doctors did note (as though determined to find something wrong with the bodies) that each of the Riddles had a look of terror upon his or her face — but as the frustrated police said, whoever heard of three people being frightened to death?**

Sirius shivered, "That seems to be the general emotion when someone is about to die."

"You can't really prepare yourself for death, especially when it's someone pointing a wand at your face." Muttered Regulus

**As there was no proof that the Riddles had been murdered at all, the police were forced to let Frank go.** **The Riddles were buried in the Little Hangleton churchyard, and their graves remained objects of curiosity for a while. **

Bill scowled, "Hasn't anyone heard of resting in peace? Who cares about their graves?"

"You can't really blame them though," argued Kingsley "they died with no cause of death. That has to spark curiosity to any muggle."

Hermione nodded, "How can you tell if someone died because of the killing curse?"

"There really isn't a way to tell, you feel the magic radiating off them so you know that something magical killed them but there is no test to tell us." Explained Kingsley

**To everyone's surprise, and amid a cloud of suspicion, Frank Bryce returned to his cottage on the grounds of the Riddle House.**

"Well that's not going to make Frankie look innocent." Snickered George

Molly glared, "You do not speak ill of the dead George!"

"He wasn't Moll!" snapped Arthur stunning the room, "He said it wouldn't make him look innocent, which it doesn't. George did nothing wrong."

"**As far as I'm concerned, he killed them, and I don't care what the police say," said Dot in the Hanged Man. "And if he had any decency, he'd leave here, knowing as how we know he did it."**

Draco glared, "The really think he did it? There is no proof, for all they know they could have died because of old age or something."

**But Frank did not leave. He stayed to tend the garden for the next family who lived in the Riddle House, and then the next — for neither family stayed long.**

"Not a good move," remarked Andy "homes like that are usually passed down from family to family and the Riddle family more then likely has enchantments on it to prevent other families from living there."

Remus nodded, "That's true, just look at Grimauld. No one can live in this house after Sirius dies unless they are an heir to the Black fortunes."

**Perhaps it was partly because of Frank that the new owners said there was a nasty feeling about the place, which, in the absence of inhabitants, started to fall into disrepair. **

"Shame. It was probably a nice home back in the day." Grinned Ted

**The wealthy man who owned the Riddle House these days neither lived there nor put it to any use; they said in the village that he kept it for "tax reasons," though nobody was very clear what these might be.**

Arthur perked up, "What sort of…tax…reasons?"

"When you own a property you pay taxes on it and at the end of the year when you get your taxes done you can get money back for everything you paid into throughout the year." AJ replied, "It's a little complicated."

**The wealthy owner continued to pay Frank to do the gardening, however. Frank was nearing his seventy-seventh birthday now, very deaf, his bad leg stiffer than ever, but could be seen pottering around the flower beds in fine weather, even though the weeds were starting to creep up on him, try as he might to suppress them.**

Narcissa shook her head, "He shouldn't be working at his age, and he should have retired by now."

"He may not have the funds to do so though," remarked Tonks "but it seems like he just really loves his job."

**Weeds were not the only things Frank had to contend with either. Boys from the village made a habit of throwing stones through the windows of the Riddle House. **

Charlie rolled his eyes, "Sounds like the old game involving Moaning Myrtle."

"Of course you would think that!" Bill snickered, "You always won the most points."

**They rode their bicycles over the lawns Frank worked so hard to keep smooth. Once or twice, they broke into the old house for a dare.**

Regulus scowled, "How is that fun? They have no respect for other peoples property."

"Boys will be boys." Laughed the Twins

**They knew that old Frank's devotion to the house and the grounds amounted almost to an obsession, and it amused them to see him limping across the garden, brandishing his stick and yelling croakily at them.**

Ted glared, "Now that is just bullshit. There is no need for that kind of behavior."

"They all need a swift kick in the ass." Muttered Kingsley "Or a slap on the wrist."

**Frank, for his part, believed the boys tormented him because they, like their parents and grandparents, thought him a murderer.**

Everyone glared at the book thinking of Sirius. They hoped when he was freed he wouldn't go through what poor Frank was going through.

**So when Frank awoke one night in August and saw something very odd up at the old house, he merely assumed that the boys had gone one step further in their attempts to punish him.**

"Now that's just rude, he's done nothing to these people or their children." Muttered Hermione

AJ shrugged, "They've heard the stories their entire lives, what do you expect?"

**It was Frank's bad leg that woke him; it was paining him worse than ever in his old age. He got up and limped downstairs into the kitchen with the idea of refilling his hot-water bottle to ease the stiffness in his knee. **

"I don't like the sound of any of this." Shivered Narcissa

Andy nodded, "This isn't going to end well for our Frank."

**Standing at the sink, filling the kettle, he looked up at the Riddle House and saw lights glimmering in its upper windows. Frank knew at once what was going on. The boys had broken into the house again, and judging by the flickering quality of the light, they had started a fire.**

"They tried to burn the house down before?" asked Tonks "That's a little extreme."

**Frank had no telephone; in any case, he had deeply mistrusted the police ever since they had taken him in for questioning about the Riddles' deaths.**

Charlie shook his head, "So even if there was something the police could do they wouldn't believe him. Now that's really nice."

"They probably are hoping that they can harm Frank in the process of burning the house down." Remarked Regulus

**Frank limped around to the back of the house until he reached a door almost completely hidden by ivy, took out the old key, put it into the lock, and opened the door noiselessly.**

Kingsley sighed, "Even if he was quiet they'll hear him or sense him. He's not getting out of this one alive. Poor guy."

**He let himself into the cavernous kitchen. Frank had not entered it for many years; nevertheless, although it was very dark, he remembered where the door into the hall was, and he groped his way towards it, his nostrils full of the smell of decay, ears pricked for any sound of footsteps or voices from overhead.**

"It smelled of death?" asked George "Wouldn't that smell go away?"

Fred nodded, "Wouldn't the past tenants complain? Or maybe clean it up a bit?"

**He reached the hall, which was a little lighter owing to the large mullioned windows on either side of the front door, and started to climb the stairs, blessing the dust that lay thick upon the stone, because it muffled the sound of his feet and stick. **

"Not like that's going to do any good," muttered Draco "he's going to get caught one way or another."

Ted sighed, "Most likely and if it is a death eater, I doubt they'll take sympathy on him."

**At the very end of the passage a door stood ajar, and a flickering light shone through the gap, casting a long sliver of gold across the black floor. Frank edged closer and closer, he was able to see a narrow slice of the room beyond. The fire, he now saw, had been lit in the grate. This surprised him.**

"Well then obviously they aren't there to just cause a mess, but to plan something." Growled Sirius

**Then he stopped moving and listened intently, for a man's voice spoke within the room; it sounded timid and fearful.** "**There is a little more in the bottle, My Lord, if you are still hungry."**

Remus shuddered, "It's a death eater and somehow Voldemort is involved."

"How is this possible?" asked Arthur "I cannot believe this."

"**Later," said a second voice. This too belonged to a man — but it was strangely high-pitched, and cold as a sudden blast of icy wind. Something about that voice made the sparse hairs on the back of Frank's neck stand up. "Move me closer to the fire, Worm tail."**

Everyone growled lowly, that bastard was working for Voldemort again. What a coward."

"**Where is Nagini?" said the cold voice.**

"What's a Nagini?" asked Ron

AJ rolled her eyes, "It's Voldemort's snake, which eats Voldemort's victims."

"**I — I don't know, My Lord," said the first voice nervously. "She set out to explore the house, I think…"**

Tonks sighed, "She's going to see Frank and wait till she gets the signal to attack."

**"You will milk her before we retire, Wormtail,"** **said the second voice. "I will need feeding in the night. The journey has tired me greatly."**

"Milk her?" snarked Ginny "That's disgusting."

Ron nodded, "All these books are disgusting Gin."

**Brow furrowed, Frank inclined his good ear still closer to the door, listening very hard. There was a pause, and then the man called Wormtail spoke again.** "**My Lord, may I ask how long we are going to stay here?"**

Charlie snarled, "Probably just long enough to plan a murder or something."

"He didn't get to murder the person he wanted to though," shrugged AJ "so that's a plus. For us anyhow."

"**A week," said the cold voice. "Perhaps longer. The place is moderately comfortable, and the plan cannot proceed yet. It would be foolish to act before the Quidditch World Cup is over."**

Bill groaned, "So this is what the bastard is planning! How long had he been planning this?"

"Maybe for a couple months before the game?" remarked Hermione

**Frank inserted a gnarled finger into his ear and rotated it. Owing, no doubt, to a buildup of earwax, he had heard the word "Quidditch," which was not a word at all.**

Everyone smiled sadly at the muggle; he didn't deserve the fait that he was being sentenced to.

"**The — the Quidditch World Cup, My Lord?" said Wormtail. (Frank dug his finger still more vigorously into his ear.) "Forgive me, but — I do not understand – why should we wait until the World Cup is over?"**

"Really?" asked Ted "He honestly doesn't know?"

Remus shook his head, "I have no idea how he started working for Voldemort with his lack of intelligence."

"**Because, fool, at this very moment wizards are pouring into the country from all over the world, and every meddler from the Ministry of Magic will be on duty, on the watch for signs of unusual activity, checking and double-checking identities. They will be obsessed with security, lest the Muggles notice anything. So we wait."**

"Look at the Muggles that died that night!" yelled Andy "How is that taking precautions? They had no idea what was going on and then they're dead. Pathetic."

"**Your Lordship is still determined, then?" Wormtail said quietly.**

Narcissa glared, "Lordship? Come on! He has so much power just because of his name and how he instills fear in others."

"Look at all the people he has killed!" shouted Molly "There is a good reason why we fear him!"

"I know that Molly! But that's not the point! He gains power because he has so many followers because they feel he has all the power. He doesn't." snarled Narcissa

"**Certainly I am determined, Wormtail." There was a note of menace in the cold voice now.**

AJ shuddered, "Bastard."

"He's not going to hurt you again punk," mumbled Charlie "I won't allow it. I can't allow it."

**A slight pause followed — and the Wormtail spoke, the words tumbling from him in a rush, as though he was forcing himself to say this before he lost his nerve.** "**It could be done without AJ Potter, My Lord."**

Sirius whistled, "Well look who decided to grow a backbone! Good for you wormy, you stupid asshole."

**Another pause, more protracted, and then —** "**Without AJ Potter?" breathed the second voice softly. "I see…"**

"Someone is getting pissed off," sang Regulus "maybe now we'll see Wormtail feel the wrath of Voldemort."

"**My Lord, I do not say this out of concern for the girl!" said Wormtail, his voice rising squeakily. "The girl is nothing to me, nothing at all!** **It is merely that if we were to use another witch or wizard — any wizard — the thing could be done so much more quickly! **

Draco made a face, "So that's why they kidnapped that women from the ministry?"

"I know right?" laughed AJ "They took a women from the ministry, no one would realize she was missing. Idiots."

**If you allowed me to leave you for a short while — you know that I can disguise myself most effectively — I could be back here in as little as two days with a suitable person —"**

Kingsley huffed, "He could have gotten his hands on anyone! They have absolutely no idea that one day they will be taken down."

"That's because Fudge refuses to believe he's back!" snarled Tonks "Until he realizes it he's just going to keep gaining power and killing innocent people. Bastard, just a complete and utter bastard."

"**My Lord, it makes sense," said Wormtail, sounding thoroughly relieved now. "Laying hands on AJ Potter would be so difficult, she is so well protected —"**

Regulus glared darkly "Apparently not enough."

"She is protected Mr. Black, I would never let AJ be put in harms way." Stated Dumbledore

"Bull shit!" shouted Regulus "Just reading these past three books makes me realize how much of a lie that is! You aren't protecting her, no one is and I for one am pissed off over it!"

"**And so you volunteer to go and fetch me a substitute? I wonder… perhaps the task of nursing me has become wearisome for you, Wormtail? Could this suggestion of abandoning the plan be nothing more than an attempt to desert me?"**

Remus snorted, "Please, that damn fool is afraid of his own shadow. He won't leave his master anytime soon."

"**My Lord! I — I have no wish to leave you, none at all —"**

"Why does he have such power of these witches and wizards?" asked Hermione "It's ridiculous!"

Bill nodded, "Yeah it is, but people fear him because of the power he holds over people. The minister is afraid of him, that alone makes the entire Wizarding community afraid."

"**Do not lie to me!" hissed the second voice. "I can always tell, Wormtail! You are regretting that you ever returned to me. I revolt you. I see you flinch when you look at me, feel you shudder when you touch me…"**

"Well, I can't really blame him for that, I would too." Snickered AJ

Draco laughed, "Next time you face him make sure you shudder a lot and pretend to gag!"

"**I am a faithful servant," said Wormtail, the merest trace of sullenness in his voice.**

"Yeah right," snickered George

Fred laughed, "He's more like a stray animal."

"Voldemort fed him once and he keeps coming back for more." Laughed the Twins

"**Wormtail, I need somebody with brains, somebody whose loyalty has never wavered, and you, unfortunately, fulfills neither requirement."**

Everyone started laughing loudly, Voldemort was apparently very smart.

"**I found you," said Wormtail, and there was definitely a sulky edge to his voice now. "I was the one who found you. I brought you Bertha Jorkins."**

Kingsley snickered, "She was the most forgetful person ever, she had no idea what was going on half the time."

"**That is true," said the second man, sounding amused. "A stroke of brilliance I would not have thought possible from you, Wormtail — though, if truth be told, you were not aware how useful she would be when you caught her, were you?"**

"No he didn't," muttered Regulus "he just picked up a random person. Doesn't matter who she was or what she was doing in her life."

Sirius nodded, "That's how Wormtail is though Reggie, he doesn't care about people or their lives. He just likes to destroy people."

"**I — I thought she might be useful, My Lord —"**

"**Liar," said the second voice again, the cruel amusement more pronounced than ever. **

Ted snorted, "It's sad but I'm starting to see eye to eye with this bastard."

"I think we all are." Laughed Narcissa "Just the way he degrades Peter is amazing."

**"I will allow you to perform an essential task for me, one that many of my followers would give their right hands to perform…"**

Charlie groaned, "Is this the task that involved AJ?"

"I think so," muttered Remus "anything that involves Voldemort involves AJ."

"**R-really, My Lord? What —?" Wormtail sounded terrified again.**

Kingsley snorted, "How is he working for Voldemort? He's terrified of everything!"

"He's not very picky about the crowd that hangs out with him." Snickered AJ

"**Ah, Wormtail, you don't want me to spoil the surprise? Your part will come at the very end… but I promise you, you will have the honor of being just as useful as Bertha Jorkins."**

Andy gaped, "Is he going to kill Wormtail?"

"If he does Voldemort may become one of my favorite people, well before I kill him." Snorted Sirius

"**You… you…" Wormtail's voice suddenly sounded hoarse, as though his mouth had gone very dry. "You… are going… to kill me too?"**

AJ laughed, she only wished he would have.

"**Wormtail, Wormtail," said the cold voice silkily, "why would I kill you? I killed Bertha because I had to. She was fit for nothing after my questioning, quite useless."**

"All they had to do was wipe part of her memory!" yelled Hermione "She didn't have to die!"

Bill nodded, "None of the people that have died at the hands of Voldemort needed to die. He does it because he gets a sick pleasure out of it."

**Wormtail muttered something so quietly that Frank could not hear it, but it made the second man laugh — an entirely mirthless laugh, cold as his speech.**

Snape and AJ suppressed shudders, Voldemort's laugh was anything put pleasant."

"**We could have modified her memory? But Memory Charms can be broken by a powerful wizard, as I proved when I questioned her. It would be an insult to her memory not to use the information I extracted from her, Wormtail."**

Snape sneered, "The Dark Lord has never done a memory charm in his life, he would never be that nice to a victim."

**Out in the corridor, Frank suddenly became aware that the hand gripping his walking stick was slippery with sweat. The man with the cold voice had killed a woman. **

"He's killed a lot more then just a women," muttered Ted "and he's going to keep going on his killing sprees as long as he wants."

Charlie shook his head, "Too bad he's going to be killed once and for all. He has to be."

**He would creep out of the house and head straight for the telephone box in the village… but the cold voice was speaking again, and Frank remained where he was, frozen to the spot, listening with all his might.**

"That won't do any good," mumbled Narcissa "the poor man really wants to help too."

Draco nodded, "Hopefully he won't feel what's coming. It'll be quick, he deserves that much at least."

"**One more murder… my faithful servant at Hogwarts… AJ Potter is as good as mine,** **Wormtail. It is decided. There will be no more argument. But quiet… I think I hear Nagini…"**

"You're not going to harm a hair on my daughters head," snarled Sirius "I won't allow it."

Remus nodded, "He'll have a lot to get through, the entire Wizarding World will see the truth soon and they will stand up to him."

**And the second man's voice changed. He started making noises such as Frank had never heard before; he was hissing and spitting without drawing breath.**

"He was speaking to the snake?" asked Kingsley

AJ nodded, "I was Frank in the dream so I couldn't understand what was being said, it was weird."

**Frank thought he must have been having some sort of fit or seizure.** **And then Frank heard movement behind him in the dark passageway. **

Everyone tensed they knew that Nagini was behind him.

**He turned to look, and found himself paralyzed with fright. Something was slithering toward him along the dark corridor floor, and as it drew nearer to the sliver of firelight, he realized with a thrill of terror that it was a gigantic snake, at least twelve feet long.**

"Twelve feet?" gaped Tonks "That's like a boa or something, right?"

Charlie nodded, "I think the snake is mixture though, it has to be."

**As he stood there shaking and trying to master himself, the cold voice switched abruptly to English again.**

"The poor man is going into shock," whimpered Andy "he has no way to leave."

Ted hugged Andy, "It's alright my love, and he won't feel a thing. Don't worry, we'll make sure that Voldemort feels the pain he has caused."

"**Nagini has interesting news, Wormtail," it said "According to Nagini, there is an old Muggle standing right outside this room, listening to every word we say."**

Hermione gagged, "The snake told him that? Why? How?"

"The snake has a part of Voldemort in her," remarked Remus "she will pass messages along to Voldemort and she will always be there for him."

"That's sick." Muttered Hermione

**Frank didn't have a chance to hide himself. There were footsteps and then the door of the room was flung wide open.** **A short, balding man with graying hair, a pointed nose, and small, watery eyes stood before Frank, a mixture of fear and alarm in his face.**

Fred and George laughed loudly, "That probably wasn't what he expected to see!"

"He hasn't seen Voldemort yet, so lets not laugh yet." Smiled Narcissa

"**Invite him inside, Wormtail. Where are your manners?" The cold voice was coming from the ancient armchair before the fire, but Frank couldn't see the speaker. ** **I will face him… Wormtail, come turn my chair around."**

Draco raised a brow, "What for? Why does he want to face the muggle?"

"He wants to preform the killing curse," sighed Regulus "he has to face his victims in order to do that."

**The servant gave a whimper.** "**You heard me, Wormtail."**

Everyone tensed; they couldn't believe what was coming. It was too much to handle.

**Slowly, with his face screwed up, as though he would rather have done anything than approach his master and the hearthrug where the snake lay, the small man walked forward and began to turn the chair. **

"I'm surprised Wormtail hasn't pissed his pants yet." snorted Bill

Tonks snickered, "He was probably too scared!"

**The snake lifted its ugly triangular head and hissed slightly as the legs of the chair snagged on its rug. And then the chair was facing Frank, and he saw what was sitting in it. **

"He's not even human anymore," muttered Arthur "that is terrifying for anyone. But for a muggle who has no idea who he is."

Kingsley nodded, "He had no idea who he was or what he's capable of. So unfair."

"We've come to the conclusion that life isn't fair." Muttered Snape without his usual hate.

**His walking stick fell to the floor with a clatter. He opened his mouth and let out a scream.**

AJ dropped her head on Charlie shoulder, she hated that dream and having to relive it was torturous.

**He was screaming so loudly that he never heard the words the thing in the chair spoke as it raised a wand. There was a flash of green light, a rushing sound, and Frank Bryce crumpled. **

Bill shook his head, "The only good thing is that he didn't feel a thing. After all the pain he's suffered through, this may have been a blessing."

"He was killed!" shouted Molly "How is that a blessing?"

"I'm not saying that his death was a blessing! I'm saying that him not suffering during death was a blessing!" yelled Bill

**He was dead before he hit the floor.** **Two hundred miles away, the girl called AJ Potter woke with a start.**

Arthur grabbed the book, "I suppose I'll read next. **The Scar**."

**AN: Hope you liked it! Now, I wasn't going to incorporate AJ's pregnancy into the actual books because they were written prior to everything happening during the reading. But I can if you all want that; this story is written for all of you reviewers and your opinions and suggestions matter:). In 4****th**** book Draco is obviously a jerk but since I made him a friend of AJ's, I've decided to create a character to fill the jerk spot. He's the son of Bellatrix (haha) and Rodolphus Lestrange, named Aries Lestrange. Read and Review :)**


	71. The Scar

**AJ lay flat on her back, breathing hard as though she had just been running. She had awoken from a vivid dream with her hands pressed over her face.**

Charlie winced, "That must have been really bad if you could still feel the pain."

"Yeah it really was, but the weird thing was that I couldn't remember the dream as well as I usually can." Remarked AJ

**The old scar on her forehead, which was shaped like a bolt of lightning,** **was burning beneath her fingers as though someone had just pressed a white-hot wire to her skin.**

Regulus grimaced, "Ouch. Isn't there anything she can do for it?"

"I don't think so," muttered Andy "but I can check a few medical books. We really don't know much about cursed scars."

**She sat up, one hand still on her scar, the other grabbing a hair tie on the dresser. AJ ran her fingers over the scar again. It was still painful.**

George made a face, "Does that mean Voldemort is near you?"

"Or are the two of you just emotionally close?" snickered Fred

**She turned on the lamp beside her, scrambled out of bed, crossed the room, opened her wardrobe and peered into the mirror on the inside of the door.**

Hermione bit her lip, "It wasn't bleeding right?"

"No of course not," replied AJ "it just stung like a bitch."

**A skinny girl of fifteen looked back at her, her bright green eyes puzzled under her turquoise hair.** **After pulling her hair in a ponytail, s****he examined the lightning-bolt scar of her reflection more closely. **

Tonks snorted, "Turquoise? The Dursleys must have loved that."

**It looked normal, but it was still stinging. AJ tried to recall what she had been dreaming about before she had awoken. **

"I thought you were supposed to have some sort of super memory?" sneered Ginny

Sirius glared, "She does but remembering dreams is more difficult then you realize. Dreams happen when we aren't totally conscious."

**It had seemed so real ... there had been two people she knew, and one she didn't ... she concentrated hard, frowning, trying to remember...**

"Good!" cheered Kingsley "We'll make an Auror out of you yet!"

Bill snickered, "I don't know about that Kings. AJ maybe looking for a job that involves dragons."

**The dim picture of a darkened room came to her ... there had been a snake on the hearthrug ... and a cold, high voice ... the voice of Lord Voldemort.**

"I hate that you know his laugh," grumbled Ted "you of all people shouldn't know what it sounds like."

**AJ felt as though an ice cube had slipped down into her stomach at the very thought...she closed her eyes tightly and tried to remember what Voldemort had looked like, but it was impossible…**

Andy shivered, "He probably didn't even look human. That's disgusting even for him."

"All his magic must have turned on him right?" asked Draco

"We don't know," answered Andy "it's all still a big mystery to all of us."

**All AJ knew was that at the moment when Voldemort's chair had swung around, and she, AJ, had seen what was sitting in it, she had felt a spasm of horror which had awoken her ... or had it been the pain in her scar?**

Narcissa sighed, "It could have been a little bit of both, but I think a lot of it had to do with the killing curse being performed. Your body wakes you up before you die in a dream, it's a natural instinct."

**And who had the old man been? For there had definitely been an old man AJ had watched him fall to the ground.**

Remus shook his head, "You're too young to have to see something like that, even if it is just a dream."

"It's sad to say that AJ's entire life has been one long nightmare." Sighed Arthur

**It was all becoming confusing; AJ put her face into her hands, blocking out her bedroom, trying to hold on to the picture of the dimly lit room, but it was like trying to keep water in her cupped hands; the details were now trickling away as fast as she tried to hold on to them...**

Hermione huffed, "Why though? Why can't you keep the memory? You remember everything."

"It has to do with the Dark Lord," sighed Snape "he was controlling AJ's memory at the time."

**Voldemort and Wormtail had been talking about someone they had killed, though AJ could not remember the name ... they had plotting to kill someone else ... **_**her**_**...**

Ron snorted, "How is that surprising? He tries to kill you every year."

"Thanks Ron," snarled Charlie "that makes everyone less upset!"

**AJ took her face out of her hands, opened her eyes and stared around her bedroom as though expecting to see something unusual there.**

Regulus shrugged, "Maybe seeing something will jog your memory something. I don't know."

**As it happened, there were an extraordinary number of unusual things in this room.** **A large wooden trunk stood open at the foot of her bed, revealing a cauldron, broomstick, black robes and assorted spellbooks. **

"You were allowed to keep your stuff in your room?" smiled George

AJ nodded, "Well my godfather was a convicted murderer, using that to my advantage was easy."

"We love you!" cheered Fred and George hugging AJ tightly

Charlie bit his lip, "Alright! You don't want to hurt her!" AJ sat back down and smiled at Charlie and his protectiveness.

**Rolls of parchment littered that part of her desk that was not taken up by the large cage in which her snowy owl, Hedwig, usually perched.**

Draco raised a brow, "I forgot they actually allowed you to let Hedwig out! Such sweet muggles they are."

"Aren't they?" snarked Kingsley "More like evil muggles but whatever."

**On the floor beside her bed a book lay open; she had been reading it before she fell asleep the previous night.**

Narcissa smiled, "Do you like to read?"

"Yeah a lot," grinned AJ "I'm a mystery fan myself but I'm for anything. But the book I was reading that night was Quidditch related or something like that."

**The pictures in the book were all moving. Men in bright orange robes were zooming in and out of sight on broomsticks, throwing a red ball to each other.**

Ron smiled, "So you did read the book!"

**AJ walked over to this book, picked it up and watched one of the wizards score a spectacular goal by putting the ball through a fifty-foot-high hoop. **

All the Quidditch nuts started to cheer.

**Then she snapped the book shut. Even Quidditch - in AJ's opinion, the best sport in the world** **- couldn't distract her at the moment.**

Tonks nodded, "Good! Don't let anything distract you right now. Just try to focus on all the details you can."

"I wish it would have helped," sighed Hermione "it wouldn't have prevented anything. But still."

**She placed **_**Flying with the Cannons**_ **on her bedside table, crossed to the window and drew back the curtains to survey the street below.**

Sirius bit his lip, "I doubt he's in the street but checking is always a good idea just to be on the safe side."

**Privet Drive looked exactly as a respectable suburban street would be expected to look in the early hours of Saturday morning. All the curtains were closed. **

"Boring," sighed Charlie "that whole street needs a splash of color or something."

**As far as AJ could see through the darkness, there wasn't a living creature in sight, not even a cat.**

Andy smiled, "That's my animagus form! I'm an orange calico cat."

"When did you become an animagus?" asked AJ

"Hm, I was seventeen I believe," thought Andy "yes I was because I was pregnant with Dora during the time."

AJ raised a brow, "Wait didn't that hurt your pregnancy or something?"

"No, our magic protects the baby. It's not a good idea to transform past your eighth month to be on the safe side though." Smiled Andy

**And yet ... and yet ... AJ went restlessly back to her bed and sat down on it, running a finger over her scar again. It wasn't the pain that bothered her; AJ was no stranger to pain and injury.**

Regulus moaned, "No! I don't want to hear about your past years!"

"We know what happened," groaned Remus "it's not fun reliving this crap."

**She had lost all the bones from her right arm once, and had them painfully re-grown at night.**

Sirius glared, "Fucking Lockhart. I almost forgot about that pervert."

"We didn't," glared Tonks "we'll be making him pay also."

**A venomous foot-long fang had pierced the same arm not long afterwards.** **Only last year AJ had fallen fifty feet from an airborne broomstick.**

"Well that one was Fudges fault," argued Ted "and Dumbledore's."

Molly shook her head; "I see no fault in Dumbledore!"

"That's why you're going to see a lot of senseless deaths come this war. Much like that last, a lot could have been handled differently but Dumbledore does what he wants." Snarked Ted

**Sh****e was used to bizarre accidents and injuries; they were unavoidable if you attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry** **and had a knack for attracting a lot of trouble.**

Charlie gaped, "No, they're completely unavoidable! But you have crackpot teachers in charge!"

**No, the thing that was bothering AJ was that the last time her scar had hurt her, it had been because Voldemort had been close by... But Voldemort couldn't be here, now ... The idea of Voldemort lurking in Privet Drive was absurd, impossible...**

"Can he get on private drive?" asked Remus

Snape shook his head, "No, AJ has a blood protection at the house that prevents harm like that coming to her until after her seventeenth birthday."

**AJ listened closely to the silence around her. Was she half expecting to hear the creak of a stair, or the swish of a cloak? And then she jumped slightly as she heard her cousin Dudley give a tremendous grunting snore from the next room.**

Everyone laughed trying to relive the room of it's suffocating tension.

**AJ shook herself mentally; she was being stupid;** **there was no one in the house with her except Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley, and they were plainly still asleep, their dreams untroubled and painless.**

"Not for long if we have it our way." Snarled Tonks

Ted nodded, "They'll be going to court for their doings."

**Asleep was the way AJ liked the Dursleys best; it wasn't as though they were ever any help to her awake. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley were AJ's only living relatives.**

"You have us!" cheered the twins

Hermione nodded, "And you have me. You have everyone you need in this room. Aren't you lucky?

**They were Muggles (non-magic people) who hated and despised magic in any form, which meant that AJ was about as welcome in their house as dry rot.**

"Who wants to be welcome in their house?" asked Kingsley

Andy snorted, "I sure as hell don't and I doubt AJ want's to be there either."

**They had explained AJ's long absences at Hogwarts over the last three years by telling everyone that she went to St Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Youth.**

"That's where their son needs to be," glared Sirius "he's ten times worse then AJ will ever be."

Narcissa nodded, "I've heard enough about him to know that's pure evil and exactly like he's family."

**They knew perfectly well that, as an underage wizard, AJ wasn't allowed to use magic outside Hogwarts, but were still apt to blame her for anything that went wrong in the house.**

"My father was like that for a while," remarked Ted "but he got over it in time and learned to accept me for what I am."

**AJ had never been able to confide in them, or tell them anything about her life in the Wizarding world.**

Fred and George made mental notes to sit the Dursleys down and explain all about AJ's life in the Wizarding world.

**The very idea of going to them when they awoke, and telling them about her scar hurting her, and her worries about Voldemort, was laughable.**

"Do they even know about Voldemort? They weren't close with Lilly or James so I can't imagine them knowing much about him." Remarked Bill

Andy scowled, "They were informed of how Lilly and James died the same night. But of course they didn't care."

**And yet it was because of Voldemort that AJ had to come live with the Dursleys in the first place.** **If it hadn't been for Voldemort, AJ would not have the lightning scar on her forehead.** **If it hadn't been for Voldemort, AJ would still have parents...**

Everyone hid their sympathetic looks from the young women.

**AJ had been a year old the night that Voldemort the most powerful Dark Wizard for a century, a wizard who had been gaining power steadily for eleven years –** **arrived at her house and killed her father and mother.**

Remus sighed, "We really don't need to recall all this."

"We can't get away from it love," huffed Sirius "the damn author really wants to remind us of how much we all lost."

**Voldemort had then turned his wand on AJ; he had performed the curse that had disposed of many full-grown witches and wizards in his steady rise to power and, incredibly, it had not worked.**

Arthur gave a smile, "That seems to be the only good thing that came out of that night."

**Instead of killing the small girl, the curse had rebounded upon Voldemort.** **AJ had survived with nothing but a lightning-shaped cut on her forehead,** **and Voldemort had been reduced to something barely alive.**

"I still find that disturbing," remarked Narcissa "he's not dead but he's not alive either. It's almost as if he's caught in the in-between."

Hermione nodded, "I've read about that. That's exactly what it sounds like too."

**His powers gone, his life almost extinguished, Voldemort had fled;** **the terror in which the secret community of witches and wizards had lived for so long had lifted, Voldemort's followers had disbanded, and Alessandra Potter had become famous.**

Fred smiled, "Which you love!"

"It's her favorite part of being a witch!" smirked George

**It had been enough of a shock for AJ to discover, on her twelfth birthday, that she was a witch; it had been even more disconcerting to find out that everyone in the hidden Wizarding world knew her name. **

Ron raised a brow, "Why was AJ twelve? We usually find out when we're eleven."

"James and I were twelve when we started," admitted Andy "AJ more then likely had much more control over her magic so the minister decided she could wait a year before she began her magical learning. It's actually common for witches and wizards to start Hogwarts at twelve."

**AJ had arrived at Hogwarts to find that heads turned and whispers followed her wherever she went.** **But she was used to it now: At the end of this summer, she would be starting her fourth year at Hogwarts; and she was already counting the days until she would be back at the castle again.**

AJ scowled, "Too bad the year went to hell in a hand basket at the beginning of the year."

**But there was still a fortnight to go before she went back to school. She looked hopelessly around her room again, and her eye paused on the birthday cards her two best and one from Charlie Weasley that she received at the end of July. **

"Of course we sent you birthday cards." Snorted Draco

Hermione nodded, "We wouldn't forget it."

**What would they say if she wrote to them and told them about her scar burning?**

Everyone waited to hear what AJ thought of this.

**At once, Hermione Granger's voice filled her head, shrill and panicky.**

Hermione glared, "I would not sound shrill or panicky."

"Really?" snickered AJ

_**"Your scar hurt? AJ, that's really serious ... Write to Professor Dumbledore! And I'll go and check**_ **Common Magical Ailments and Afflictions ... **_**Maybe there's something in there about curse scars...**_**"**

Bill kissed Hermione, "That is exactly what you would say too."

**Yes that would be Hermione's advice: Go straight to the Headmaster of Hogwarts, and in the meantime, consult a book.**

"That's not a bad thing," smiled Kingsley "you can always find the answers in a book as long as you're willing to look."

Tonks snorted, "Right, because we all are bookworms like you Kings."

**She tried again to imagine her other best friend, Draco Malfoy's, reaction, and in a moment, AJ could see Draco clear as day trying to hide his panic.**

"You know us well," smiled Draco "but I can hid my panic well."

**"**_**Your scar hurt? Did you bang your head on something? I'll talk to my mom about it but I bet it's nothing."**_

Narcissa grinned, "I'm glad you would go to me, but in all honesty I really don't know about cursed scars."

"You can always owl any of us when you have a question," smiled Regulus "it doesn't matter what the question is."

**AJ had never met Mrs. Malfoy before, but from the care packages she sent her son she was a very nice women and very motherly. But AJ didn't think she had much experience in the cursed scar department.**

Tonks groaned, "No one has any idea about them because usually a cursed scar is usually associated with a dead person."

"That's nice Dora, please keep the positive words coming." Snickered Ted

**AJ kneaded her forehead with her knuckles. What she really wanted (and she felt almost shameful to admit it to herself) was someone like - someone like a **_**parent,**_ **an adult whose advise she could ask without feeling stupid, someone who cared about her, who had had experience of Dark Magic...**

Sirius gaped, "Don't ever feel ashamed over something like that! I'm your dad and I'm always here for you AJ, no matter what."

"Thanks daddy, I'll remember that." Smiled AJ

Charlie shook his head, "Why didn't you owl me about it? I can help you!"

"I didn't know you that well at the time" snickered AJ "don't worry if my scar hurts again like that I'll make sure to talk to you about it."

**And then the solution came to her. It was so simple and so obvious that she couldn't believe it had taken her so long - **_**Sirius**_**.**

Remus smiled, "Of course it did cub, you and Sirius hadn't been reacquainted for that long."

**AJ leapt up from the bed, hurried across the room and sat down at her desk; she pulled a piece of parchment towards her, loaded her eagle-feather quill with ink, wrote **_**Dear Sirius**_**, then paused wondering how best to phrase her problem, and still marveling at the fact that she hadn't thought of Sirius straight away.**

"Sirius is usually my last thought too," snickered Regulus "don't feel bad."

Narcissa snickered, "Same here, sorry Siri."

"You're all a bunch of turkeys." Sirius muttered with a smile.

**But then, perhaps it wasn't so surprising - after all, she had only found out that Sirius was her Godfather two months ago.**

Ron scowled, "I still can't believe I wasn't told about this!"

"I know, it was completely rude to keep it from you."

"You three weren't friends anymore," explained Arthur "why would AJ tell you something so personal if you aren't friends?"

**There was a simple reason for Sirius' complete absence from AJ's life until then Sirius had been in Azkaban, the terrifying wizard jail guarded by creatures called Dementors, sightless, soul-sucking fiends who had come to search for Sirius at Hogwarts when he had escaped.**

Sirius grimaced, "That is probably the most disgusting explanation of Azkaban ever. It's true but disgusting."

"Hopefully we won't have to talk about it anymore," mumbled Hermione "none of us like talking about that place."

**Yet Sirius had been innocent** **Wormtail, Voldemort's supporter, whom nearly everybody now believed dead, had committed the murder for which he had been convicted.**

Bill glared, "Because he's a pathetic little bitch with no backbone."

"He's going to die," stated Charlie "someone lacking intelligence like him, it's just bound to happen."

**AJ, Draco and Hermione knew otherwise, however; they had come face to face with Wormtail the previous year, though only Professor Dumbledore had believed their story.**

"Yes, but soon the entire Wizarding world will know the truth!" smiled Kingsley

**For one glorious hour, AJ had believed that she was leaving the Dursleys at last, because Sirius had offered her a home once his name had been cleared.**

Andy shook her head, "That's just mean to rip that away from someone. I can't believe Wormtail was a friend of Lily and James."

"That's how we feel everyday Andy." Muttered Remus

**But the chance was snatched away from her - Wormtail had escaped before they could take him to the Ministry of Magic, and Sirius had had to flee for his life. **

Narcissa scowled, "He shouldn't have had to run if you would have made the ministry listen to reason Albus."

"I had very little choice Mrs. Malfoy." Dumbledore said tiredly

**AJ had helped him escape on the back of a Hippogriff called Buckbeak, and since then, Sirius had been on the run.** **Nevertheless, Sirius had been of some help to AJ, even if she couldn't be with him.**

Regulus snickered, "Because they didn't know that Sirius didn't commit the crime?

"You know it Uncle Reggie, they didn't need to know that he was innocent." Laughed AJ

**It was due to Sirius that AJ now had all her school things in her bedroom with her.**

Charlie scowled, "That's such bullshit! You can't even keep your things in your own room?"

"They're magic hating bastards," argued Ted "can't really expect much out of them."

**The Dursleys had never allowed this before; their general wish of keeping AJ as miserable as possible,** **coupled with their fear of his powers, had led them to lock her school trunk in the cupboard under the stairs every summer prior to this.**

"They did that because they hate magic," muttered Remus "not because they're afraid. There's a difference."

**But their attitude had changed since they found out that AJ had a dangerous murderer for a godfather – AJ had conveniently forgotten to tell them that Sirius was innocent.**

Everyone laughed; AJ had better milked that for everything it was worth.

**AJ had received two letters from Sirius since she had been back at Privet Drive. **

Bill smiled, "Only two Sirius?"

"Well I had wanted to send about fifty but I didn't want people to get suspicious." Mumbled Sirius

**Both had been delivered, not by owls (as was usual with wizards) but by large, brightly coloured, tropical birds.** **Hedwig had not approved of these flashy intruders; she had been most reluctant to allow them to drink from her water tray before flying off again.**

Remus snickered, "You didn't want people to be suspicious? Those birds probably screamed normalcy."

**AJ, on the other hand, had liked them; they put her in mind of palm trees and white sands, and she hoped that wherever Sirius was (Sirius never said, in case the letters were intercepted) he was enjoying himself.**

"If this is the Sirius we all know and love, he was having a blast." Snickered Kingsley

Tonks nodded, "Uncle Siri has fun wherever he goes."

**Somehow, AJ found it hard to imagine Dementors surviving for long in bright sunlight; perhaps that was why Sirius had gone south. **

"We used to go to the beaches in Spain when we were growing up," smiled Regulus "Sirius always had the best time."

Andy laughed, "I remember those trips! Bella would always cause a scene and Cissa and I would get the burnt of the anger our parents dished out."

"We have such fond memories of our childhoods." Laughed Regulus

**Sirius' letters, which were now hidden beneath the highly useful loose floorboard under AJ's bed, sounded cheerful, and in both of them he had reminded AJ to call on him if ever AJ needed to. **

Remus nodded, "Good, you need to know that there are adults out there that aren't going to lie to you or back out on their word."

"I would have loved to have had Sirius go to Private Drive," laughed Ted "that pranking that would have accord would be legendary."

**Well, she needed to now, all right...AJ's lamp seemed to grow dimmer as the cold grey light that preceded sunrise slowly crept into the room. **

Fred and George shared smirks; they couldn't wait to hear about Dudley this year.

**Finally, when the sun had risen, when her bedroom walls had turned gold and the sounds of movement could be heard from Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia's room, AJ cleared her desk of crumpled pieces of parchment, and re-read her finished letter.**

"Make sure you tell him about the dream." Advised Draco

Hermione bit her lip, "She should tell him, but you don't know if the letters are being intercepted."

_**Dear Snuffles,**_

Sirius and AJ smiled, they both worried about each other.

_**Thanks for your last letter; that bird was enormous, it could hardly get through my window.**_ _**Things are the same as usual here. Dudley's diet isn't going too well. My aunt found him smuggling doughnuts into his room yesterday. They told him they'd have to cut his pocket money if he keeps doing it, so he got really angry and chucked his PlayStation out of the window.**_ _**That's a sort of computer thing you can play games on.**_ _**Bit stupid really, now he hasn't even got**_ **Mega-Mutilation Part Three **_**to take his mind off things.**_ _**I'm OK; mainly because the Dursleys are terrified you might turn up and turn them all into bats if I ask you to.**_ _**A weird thing happened this morning, though. My scar hurt again. Last time that happened it was because Voldemort was at Hogwarts. But I don't reckon he can be here now, can he? Do you know if curse scars sometimes hurt years afterwards?**_ _**I'll send this with Hedwig when she gets back; she's off hunting at the moment. Say hello to Buckbeak for me.**_

"Good idea," grinned Charlie "don't put too much personal details in it because if the ministry does find it you don't want them to find Sirius."

Ginny made a face, "She said Buckbeak and Dursleys. That's pretty obvious."

"It's really not though. No one would remember what Hagrid named his pet because they don't find it important. As far as her saying the Dursleys, it's a common last name in London. It's fine." Argued Charlie

_**Love, Prongslet **_

Arthur smiled, "Was that your nickname for her?"

"Actually James used to call AJ that," grinned Remus "he very rarely called her anything but Prongslet."

**Yes, thought AJ, that looked all right.**

"I think it's good," remarked Bill "keep the ministry out of your life as best you can."

**There was no point putting in the dream, she didn't want it to look as though she was too worried.**

Sirius sighed, "I wish you would have told me and you don't have to worry about coming off as weak to me. I know you're anything but."

**She folded the parchment up and laid it aside on her desk, ready for when Hedwig returned. **

"Good, she needs to stretch her wings whenever possible." Smiled Tonks

Kingsley nodded, "You never know with those bastards, they may decide to lock her up again. Best to keep her out as often as possible."

**Then she got to her feet, stretched and opened her wardrobe once more. She turned her hair natural black and started to get dressed before going down to breakfast.**

"Well that was interesting," mumbled Arthur "here Regulus. You can read."

Reggie nodded, "**The Invitation…**"

**AN: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! It makes me so happy to you know you all like it and are enjoying it. I'm always up for suggestions and to answer questions! Read and Review :)**


	72. The Invitation

**By the time AJ arrived in the kitchen, the three Dursleys were already seated around the table. **

Charlie snorted, "Well that could be considered a good thing."

"How?" laughed AJ

"Now you don't have to worry about them accusing you of taking food or something." Smiled Charlie

**None of them looked up as she entered or sat down.** **Uncle Vernon's large red face was hidden behind the morning's Daily Mail**

Fred snickered, "Does he have anger issues?"

"It appears so brother dear" smirked George "we really shouldn't make him mad."

**and Aunt Petunia was cutting a grapefruit into quarters, her lips pursed over her horse-like teeth.**

Snape shuddered, "Really now, we can cut the descriptions about your godforsaken family?"

"Try living with them." Snarked AJ

**Dudley looked furious and sulky, and somehow seemed to be taking up even more space than usual.**

Remus made a face, "Wasn't that fancy school putting him on a diet or something?"

"He is," laughed Tonks "he's on the seafood diet. He sees food and he eats it."

"Boo!" laughed the twins "That was lame Tonks! You can do much better."

Tonks scowled while Remus laughed, "It's true Tonks."

**This was saying something, as he always took up an entire side of the square table by himself.** **When Aunt Petunia put a quarter of unsweetened grapefruit onto Dudley's plate with a tremulous "There you are, Diddy darling,"**

"What's wrong with grapefruit?" asked Sirius "It's actually really good."

Regulus snickered, "I think it has something to do with it being unsweetened that bothers him. Or it could just be the simple fact that it's not made out of chocolate."

**Dudley glowered at her.** **His life had taken a most unpleasant turn since he had come home for the summer with his end-of-year report.**

"Did they tell them how there son is a jackass?" asked Kingsley

Narcissa laughed, "I somehow doubt that's what they put in the end-of-year report."

**Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had managed to find excuses for his bad marks as usual; **

"Now that's great parenting," snarked Bill "constantly finding excuses for why your kid is a dick is great. That won't cause problems later on down the road."

Ted nodded, "He's going to wind up in prison or the insane alyssum."

"Or both." Laughed Bill

**Aunt Petunia always insisted that Dudley was a very gifted boy whose teachers didn't understand him;**

Andy groaned, "How much more of this family do we have to hear about?"

"Too long in my opinion," muttered Draco "they're the biggest jerks ever and need to not be in this book ever."

**while Uncle Vernon maintained that "he didn't want some swotty little nancy boy for a son anyway".**

"There ya go!" yelled Remus "Give your son a goddamn complex before he can even discover who he is. Albus how can you say these people were the best for AJ?"

Sirius snorted, "Please, we all know that Albus doesn't give a damn about anyone but himself."

**They also skated over the accusations of bullying in the report - "He's a boisterous little boy, but he wouldn't hurt a fly!" said Aunt Petunia tearfully.**

"Boisterous little boy?" asked Regulus "Is that there way of saying he's an asshole and he does what he wants?"

AJ snickered, "That's exactly what that means."

**However, at the bottom of the report there were a few well-chosen comments from the school nurse, which not even Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia could explain away. **

"Maybe because you feed him like you would a mule." Suggested Kingsley

Andy shuddered, "I feel sorry for his heart, it can't handle that much pressure. He's going to wind up in the hospital before he's twenty at the rate he's going."

**No matter how much Aunt Petunia wailed that Dudley was big-boned, and that his poundage was really puppy fat,**

"What's puppy fat?" asked Charlie

Tonks shrugged, "I think it's their way of saying that their kid is overweight and there's nothing they can do to stop it."

**and that he was a growing boy who needed plenty of food, the fact remained that the school outfitters didn't stock knickerbockers big enough for him anymore.**

"Really?" laughed Ted "Now you know the kid has major weight issues!"

Hermione snorted, "It's embarrassing for the entire family, they refuse to believe that their son isn't facing health issues because of they feed him."

**The school nurse had seen what Aunt Petunia's eyes - so sharp when it came to spotting fingerprints on her gleaming walls, and in observing the comings and goings of the neighbors simply refused to see: **

"That no one likes her?" suggested George

Fred nodded, "Or that everyone wonders why she isn't making her son exercise off the extra poundage's."

**that, far from needing extra nourishment, Dudley had reached roughly the size and weight of a young killer whale.**

"Wow," snickered Sirius "that's quite a description you gave him pup."

Narcissa snorted, "I'm sure he is heavier then that, AJ is just being nice."

**So - after many tantrums, after arguments that shook AJ's bedroom floor, and many tears from Aunt Petunia - the new regime had begun.**

"I really can't wait to hear about this." Laughed Kingsley

Hermione snickered, "Me too, AJ told me a little bit about it, but getting Dudley's thoughts on it will be awesome."

**The diet sheet that had been sent by the Smeltings school nurse had been taped to the fridge, which had been emptied of all Dudley's favorite things**

"Oh damn," Draco said with fake sympathy "poor baby can't gain five hundred pounds before the beginning of the school year."

**fizzy drinks and cakes, chocolate bars and burgers - and filled instead with fruit and vegetables and the sorts of things that Uncle Vernon called "rabbit food". **

Narcissa raised a brow, "Rabbit food? That cow calls healthy vegetables rabbit food? He needs to go on a diet along with his son."

"I don't want them to die or anything," said Hermione "but I hope that they get an allergic reaction to bacon or something."

"Now that's cold!" laughed Narcissa

**To make Dudley feel better about it all, Aunt Petunia had insisted that the whole family follow the diet too. She now passed a grapefruit quarter to AJ. **

Charlie snarled, "Like punk needs to go on a damn diet! She's skinny as twig."

"Not for long." mumbled AJ under her breath

**She noticed that it was a lot smaller than Dudley's.**

Bill rolled his eyes, "Instead of just giving everyone equal pieces, she gives the one person who doesn't need to be on a diet the smallest piece. Smart move."

"You can see why she reproduced." Muttered Snape

**Aunt Petunia seemed to feel that the best way to keep up Dudley's morale was to make sure that he did, at least, get more to eat than AJ.**

Arthur shook his head, "I think he's jealous of you AJ. It's not uncommon for a muggle relative to be envious of a magical relative."

**But Aunt Petunia didn't know what was hidden under the loose floorboard upstairs.**

"A guy?" yelled George

Fred shook his head, "No! I bet it's a snake."

"A snake?" asked Sirius confused while the twins nodded.

**She had no idea that AJ wasn't following the diet at all.** **The moment she had got wind of the fact that she was expected to survive the summer on carrot sticks, **

Hermione grinned, "Like we would ever let you go a summer eating just that!"

"Don't get me wrong, I'm all for good healthy food but what they were feeding you didn't constitute as a meal." Smiled Draco

**AJ had sent Hedwig to her friends with pleas for help, and they had risen to the occasion magnificently.**

Tonks smiled, "You could have owled me! I would have sent you lots of goodies that my mom bakes."

"Thanks Tonks but I didn't know you at the time." Snickered AJ

**Hedwig had returned from Hermione's house with a large box stuffed full of sugar-free snacks (Hermione's parents were dentists).**

Ted smiled, "Better then nothing."

"That's for sure," grinned Hermione "I was going to get some chocolates and stuff but my parents wouldn't have liked that one bit."

**Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, had obliged with a sack full of his own homemade rock cakes (AJ hadn't touched these; she had had too much experience of Hagrid's cooking).**

Sirius grimaced, "We should buy him a cookbook for Christmas or something."

**Mrs. Malfoy, however, had sent an enormous fruitcake, assorted pastries and AJ's favorite raspberry tart. **

"That was the best raspberry tart I've ever had in my entire life." Smiled AJ

Draco nodded, "It's moms specialty, she only makes it on special occasions like your birthday."

**She had never met Mrs. Malfoy before and was touched that she would go out of her way to send such a care package.**

"Of course I would!" gaped Narcissa "Not only are you the daughter of a close friend, you're also my sons best friend."

**And then on AJ's birthday (which the Dursleys had completely ignored) she had had received five superb birthday cakes, one each from Draco, Hermione, Hagrid, Professor Lupin and Sirius.**

Remus smiled, "I wasn't going to miss another birthday."

"That wasn't your fault love." Smiled Sirius

**AJ still had two of them left, and so, looking forward to a real breakfast when she got back upstairs, she started eating her grapefruit without complaint.**

Molly sniffed, "Cake is not acceptable breakfast. You should have eaten something healthy!"

"What was she supposed to eat?" asked Arthur "She had no way of getting a decent meal and they would have noticed her gaining weight throughout the summer, especially if they weren't giving AJ proper meals."

**Uncle Vernon laid aside his paper with a deep sniff of disapproval and looked down at his own grapefruit quarter.** **"Is this it?" he said grumpily to Aunt Petunia.**

Regulus rolled his eyes, "What does he want for breakfast? A lot of people only eat grapefruit for breakfast."

"Well he does have a delicate diet that needs plenty of fat." Snickered George

**Aunt Petunia gave him a very severe look, and then nodded pointedly at Dudley, who had already finished his own grapefruit quarter, and was eyeing AJ's with a very sour look in his little piggy eyes.**

Charlie rolled his eyes, "He's eaten enough food over the course of a school year to last him a lifetime."

"Apparently that's not enough for the growing boy." Snorted Bill

**Uncle Vernon gave a great sigh with ruffled his large, butchy moustache, and picked up his spoon.** **The doorbell rang. Uncle Vernon heaved himself out of his chair and set off down the hall.**

Ted smirked, "Must have been all the exercise in his entire existence."

**Quick as a flash, while his mother was occupied with the kettle, Dudley stole the rest of Uncle Vernon's grapefruit.**

Everyone shuddered at the thought of Dudley and his future family.

**AJ heard talking at the door, and someone laughing, and Uncle Vernon answering curtly. Then the front door closed, and the sound of ripping paper came from the hall.**

"Does he always have to be an asshole?" asked Remus

AJ nodded, "It's part of his charm papa."

**Aunt Petunia set the teapot down on the table and looked curiously around to see where Uncle Vernon had got. **

Snape rolled his eyes she would never change.

**She didn't have to wait long to find out; after about a minute, he was back. He looked livid.** **"You," he barked at AJ. "In the living room. Now."**

"What could you have possibly done?" shouted Sirius

Remus nodded, "Now he's just trying to think of things to blame on you."

**Bewildered, wondering what on earth she was supposed to have done this time, AJ got up and followed Uncle Vernon out of the kitchen and into the next room. Uncle Vernon closed the door sharply behind both of them.**

"Now that's not ominous at all," muttered Narcissa "if he tries to touch you in any way knee him in the balls."

Kingsley made a face, "That went from rated G to M in a hurry."

**"So," he said, marching over to the fireplace and turning to face AJ as though he was going to pronounce her under arrest. "So."**

"Sew buttons?" asked Hermione

AJ laughed, "That's what I said!"

"**Sew buttons," blinked AJ "no wait, sow your wild oats."**

"What does that mean?" asked Ginny

Charlie hung his head, "Nothing, Ginny. AJ just has a very odd sense of humor."

"It's funny!" argued AJ "Just don't picture it with Vernon and your good to go."

"**Sorry, I thought we were playing a word game." AJ stated upon seeing the look her uncle gave her.**

Regulus sighed, "He touches you, he's basically signed his own death certificate."

**"This just arrived," said Uncle Vernon. He brandished a piece of purple writing paper at AJ. "A letter. About you."**

"Oh that must be the letter I wrote to your Aunt and Uncle!" smiled Molly

AJ nodded, "Yeah thanks for that. I enjoyed the conversation with Vernon immensely."

**AJ's confusion increased. Who would be writing to Uncle Vernon about her? **

"Hogwarts has sent your family plenty of letters over the years." Muttered Snape

Andy snorted, "And they seem to really give a damn about AJ and what she's been through over the years."

**Uncle Vernon glared at AJ, then looked down at the letter, and began to read aloud:**

"Now we can see how you all managed to screw AJ over," muttered Ted "this should be fun to hear about."

_**Dear Mr. and Mrs. Dursley,**_

_**We have never been introduced, but I am sure you have heard a great deal from AJ about my son Ron.**_

"No, not really." Snickered AJ

Charlie smirked, "Am I going to be introduced to them? Wait what will they think?"

"What will they think of what?" asked Regulus

"Um well," stuttered Charlie "about us dating! I wonder how they would take that."

Regulus narrowed his eyes, "You're weird dragon boy."

_**As AJ might have told you, the final of the Quidditch World Cup**_ _**takes place next Monday night, and my husband, Arthur, has managed to get prime tickets through his connections at the Department of Magical Games and Sports. **_

"Wow," laughed George "you've managed to piss them off within the first few sentences."

Fred scoffed, "Too bad we didn't write it! We could have pissed them off within the first two words."

_**I do hope you will allow us to take AJ to the match,**_ _**as this really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; Britain hasn't hosted the Cup for thirty years and tickets are extremely hard to come by. **_

"Now it's going to get tricky," remarked Tonks "if she can go it would make her happy."

Kingsley nodded, "And Merlin forbid AJ is ever happy."

_**We would of course be glad to have AJ to stay for the remainder of the summer holidays, and to see her safely onto the train back to school.**_ _**It would be best for AJ to send us your answer as quickly as possible in the normal way, because the Muggle postman has never delivered to our house, and I'm not sure he even knows where it is.**_

_**Hoping to see AJ soon,**_

_**Yours sincerely,**_

_**Molly Weasley**_

_**P.S. I do hope we've put enough stamps on.**_

"Well I can't see this going to hell in a hand basket in a hurry." Muttered Sirius

Narcissa rolled her eyes, "How many stamps did you put on?"

"Only a few," argued Molly "I wasn't sure and I didn't want the postman to be upset."

"Why didn't anyone ask me to send the letter?" asked Hermione

Sirius snorted, "Because that would have caused Molly to actually think."

"Now really Sirius! That is crossing the line!" yelled Molly

"Crossing the line?" snarled Sirius "Your sons told you that AJ was locked up and being starved! What makes you think for one goddamn minute that they would take kindly to receiving a letter about a Wizarding sport? Get your head out of your ass Molly and realize that not all muggles are happy go lucky towards everyone and everything!"

**Uncle Vernon finished reading, put his hand back into his breast pocket and drew out something else.**

Bill raised a brow, "A knife?"

"No," laughed AJ "the envelope."

**"Look at this," he growled.** **He held up the envelope in which Mrs. Weasley's letter had come, and AJ had to fight down a laugh.**

Draco shook his head, "I would have been afraid he was plotting my death."

"He may have been," sighed Andy "you can never be sure with that asshole."

**Every bit of it was covered in stamps except for a square inch on the front, into which Mrs. Weasley had squeezed the Dursleys' address in minute writing.**

Hermione groaned, "Really? Come on now, all you had to do was ask me or even go into muggle London and go straight to the post office where they would put the ONE stamp on."

"Post office? What's that like?" asked Arthur beaming

"I'll explain later," Smiled Hermione "but it's pretty much like the Owl post."

**"She did put enough stamps on, then," said AJ with a smirk.**

Remus groaned, "Cub please don't antagonize the beast. I love having you alive."

**Her uncle's eyes flashed.** **"The postman noticed," he said through gritted teeth.**

"Why is that such a big deal?" asked Bill "Just say that it came from a different country or something."

Narcissa smiled, "It still makes people assume they're abnormal and they can't have that. It's all about appearances with them."

**"Very interested to know where this letter came from, he was. That's why he rang the doorbell. Seemed to think it was funny."**

"Well come on," snickered Ted "it is a little funny. You just have to not be a stuck up little prick over it."

**"So - can I go, then?" she asked.**

Regulus shrugged, "He should just let you go, it would give them the happiness of not having magic under their roof."

"Yeah but it would make AJ happy." Reminded Charlie

**A slight spasm crossed Uncle Vernon's large, purple face. The moustache bristled. **

Tonks gagged, "He's disgusting. He really needs to seek a health care professional."

"How about we just put him in jail and then he won't have to worry about him losing weight." Remarked Kingsley

**"Who is this woman?" he said, staring at the signature with distaste.**

Charlie smirked, "Future mother-in-law."

"Not for awhile if I can help it." Grumbled Remus

**"You've seen her," said AJ. "She's one of my friends mother, she was meeting him off the Hog- off the school train at the end of last term."**

Kingsley scowled, "Like he gives a damn who she is."

**Uncle Vernon was perusing the letter again.** **"Quidditch," he muttered under his breath. "Quidditch - what is this rubbish?"**

"The best sport ever!" cheered the twins

Sirius nodded, "He has no sense of fun whatsoever. Pathetic."

"Maybe we could get him on a broomstick," muttered Fred

George nodded, "That's a good plan! We'll have to work on this plan a little more."

**AJ felt a stab of annoyance.** **"It's a sport," she said shortly. "Played on broom-"**

"He won't like that," laughed Regulus "keep the conversation going in this direction!"

**"All right, all right!" said Uncle Vernon loudly.**

Bill laughed, "I'm really starting to like this guy."

"How can you say that?" asked Hermione

"Just look how mad he gets over simple things," laughed Bill "it's a broomstick which isn't even magical! Muggles use them all the time and he still makes it seem dirt or something."

**"What does she mean, the normal way?" he spat.**

Tonks raised a brow, "An owl? Oh right. Another rant is coming!"

"Thanks for preparing us dear." Snickered Andy

**"Normal for us," said AJ, and before her uncle could stop her, she added, "you know, owl post. That's what's normal for witches and wizards."**

AJ winced, "I really shouldn't have phrased it that way."

"Smooth, very smooth" muttered Snape "what else can you come up with in that pinhead of yours?"

"You don't have to be such an jerk, I've done nothing to you these past few chapters. Just back off." Glared AJ

**Uncle Vernon looked as outraged as if AJ had just uttered a disgusting swear word. **

Draco snickered, "He doesn't listen to you talk much does he?"

**Shaking with anger, he shot a nervy look through the window, as though expecting to see some of the neighbors with their eyes pressed against the glass.**

"They aren't all your horse of a wife," snarled Narcissa "you're allowed to talk about whatever you want in the home."

Ted snorted, "With his fucked up mind I bet he thinks that the neighbors can sense him talking about abnormal things."

**"How many times do I have to tell you not to mention that unnaturalness under my roof?"**

"What is he so damn afraid of?" yelled Regulus "Does he think he's going to catch a disease or something?"

AJ shrugged, "One can only hope that's what would happen."

**He hissed, his face now a rich plum colors. "You stand there, in the clothes Petunia and I have put on your ungrateful back -"**

"That's what parent and guardians do!" yelled Ted "Honest to Merlin, these people act as if they have done so much for you when it reality they've done the bear minimum."

Hermione scowled, "They didn't even give her girl clothes! They gave her crappy boy clothes!"

"Of course, why doesn't that surprise me?" snarked Ted

**"Really?" asked AJ "Because last time I checked you gave me Dudley's hand-me-downs until I went to my school where I bought actual girl clothes."**

Everyone cheered for AJ, that fat muggle needed to be taken down a few notches.

**"I will not be spoken to like that!" said Uncle Vernon, trembling with rage.**

"She will talk to you however she damn well pleases." Snarled Remus

Molly shook her head, "And you mock my parenting? You're encouraging her to talk back to her family!"

"First of all that's not her family," growled Remus "second of all your parenting methods leave a lot to be desired with the way you pick favorites and never listen to your children."

Just as Molly was going to argue Arthur jumped in, "Molly please, how they raise AJ is their business and you have no right interfering in their lives."

**AJ took a deep breath, "So I can't go? I should let my godfather know, too bad I know this won't make him happy."**

"You're damn right this won't make him happy!" yelled Sirius "I would have gone there and raised all hell."

Charlie shook his head, "I'm pretty sure that would have raised a few brows if you had gone to their house when you're a wanted man."

"They need a good scare in their lives. What better way then to have a convicted felon show up at their door step?" smirked Sirius

**"You're - you're writing to him, are you?" said Uncle Vernon, in a would-be calm voice - but AJ had seen the pupils of his tiny eyes contract with sudden fear.**

Narcissa shuddered, "I'd hate to see the day that AJ stops writing to Sirius. The muggles wouldn't know what happened to them."

"We would jump to conclusions and make them pay of course." Smiled Remus

**"Well - yeah," said AJ casually. "It's been a while since he heard from me, and, you know, if he doesn't, he might start thinking something's wrong."**

Andy nodded, "Oh trust me he will. Wait till you go back to school and haven't written him in a week, he'll come to Hogwarts to make sure you're okay."

"A week," laughed Fred "I give him two days tops!"

**"Well, all right then. You can go to this ruddy...this stupid... this World Cup thing.**

Ron scowled, "It's not stupid! It's the greatest sport in the world!"

"He's a muggle who hates magic Ronald!" glared Hermione "Of course he's going to think the damn sport is stupid! Everything we do in our world is stupid to him. How can you not see this?"

**You write and tell these - these Weasley's they're to pick you up, mind. I haven't got time to go dropping you off all over the country. **

The twins, Bill and Charlie burst into laughter while AJ sighed. The living room was nice while it lasted."

**And you can spend the rest of the summer there. And you can tell your - your godfather ... tell him ... tell him you're going."**

"Good," smiled Tonks "now you can leave that hell hole and never look back."

AJ snickered, "Well I had to go back but I know what you mean."

**"OK then," said AJ brightly.**

"Don't leave this out of your letter this time." Smiled Bill "I don't think Sirius would take too kindly to that."

Charlie grinned, "I'm sure she told Sirius considering the muggles are still very much alive."

**AJ took the stairs three at a time, and hurried herself back into her bedroom.** **The first thing she saw was that Hedwig was back.**

"What took her so long?" snarked Ginny

AJ rolled her eyes, "I told you that she was out hunting or stretching her wings. Do you have memory issues? Oh wait that was in second year, oops."

"That's not funny!" yelled Ginny "You can be so rude and mean!"

**She was sitting in her cage, staring at AJ with her enormous amber eyes, and clicking her beak in the way that meant she was annoyed about something.**

Ted blinked, "What could you have done to piss her off already?"

**AJ saw why Hedwig was annoyed at once, the small brown owl was staring Hedwig down as if he could actually take on the larger owl. **

"She's very territorial," smiled AJ "she doesn't like when other owls are around me or around her for that matter."

Kingsley smiled, "That's the sign of a loyal owl. You're lucky to have her kiddo."

**AJ knew it was Charlie's owl, which only made her excitement grow ten-fold. **

"Oh boy," snickered Bill "we get to hear about the love letter."

Regulus made a face, "Lets hope its rated G or I'll have to kill him now rather then later."

**AJ then realized that the owl had dropped a letter at her feet. AJ bent down, recognized Charlie's smooth handwriting.**

_**Punk, my dad got the tickets! No matter what your 'family' says you're going to the cup! Looking forward to seeing you!**_

_**-Charlie-**_

"Aww!" laughed Remus

Narcissa cocked her head; "I recall a few letters that you and Siri would send to each other over the summer before Siri moved in with the Potters.

"Point taken," coughed Remus "there's no need to talk about this anymore."

**The owl fluttered down on top of Hedwig's cage. Hedwig looked coldly up at it, as though daring it to try and come any closer.**

**AJ seized her eagle-feather quill once more, grabbed a fresh piece of parchment, and wrote:**

_**Charlie, they said I can go! You just have to pick me up :) **_

_**-Punk**_

The twins were practically bouncing from their seats they couldn't wait to relive their amazing prank.

**She folded this note up very small and, with immense difficulty, tied it to the tiny owl's leg as it hopped on the spot with excitement.**

"He sounds adorable," smiled Andy "what's his name?"

Bill laughed, "Toad."

"You named your owl Toad?" asked Andy while Bill laughed louder

Charlie rolled his eyes, "I thought it was different and something that you wouldn't normal hear someone calling an owl."

**The moment the note was secure, the owl was off again, and it zoomed out of the window and out of sight.**

"Hedwig must have been relived to not have to see Toad again." Smiled Hermione

AJ nodded, "You have no idea how she acted once the owl was gone. She was all stuck up almost, it was funny."

**AJ turned to Hedwig.** **"Feeling up to a long journey?" she asked her.** **Hedwig hooted in a dignified sort of way.**

"I think Hedwig is your familiar," smiled Tonks "that's really special to find."

**Before she gave Hedwig the letter she added, '**_**if you want to contact me, I'll be at my friend Charlie Weasley's for the rest of the summer. His dad's got us tickets for the Quidditch World Cup!'**_

Narcissa bit her lip; "Charlie Weasley makes an appearance in Sirius radar."

"I was still kind of out of it at the time," remarked Sirius "and it didn't really sink in until Moony pointed out that AJ mentioned a boy."

"Aw poor daddy has to see his little girl grow up!" snickered Narcissa while Sirius grumbled to himself.

**The letter finished, she tied it to Hedwig's leg; she kept unusually still, as though determined to show her how a real post owl should behave.**

Draco shook his head, "It's hilarious how much you and Hedwig are alike. You're both proud and have major attitudes."

**"I'll be at Charlie's when you get back, all right?" AJ told her.**

"How does she know Charlie or where he would be?" asked Arthur

AJ smiled, "Charlie and I had been sending letters throughout the summer mainly using Hedwig because someone was using Charlie's owl to send letters to a future girlfriend." Hermione and Bill glared at AJ who smiled sweetly back

**She nipped AJ's finger affectionately, then, with a soft swooshing noise, spread her enormous wings and soared out of the open window.**

"Soon," grinned Kingsley "you'll be out of the house and at the game of the century!"

**AJ watched her out of sight, then crawled under her bed, wrenched up the loose floorboard, and pulled out a large chunk of birthday cake. **

Hermione shook her head, "Thank Merlin you have us. You would weight less then a ten year old if we didn't keep you stocked in snacks."

"I know, I'm going to have to remain healthy now." Remarked AJ

Remus raised a brow, "What do you mean? What's going on?"

"Because of Quidditch." Smiled AJ "I have to be healthy for Quidditch."

**She sat there on the floor eating it, savoring the happiness that was flooding through her.** **It was hard, just now, to feel worried about anything - even Lord Voldemort.**

"Now really," complained Fred "I want to know why you didn't send me an owl!"

George nodded, "Or me!" they knew they were working Charlie up, "Don't you love us anymore?"

"I wasn't aware that I loved either of you from the start." Laughed AJ while throwing a pillow at them

"Now it's on," yelled Fred making the room laugh "watch your back AJ." As he threw a pillow at her Charlie caught it

"Careful you idiots!" yelled Charlie

Sirius jumped up, "That's it, Charlie and AJ. Upstairs now." AJ gaped, she had never hears her dad yell at her before. "We need to talk. Lets go." Everyone watched Sirius, Remus, Regulus, AJ and Charlie walk up the stairs.

"Maybe we could all get a snack before dinner?" suggested Draco

***Upstairs*******

Walking in the library Sirius turned to AJ, "What is going on?"

"You two are being really weird," remarked Remus "Charlie you're acting as if AJ is made of glass. What in the hell is going on?"

"She could have chocked on a feather or something." Argued Charlie

"Chocked on a feather?" asked Regulus "She could have chocked on a feather? Of all the lame brain excuses you could have come up with that's what you say? What in the hell is wrong with you, you damn ass!"

Remus glared, "Want to try that one again and not lie to us this time?"

"Well, it's complicated!" muttered Charlie "I just can't this wait a few more days?"

"No it can't wait!" yelled Sirius "I want to know what is going on and I want to know now!"

AJ glared, "I'M PREGNANT! That's why Charlie is acting all weird and protective!"

**AN: Read and Review :)**


	73. Talking

AJ closed her mouth, "I said that out loud didn't I?"

"Yeah punk you kind of did." Mumbled Charlie

Sirius looked to Remus and Regulus, all he could feel in that moment was shock. His baby, his sixteen-year-old daughter was pregnant. He sat down with his head in his hands, he didn't know how to process this. This wasn't supposed to happen, AJ was more responsible then this, she wasn't supposed to get pregnant in school or as a teenager. She was supposed to worry about her O. an her N.E. , figure out what she wanted to be when she graduated, hell Sirius didn't care if she wanted to be a beach bum for the rest of her life as long as she was happy and got to feel the freedom that was robbed of the people involved during wars.

Remus turned away with a tear in his eye; he could believe this was happening. AJ was young, she still had the rest of life to have kids and get married. This was the time for her to make mistakes and learn lessons, not have a baby and figure out how to raise the child in the middle of the war. He didn't want this life for AJ; he wanted her to experience everything the world had to offer and not have to live for anyone but herself. How Lily and James feel? No, he couldn't think like that, they were gone and he knew they would be proud of their daughter no matter what. He didn't know what AJ's plans were but he hoped she made the decision that wouldn't cause her too many trials and tribulations on top of everything she had already been and would continue to go through.

Regulus bit his nail while pacing the length of the library silently fuming. Pregnant. His niece was pregnant, and dragon boy was the father. Sweet Merlin, he was going to be a great Uncle. That thought alone made him shudder, he was too young to be a great anything-let alone great Uncle. Of all people it had to happen to AJ, she was AJ. She didn't let things like this happen; she was the kind of person to think things through. Well no, that was a lie. AJ rarely thought anything through, but a pregnancy? He swore she was smarter then this, not that he blamed her in any way but a pregnancy? Merlin help them.

Finally Regulus broke the silence, "How did this happen?"

"Well, when a man and a women," but Charlie couldn't finish the sentence

"Shut up," scowled Sirius "just shut the fuck up. Weren't you using protection?"

AJ nodded, "We are. Well were."

"Right," nodded Remus "I can tell. Especially after you yelled that you're pregnant. That just screams I'm using protection."

"At least it happened with someone she loves and who she lost her virginity too." Argued Charlie

Regulus rolled his eyes, "Okay you need to stop talking. You're really not making matters any better. Look, the fact of the matter is you made me a great uncle! What were you thinking? What are you going to do? Have you thought about school and oh I don't know your lives? What is the plan?"

"Reggie calm down," yelled Remus "we're all upset but that isn't going to make this situation any better or make it go away. Just calm the fuck down!"

"What is the plan? What is it that you two want to do?" asked Sirius

AJ stared at her dad, "I'm going to keep the baby. I know it's going to be hard but it's what we want to do and what we feel is best. I love Charlie and I know I'm young and have my whole life ahead of me, but this is what I want. School is important to me and I'm going to finish school, Charlie and I already talked about this."

"I'm planning on transferring to the dragon reserve closer to London so I'll be closer to AJ during her pregnancy. I'm also going to try and work at Hogwarts during AJ's sixth and seventh year so we can live together during the year and raise the baby together. We're not going to do that one weekend here, one week their sort of thing. That's just not how it's going to be and if you all can't except that then fine, you won't be apart of our lives." Stated Charlie

"Alright, alright," sighed Sirius tiredly "I'm not going to pretend that I'm happy about this because I'm not. I'm also not going to kick AJ out or not support her decision. We're family and we're in this together whether you like it or not. Working at Hogwarts is a great idea and living closer would make me happy and would give AJ a lot of support, which she's going to need at this time. Don't screw my daughter over or I will kill you."

Remus nodded, "We love you cub and we tolerate dragon boy. Just know that this isn't going to be easy, it's going to be really hard and there are going to be days that you're going to regret being pregnant so young. But know that we are here for you no matter what because when the rumors start you're going to feel alone and lost. That's not the case and don't let them get you down."

"Thanks daddy, papa," smiled AJ "I think we can do this. We have to do this; we're going to have a baby. Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"I'm not happy but I'm not mad either. I'm just disappointed that you're not going to experience everything I wanted you to experience. You can't travel or just pick up and go somewhere anymore. It's going to be hard at such a young age; I just wish you weren't so young and going through this pup. Even if I am disappointed and have the urge to kill your boyfriend, you're still my daughter and my number one priority." Sirius said hugging AJ tightly.

"Are we okay Uncle Reggie?" asked AJ hugging her Uncle tightly, Regulus nodded and kissed the top of her head.

Charlie smiled, "We're all one big family now!"

"Yeah, lucky us." Deadpanned Remus with a smirk "We should probably head back down and continue the readings. Speaking of which, when are you going to tell everyone else?"

"Probably before or after dinner. That way they have the rest of the night to sleep on the big news." Smirked AJ. AJ, Remus and Sirius left the room when Regulus stopped Charlie and pushed him back in the room.

Regulus glared, "I have a few things I need to say to you before we go down there. You leave my niece over this pregnancy and I will end you. You hurt her in any way and I will end you. That is my niece! She brought this fucked up family we're apart of back together, she means more to us then she or you will ever know. I understand that she loves you and you are who makes her happy, but I will not hesitate to kill you. My brother and brother-in-law are a lot calmer then I am, they can't show they're anger towards you in fear of hurting AJ or the baby. But me, I don't have that problem. I'm pissed off that you were stupid enough to do something like this! Come on Charlie, you're smarter then this. I will support AJ in whatever she decides to do because she's family and she's what counts. Don't screw her or this baby over!"

"Are you done?" glared Charlie seeing a curt nod he continued, "Who in the hell do you think you are? You may be AJ's uncle but she's my girlfriend the mother of my child and you have to accept that Regulus! I would never abandon AJ or this baby! She is the love of my life and I will do whatever it takes to make you realize that. She's going to be my wife one day Regulus, it's going to happen whether you like it or not. I know AJ and she'll never admit this, but she does need her family around her during this. Don't shut her out because of me."

"Look, I'll try to accept you. I really will but in the mean time you can have fun dealing with an angry Sirius and Werewolf. Good luck with that!" smirked Regulus while Charlie gulped.

Walking into the living room, Charlie sat next to AJ and kissed her cheek while Regulus sat next to Narcissa and sent a wink to AJ who grinned back. She was happy that her family was being so supportive. Merlin only knew how Snape, Arthur and Molly would react.

Narcissa smiled, "Is everyone okay now? I'll read the next chapter **Back To the Burrow**…"

**AN: I hope you liked it! Read and Review :)**


	74. Back to the Burrow

**By twelve o'clock the next day, AJ's school trunk was packed with her school things and all her most prized possessions - the Invisibility Cloak**

Snape rolled his eyes, he hated that damn cloak and all the issues that it caused.

**she had inherited from her father, the broomstick she had gotten from Sirius, **

Sirius grinned, at least he was able to give her one great birthday gift. He had to make sure to spoil her and his…grandchild more then the regular father or grandfather would. He shuddered at being call grandfather…maybe granddad was better suited for him; it didn't make him see that old.

**the enchanted map of Hogwarts she had been given by Fred and George Weasley last year.**

Fred and George shared high fives while Molly growled, "How dare you two! Why wouldn't you hand that into the professors?"

"Because it's amazing?" snorted Fred

George scoffed, "Because it's the best invention ever?"

"And completely irresponsible." Muttered Molly

**She had emptied her hiding place under the loose floorboard of all food, double-checked every nook and cranny of her bedroom for forgotten spell books or quills,**

Regulus scowled, "If you had forgotten something what would have happened to your things?"

"I'm really not sure," remarked AJ "I don't think they would have burned them because they would have been afraid the magic would come off it and kill them or turn them into pigs."

**and taken down the chart on the wall counting down the days to September the first, on which she liked to cross off the days remaining until her return to Hogwarts.**

Snape shook his head, he didn't like that he and AJ had so much in common.

**The atmosphere inside number four, Privet Drive was extremely tense.**

"You're leaving so why is it so tense?" asked Bill

Draco snorted, "They're idiots, you know that. They probably have an entire plan of how it's supposed to go and now you guys aren't following the very strict schedule."

**The imminent arrival at their house of an assortment of wizards was making the Dursleys uptight and irritable. **

"Oh!" exclaimed Hermione "The only other person of magic they've met is Hagrid!"

Sirius burst into laughter, "When he turned little Dudley into a pig!"

"Well he gave him a pigs tail, but it's still funny." Snickered Hermione

**Uncle Vernon had looked downright alarmed when AJ informed him that the Weasley's would be arriving at five o'clock the very next day.**

Charlie winced, "Were we really late?"

"No we couldn't have been that late," argued Arthur "they have to have realized we weren't used to there times."

"**I hope you told them to dress properly, these people," he snarled at once. **

Remus rolled his eyes, "I somehow doubt they're going to come in the house with their dress robes on."

"Now there's an idea!" grinned George

Fred nodded, "We must always wear dress robes around Vernon!"

**"I've seen the sort of stuff your lot wear. They'd better have the decency to put on normal clothes, that's all."**

"Like jeans?" asked Narcissa "What is he talking about?"

Ted shrugged, "I think your right, or he wants them to wear a suit and tie. You never know with him."

"I'm sure that no matter what they wear he's going to have a problem with it." Argued Narcissa.

**AJ felt a slight sense of foreboding. She had rarely seen Mr. or Mrs. Weasley wearing anything that the Dursleys would call "normal." **

Ron scowled, "We dress normal! We aren't freaks!"

"That's really mean AJ," sneered Ginny "and we're supposed to be your friends."

"Since when are either of you my friends? Also, I said as far as the Dursleys standards. Not mind, so don't sit there and play the victim card when your facts aren't straight."

**Their children might don Muggle clothing during the holidays, but Mr. and Mrs. Weasley usually wore long robes in varying states of shabbiness. **

Bill shook his head, "Of course we do. We don't walk around wearing fancy clothing or something during the ninety degree weather."

"I didn't know!" snickered AJ "From now on, I'll make sure to edit my thoughts."

**AJ wasn't bothered about what the neighbors would think, but she was anxious about how rude the Dursleys might be to the Weasley's if they turned up looking like their worst idea of wizards.**

Arthur smiled, "Don't worry about them, I wasn't offended in the least. I was a little worried how they may react after a certain prank though."

"What prank?" glared Molly

"It was nothing," sighed Arthur "the boys just got a little over zealous with a new product they were testing out. Nothing that I couldn't handle."

**Uncle Vernon had put on his best suit. To some people, this might have looked like a gesture of welcome, but AJ knew it was because Uncle Vernon wanted to look impressive and intimidating.**

Charlie raised a brow, "Really? I thought he looked like a pompous jerk with no sense of human worth."

"You met them?" gaped Kingsley "And you're still alive to tell the story?"

"I didn't talk to them because they were too busy glaring and freaking out over a certain incident." Laughed Charlie

**Dudley, on the other hand, looked somehow diminished. This was not because the diet was at last taking effect, but due to fright. **

Tonks grinned, "Hagrid, he's becoming my hero."

"They should fear the magical world," muttered Andy "especially after how they treated AJ."

**Dudley had emerged from his last encounter with a fully-grown wizard with a curly pig's tail poking out of the seat of his trousers,** **and Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had had to pay for its removal at a private hospital in London.**

Ted snorted, "Didn't he get some big promotion or something? He afford the removal."

"How do you think he explained his son gaining a pigs tail?" laughed Draco

"I would have loved to have seen that!" smirked Ted "He wouldn't have been able to talk his way out of that one easily."

**It wasn't altogether surprising; therefore, that Dudley kept running his hand nervously over his backside, and walking sideways from room to room, so as not to present the same target to the enemy.**

Fred grinned, "The enemy?"

"Like we would ever harm him." Smirked George

Regulus looked at the smirking twins who were writing down plans that involves a cow, the sorting hat and a trampoline, "I won't be getting on your bad side anytime soon."

**Lunch was an almost silent meal. Dudley didn't even protest at the food (cottage cheese and grated celery).**

"She considers that a meal?" asked Remus "I think Dudley needs a diet, but having him malnourished isn't going to make the nurses at the school any happier."

Ron groaned, "Whens dinner?"

"You just had a snack." Argued Remus "We should read a few more chapter before dinner. I think you can handle the wait."

**Aunt Petunia wasn't, eating anything at all. Her arms were folded, her lips were pursed, and she seemed to be chewing her tongue, as though biting back the furious diatribe she longed to throw at AJ.**

Sirius raised a brow, "What could she possibly be mad about?"

"Wizards are coming into her home." Deadpanned Tonks

"**They'll be driving, of course?" Uncle Vernon barked across the table.**

Ginny made a face, "Driving? Driving what?"

"A car," huffed Hermione "that's what he was referring to."

"Oh, well we don't have a car. Why would we?" asked Ginny

Hermione glared, "We know that Ginny! Just stop talking, for the rest of the readings. No. Stop talking forever."

"**I guess." said AJ.** **She hadn't thought of that. How were the Weasley's going to pick her up?**

"Maybe apparition?" suggested Kingsley

Ted nodded, "That might work. But where would they apparate? They can't do it in the middle of the house, that would scare the shit out of the pigs."

"Right, that's true." Sighed Kingsley "So I'm still with them apparating."

**AJ spent most of the afternoon in her bedroom avoiding the whole family; they all seemed to benefit from that. **

Narcissa sighed, "I really hate that you can't be comfortable in your own home."

"It's not my home though," argued AJ "it's just the house I go to every summer."

**Finally, at a quarter to five, AJ went back downstairs and into the living room.**

AJ rolled her eyes, should have just stayed upstairs and waited for the explosion to happed. Literally.

**Aunt Petunia was compulsively straightening cushions. **

Tonks bit her lip, "Appearances are everything to these idiots, and even to people that couldn't care less of the shape there home is in."

**Uncle Vernon was pretending to read the paper, but his tiny eyes were not moving, and AJ was sure he was really listening with all his might for the sound of an approaching car. **

"We really should have driven," winced Charlie "it would have saved us all a headache."

Andy grinned, "What happened? Was it bad in a good way?"

"It was funny for us, but for some odd reason the Dursleys just weren't finding it humorous." Snickered the twins

**Dudley was crammed into an armchair, his porky hands beneath him, clamped firmly around his bottom. **

Arthur frowned, "I would never do something to harm the child."

"I would," muttered Sirius "he's just as responsible for causing AJ pain as his parents."

**AJ couldn't take the tension; she left the room and went and sat on the stairs in the hall, her eyes on her watch and her heart pumping fast from excitement.** **But five o'clock came and then went.**

Hermione grinned, "What had you so excited?"

"Was it a certain dragon handler?" asked Bill

"Really you two really want to go there?" asked AJ "I can tell you both secrets about each that will make your skin crawl." AJ was met with two death glares

**Uncle Vernon, perspiring slightly in his suit, opened the front door, peered up and down the street, and then withdrew his head quickly. **"**They're late!" he snarled at AJ.**

Remus rolled his eyes, "Like he's never been late to something before. They've never been around a muggle neighborhood before like that."

"But you're thinking like a person," remarked Regulus "you have to think like an asshole. Then you can understand where this jerkoff is coming from."

"**I know," said AJ. "I gathered that when I wasn't leaving."**

Sirius snickered, "You my darling daughter, have to learn when sarcasm isn't appropriate."

"He's mean though," pouted AJ "and I am your daughter after all. I take after you."

**At half past, she heard Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia conversing in terse mutters in the living room.** "**No consideration at all."**

Narcissa blinked, "What was taking you so long?"

"Well, we may or not have been in the process of gathering some necessary carryon's." remarked Fred

George nodded, "Our supplies were taking longer then normal to formulate."

"Of course, why didn't I think of that?" snarked Narcissa

"**We might've had an engagement."**

Draco rolled his eyes, "All you had to do was leave AJ alone with her fifteen year old self."

"**Maybe they think they'll get invited to dinner if they're late."**

"I would have rather eaten tar." Snarled Charlie

"**Well, they most certainly won't be," said Uncle Vernon, and AJ heard him stand up and start pacing the living room. **

Arthur rolled his eyes, "We didn't want to stay for dinner anyhow. Molly always cooks our dinner at the same time every night."

"Could you imagine what they could have had for dinner?" laughed Bill

"Maybe steamed vegetables and a side of rice." Snickered Arthur

**"They'll take the girl and go, there'll be no hanging around. That's if they're coming at all. **

Andy scowled, "Well there's no need to be rude! They could at least offer you all a drink or something."

"My father doesn't drink!" argued Ginny

"I never said he did," groundout Andy "I said offer a drink. Like lemonade, ice tea or even just water. Don't be so defensive Ginny."

**I daresay their kind don't set much store by punctuality. Either that or they drive some tin-pot car that's broken d- AAAAAAARRRRRGH!"**

Everyone grinned while Molly glared disapprovingly.

**AJ jumped up. From the other side of the living room door came the sounds of the three Dursleys scrambling, panic-stricken, across the room. **

Ted grinned, "What happened? Did you apparate in the middle of the room!? You should have!"

"We didn't," sighed Arthur "I'm starting to think that would have been a better outcome."

**Next moment Dudley came flying into the hall, looking terrified.**

Sirius snorted, "Hey, there's a new way to get him into an exercise routine! Just have a witch or wizard follow behind him."

"**What happened?" said AJ. "What's the matter?"**

"Nothing," snickered George

Fred grinned, "Not yet anyhow."

**But Dudley didn't seem able to speak. Hands still clamped over his buttocks, he waddled as fast as he could into the kitchen. **

"Like I would ever go near his ass!" snarled Charlie "If I'm going to hex the little bastard, his ass is not my first priority."

Remus made a face, "I think we've talked enough about Dudley's ass to last me a lifetime."

**AJ hurried into the living room. Loud banging's and scrapings were coming from behind the Dursleys' boarded-up fireplace, which had a fake coal fire plugged in front of it.**

"Oh," breathed Narcissa "you tried to use the floo network."

Draco cocked his head, "Why would the muggles fireplace be set up for the use of floo though?"

"It wasn't. Trust me." Laughed AJ

"**What is it?" gasped Aunt Petunia, who had backed into the wall and was staring, terrified, toward the fire. "What is it, Vernon?"**

Kingsley rolled his eyes, "I don't know maybe a few magical folk?"

"They're so over dramatic," muttered Tonks "I doubt they would let AJ explain the situation either."

**But they were left in doubt barely a second longer. Voices could be heard from inside the blocked fireplace.**

Hermione sighed, "You really should have specified how you were planning on picking up AJ so her relatives weren't so surprised."

"I didn't think we needed to specify," argued Molly "AJ should have known we would have used the Floo."

"How would she have known? There are numerous ways of getting around in the Wizarding world." Snarked Hermione

"**Ouch! Fred, no - go back, go back, there's been some kind of mistake – tell George not to - OUCH! George, no, there's no room, go back quickly and tell Charlie-"**

Bill laughed loudly, "Man, I wish I was there for this."

"Why weren't you?" asked Kingsley

"There was a problem with one of the banks and they needed my brilliant mind." Explained Bill

"**Maybe AJ can hear us, Dad - maybe she'll be able to let us out-"**

"Really? Now there's an idea." Muttered Snape

Charlie glared, "We weren't thinking straight at the moment, who has an electric fire place?"

**There was a loud hammering of fists on the boards behind the electric fire.** "**AJ? AJ, can you hear us?"**

"This all could have been avoided if you used your common sense." Groaned Ted

Kingsley nodded, "You really should have driven or something more like a muggle would do."

**The Dursleys rounded on AJ like a pair of angry wolverines.** "**What is this?" growled Uncle Vernon. "What's going on?"**

"They're plotting your death of course," Remus deadpanned "what else would they be doing?"

"**They tried to get here by Floo powder, they travel by fire." said AJ, fighting a mad desire to laugh.**

Tonks grinned, "I'm sure they took the explanation rather well."

"Actually they didn't say much, I think they were in shock that the Weasley's were traveling by the fireplace."

**She approached the fireplace and called through the boards.** "**Mr. Weasley? Can you hear me?"**

Arthur smiled, "I had no intention of scaring them so badly."

"You may not, have but I am eternally grateful for that." Smiled Sirius

"**Mr. Weasley, it's AJ… the fireplace has been blocked up. You won't be able to get through there."**

Bill rolled his eyes, "In all fairness we weren't used to electric. It's always wood or coal burning stoves."

"That's true," smiled Hermione "but the electric fire places can be cheaper to heat in the winter months. Wood and coal can be very expensive."

"**Damn!" said Mr. Weasley's voice. "What on earth did they want to block up the fireplace for?"**

Regulus scoffed, "Because they're morons and they like to make other peoples lives miserable."

"Now really Regulus," admonished Molly "it's not their fault they use an electric fire."

"Why are you defending them? They treat AJ like garbage and you wonder why AJ doesn't respect them. You have your priorities so screwed up, it's sad really." Snarled Regulus

"**They've got an electric fire," AJ explained.**

Bill and Charlie grinned at that; their father was going to love hearing about electric anything.

**"Really?" said Mr. Weasley's voice excitedly. "Eclectic, you say? With a plug? Gracious, I must see that… Let's think… ouch, Charlie!"**

"Always causing problems!" laughed the twins

Charlie scowled, "Bite me you idiots."

"I think AJ would rather do that," snickered Fred

George laughed, "Maybe not bite."

"You do realize that AJ could kick both your asses right?" asked Charlie with a smirk

**Charlie's voice now joined the others'.** "**What is going on?"**

Narcissa rolled her eyes, "Oh ya know, just the world throwing shitty things back at AJ."

"How do you get out of this?" asked Ted

"**Boys, boys…" said Mr. Weasley vaguely. "I'm trying to think what to do… Yes… only way… Stand back, AJ."**

"Oh no," mumbled Draco "I forgot about this. Merlin, no wonder Vernon always has that death look about him."

Hermione snickered, "I'm pretty sure that's just how he was born, but I could be mistaken."

**AJ retreated to the sofa. Uncle Vernon, however, moved forward.**

"I have no sympathy for this moron," laughed Kingsley "he gets what he deserves."

"**Wait a moment!" he bellowed at the fire. "What exactly are you going to -"** **BANG.**

"Damn!" yelled Bill "I wish I was there for this!"

Charlie laughed, "It was one of the greatest moment of my life, they were completely terrified at that point."

"Good, after how they treat people from the Wizarding world what you guys did to them is the least of their worries." Snickered Bill

**The electric fire shot across the room as the boarded-up fireplace burst outward,** **expelling Mr. Weasley, Fred, George, and Charlie in a cloud of rubble and loose chippings. **

Remus was laughing, "You destroyed the fireplace?"

"You are my hero!" cheered Andy

"It was unintentional," smiled Arthur "but now I feel pretty good about what I had done."

**Aunt Petunia shrieked and fell backward over the coffee table; Uncle Vernon caught her before she hit the floor, and gaped, speechless, at the Weasley's.**

Narcissa smirked, "You terrified the fuckers, good for you. I'm beyond proud at this point."

"Why couldn't we have been there?" laughed Tonks "They have to be terrified of everyone and everything from our world now!"

"We should bring them to Diagon Alley for the day!" laughed Narcissa

"**That's better," panted Mr. Weasley, brushing dust from his long green robes and straightening his glasses. "Ah - you must be AJ's aunt and uncle!"**

Sirius whistled, "I somehow doubt they're going to take kindly to being reminded of that fact."

"They might not be," argued George, "but it's how they should be introduced from now on!"

**Tall, thin, and balding, he moved toward Uncle Vernon, his hand outstretched, but Uncle Vernon backed away several paces, dragging Aunt Petunia. **

Kingsley scowled, "What a great defender of his home. He walks away and drags his wife along for the ride."

"They act as if they've never seen anyone perform magic or something. Lily must have showed her parents some magic when she was of age." Glared Hermione

"She wouldn't have to wait till after she was of age." Argued Kingsley "When they were all in school they were allowed to show their families one thing they learned throughout the year. Obviously Petunia must have seen some of the magic."

**Words utterly failed Uncle Vernon. **

Remus smiled, "So the last few moments with them was peaceful?"

**His best suit was covered in white dust, which had settled in his hair and mustache and made him look as though he had just aged thirty years.**

"Now that was actually kind of interesting to see. It was almost like I was Trelawney and I was getting a glimpse into the future." Snickered AJ

Tonks gaped, "Never say that again! Never ever!" AJ laughed and nodded her consent.

"**Er - yes - sorry about that," said Mr. Weasley, lowering his hand and looking over his shoulder at the blasted fireplace. **

"I knew we weren't going to be friends, but it would have been nice for him to at least acknowledge our presence." Sighed Arthur

Molly glared "Could it have been because you had just blown apart his living room?"

"That had nothing to do with it!" yelled Arthur "They have a problem with us and our magic. Look how Petunia treats her own blood! Why would you ever think that she would be happy to have us in her own home?" Snape looked better Arthur and Molly, something odd was going on and if he wasn't mistaken something was wearing off of Arthur.

**"It's all my fault. It just didn't occur to me that we wouldn't be able to get out at the other end. **

Andy sighed, "It's not your fault Arthur, it's Molly's."

"It is mom," argued Charlie "you should have had Hermione call in advance. You did this yourself."

**I had your fireplace connected to the Floo Network, you see - just for an afternoon, you know, so we could get AJ.**

Bill bit his lip, "Just stop dad, they have no idea nor do they care what you're talking about."

**Muggle fireplaces aren't supposed to be connected, strictly speaking - but I've got a useful contact at the Floo Regulation Panel and he fixed it for me.**

"Just keep going," laughed Draco "I'm sure he's going to care any minute now."

Hermione elbowed her friend, "You never know, he could start to care when you least expect it."

"Then he dies from the shock of caring. Good thinking Hermione!" snickered Draco

**I can put it right in a jiffy, though, don't worry. I'll light a fire to send the boys back, and then I can repair your fireplace before I Disapparate."**

Snape shook his head, "Your idiocy astounds me."

"Like you would have done any better in a situation like that." Argued AJ

"My father was a muggle," sneered Snape "so yes. I do think I would have handled the situation better."

**"Hello, AJ!" said Mr. Weasley brightly. "Got your trunk ready?"**

Sirius shook his head, "Don't even bother unpacking when you're in a house like that pup. Always be ready to leave at a moments notice."

"**It's upstairs," said AJ, grinning back.**

"I couldn't wait to leave," smiled AJ "but seeing Vernon and Petunia terrified was well worth the wait."

Arthur smiled, "I'm glad I could offer some consolation prize for your waiting."

"**We'll get it," said Fred at once. Winking at AJ, he and George left the room.** **They knew where AJ bedroom was, having once rescued her from it in the dead of night.**

"Oh that's right," breathed Regulus "you saved AJ in her second year when she was being kept in her room like a prisoner."

Charlie nodded, "Weird right? Too bad Fred and George never told our mother about it. Oh! That's right, they did."

"Too bad Molly doesn't seem to understand when her kids are joking and being serious." Glared Regulus

**AJ suspected that Fred and George were hoping for a glimpse of Dudley; they had heard a lot about him from AJ.**

Fred grinned, "I'm hurt AJ!"

"Why would we want to see innocent Dudley?" asked George

Molly fumed, "You had better of left that young man alone!"

"He wasn't harmed in the least!" argued the twins

"**Well," said Mr. Weasley, swinging his arms slightly, while he tried to find words to break the very nasty silence. **

Remus sighed, "Don't even bother trying to start a conversation up with them. Just star at the wall and pretend you're somewhere else."

**"Very - erm - very nice place you've got here." **

"I don't think drawing attention to the living room is a good idea at this point." Advised Hermione

Bill snickered, "Nah babe, I think it's a great idea. Vernon can talk about it around the office at work the following day."

**Mr. Weasley was looking around. He loved everything to do with Muggles. AJ could see him itching to go and examine the television and the video recorder.**

"We can talk about them later." suggested AJ

Charlie nodded, "Yeah, I for one would love to know how a TV works." Anything to prolong AJ and him telling his mother they were expecting.

"**They run off eckeltricity, do they?" he said knowledgeably.**

"Electricity actually," laughed Hermione "but good try though."

Arthur nodded, "That could have been one of the reasons why they were starring at me as if I were crazy."

"**Ah yes, I can see the plugs. I collect plugs," he added to Uncle Vernon. "And batteries. Got a very large collection of batteries. My wife thinks I'm mad, but there you are."**

"You are!" growled Molly "You collect all this junk and it does nothing for us!"

Narcissa glared, "He enjoys collecting muggle objects! Who cares Molly? It's not as if it's harming you or your family."

**Uncle Vernon clearly thought Mr. Weasley was mad too. Dudley suddenly reappeared in the room. **

"Here we go," laughed Sirius "now we can really see what happens!"

Kingsley nodded, "This whole chapter, I've been waiting to see how Dudley would take there coming into his home."

**AJ could hear the clunk of her trunk on the stairs, and knew that the sounds had scared Dudley out of the kitchen. **

"Of course he would run into the kitchen!" scoffed Andy "Who hides in a kitchen?"

Ted snickered, "Someone who wants to get their last meal in before their impending death."

"Or their impending future of turning into a pig again." Laughed Andy

**Dudley edged along the wall, gazing at Mr. Weasley with terrified eyes, and attempted to conceal himself behind his mother and father. **

Tonks gaped, "His parents actually could hide him?"

"Not well," laughed Charlie "he stuck out like a sore thumb."

**Unfortunately, Uncle Vernon's bulk, while sufficient to hide bony Aunt Petunia, was nowhere near enough to conceal Dudley.**

Snape turned green, "I feel sorry for his Doctors and anyone who has to come in contact with him."

"So you feel sorry for AJ?" asked Draco "You said anyone who has to come in contact with him and obviously AJ does." Snape rolled his eyes he sometimes hated his snakes.

"**Ah, this is your cousin, is it, AJ?" said Mr. Weasley, taking another brave stab at making conversation.**

Regulus smirked, "Nothing like an ice breaker like Dudley."

"Nice Reggie!" laughed Sirius "Make fun of the poor kids weight like that."

"I wasn't! You are such a dork!" Reggie snarked all the while plotting a prank involving Sirius hair.

"**Yeah," said AJ, "that's Dudley."**

Everyone shared quiet laughter. Poor Dudley was really beginning to be the center of all their jokes.

**AJ and Charlie exchanged glances and then quickly looked away from each other; the temptation to burst out laughing was almost overwhelming. **

"Why weren't the two of you talking throughout this?" asked Remus

Charlie shrugged, " At that point, they were making me so mad I would have lost control of my magic and the entire house would have exploded."

"Feeling protective of AJ?" asked Remus "Good, I'm glad."

"**Having a good holiday, Dudley?" he said kindly.**

Andy smiled, "That's very nice of you Arthur but at this point I think that Dudley was too far gone to notice you trying to be polite."

"It's okay," smirked George "we got him to lighten up a little bit."

**Fred and George came back into the room carrying AJ's school trunk. They glanced around as they entered and spotted Dudley. Their faces cracked into identical evil grins.**

Tonks grinned, "What did you do? Come on!"

"We didn't do anything!" laughed Fred

"Yeah right," argued Tonks "I'm sure you were perfect little angels."

"**Ah, right," said Mr. Weasley. He pushed up the sleeves of his robes and took out his wand. AJ saw the Dursleys draw back against the wall as one.**

Bill smiled, "He's terrified of the kindest wizards ever. That's sad."

"Hagrid almost turned him into a pig," argued Ginny "he has a right to be afraid of wizards!"

"He was terrified of magic before Hagrid did what he did Ginny! He's scared because his parents instilled it in him that magic is evil and freaky. Don't blame this on Hagrid." Snarled Bill

"**Incendio!" said Mr. Weasley, pointing his wand at the hole in the wall behind him.**

Andy winced, "Petunia must have had heart failure over that."

"Close to it," muttered AJ "she really looked close to tears almost."

**Flames rose at once in the fireplace, crackling merrily as though they had been burning for hours. **

Narcissa smiled, "There is nothing better then a nice burning fire, it's so relaxing."

"I doubt that they will find it relaxing in he least." Laughed Kingsley

**Mr. Weasley took a small drawstring bag from his pocket, untied it, took a pinch of the powder inside, and threw it onto the flames, which turned emerald green and roared higher than ever.**

Everyone turned the twins, who were both sharing smiles.

"**Off you go then, Fred," said Mr. Weasley.**

Fred bit the inside of his lip to prevent himself from bursting into a fit of laughter.

"**Coming," said Fred. "Oh no - hang on -"**

AJ shook her head while Charlie was silently laughing along with Fred and George.

**A bag of sweets had spilled out of Fred's pocket and the contents were now rolling in every direction - big, fat toffees in brightly colored wrappers.**

"Candy?" asked Tonks "What's the big deal with the candy?"

Fred smiled, "Nothing! I don't know why you're being so suspicious."

**Fred scrambled around, cramming them back into his pocket, then gave the Dursleys a cheery wave, stepped forward, and walked right into the fire, saying "the Burrow!" **

"Has Petunia ever seen someone go by Floo powder?" asked Draco

Sirius nodded, "She did, when Lily turned seventeen we all went to her house for a small party and we came by floo."

**Aunt Petunia gave a little shuddering gasp. There was a whooshing sound, and Fred vanished.**

"Drama queen," snickered Remus "no wonder she and Vernon get along so well."

"**Right then, George," said Mr. Weasley, "you and the trunk."**

Regulus smiled, "Good, leave that godforsaken home and never look back."

"They have to finish destroying the home though," smirked Andy "There is no way they can leave before something goes wrong completely."

**Charlie helped George carry the trunk forward into the flames and turn it onto its end so that he could hold it better. Then, with a second whoosh, George had cried "the Burrow!" and vanished too.**

Kinsley groaned, "But what about the prank! I've been waiting all chapter for a prank and I want a prank!"

"If you keep whining you're never going to date my daughter." Snickered Ted

"**Charlie, you next," said Mr. Weasley.**

AJ kissed Charlie, there was no reason behind it other then he was adorable and deserved a kiss.

"**It was great meeting you," said Charlie brightly to the Dursleys.**

Remus smiled, "At least you tried to be polite. Did they take that well?"

"No," scoffed AJ "they were still in shock that we were traveling by the fire."

**He grinned broadly at AJ, then stepped into the fire, shouted "the Burrow!" and disappeared. Now AJ and Mr. Weasley alone remained.**

Arthur sighed, "That wasn't awkward in the least."

"Well between the Dursleys being themselves and you trying to push us to talk was weird." Remarked AJ

"Yes well," Arthur stuttered, "they should have at least said goodbye. That's what families do."

"Right and I completely agree with that. When we all go back to school I'll say goodbye to my dad and papa because they're my family. Vernon and Petunia aren't, it's just not how we are towards one another." Stated AJ

"**Well…see ya," AJ said to the Dursleys.**

Sirius grinned, "I better get a better goodbye at the end of this summer! I want a hug and a letter once a day assuring me you're okay."

"Why wouldn't she be okay?" asked Andy

"Have you been here throughout the readings?" asked Sirius "I want to make sure my baby stays safe for once."

**They didn't say anything at all. AJ moved toward the fire, but just as she reached the edge of the hearth, Mr. Weasley put out a hand and held her back.**

Regulus raised a brow, "What for? They aren't going to change Arthur. Don't even try, it's a complete waste of your time."

"It's the thought that counts though." Smiled Hermione

"**AJ said good-bye to you," he said. "Didn't you hear her?"**

Bill nodded, "They did. They just don't give a damn."

"Oh how I can't wait to get Amelia on their asses." Grinned Tonks

"**They did, but it doesn't matter." Said AJ "Just forget about it Mr. Weasley."** **Mr. Weasley did not remove his hand from AJ's shoulder.**

Narcissa sighed, "No offense but you may do more harm then good when it comes to trying to unite this family."

"I really had no idea how angry they were towards AJ and her abilities. If I had known, I wouldn't have tried and I wouldn't have been so polite." Remarked Arthur

"**You aren't going to see your niece till next summer," he said to Uncle Vernon in mild indignation. "Surely you're going to say good-bye?"**

Draco rolled his eyes, "Of course they aren't, that would show a level of affection they hold for special occasions."

"What kind of occasions?" asked AJ with a smirk.

"Like, a funeral," snorted Draco "I don't know! These people are like a breed of their own. It's creepy."

"A breed of their own? You make them sound like dogs!" laughed AJ and Hermione

**Uncle Vernon's tiny eyes darted to it Mr. Weasley's wand, before he said, very resentfully, "Good-bye, then."**

Ted gaped, "Wow. I thought hell would freeze over before he ever said something like that."

"And it wasn't even rude or condescending!" snickered Remus

**"Later," said AJ, putting one foot forward into the green flames, which felt pleasantly like warm breath. **

Tonks pouted, "And I thought something was going to happen."

"Don't worry Tonks," grinned George "something is going to happen and soon."

Fred nodded, "Like within the next paragraph. We would never miss the opportunity to prank Mr. Dudley."

**At that moment, however, a horrible gagging sound erupted behind her, and Aunt Petunia started to scream. AJ wheeled around. **

"Did you prank her?" asked Snape with what could have been happiness.

Fred sighed, "Sadly no, but she isn't going to get off scott-free."

**Dudley was no longer standing behind his parents. He was kneeling beside the coffee table, and he was gagging and sputtering on a foot-long, purple, slimy thing that was protruding from his mouth.**

"No!" laughed Sirius "Are you for real?"

Remus held his sides, "You elongated his tongue! You two are future Marauders."

"I love it!" gasped Tonks "You have to sell this in your joke shop!" Remus and Sirius nodded eagerly laughing all the more

**One bewildered second later, AJ realized that the foot-long thing was Dudley's tongue - and that a brightly colored toffee wrapper lay on the floor before him.**

Molly fumed, "How could you do something like that?"

"Because it's hilarious!" laughed Regulus "Chill out Molly. I'm sure that Arthur can reverse it."

"Or they can take him back to that specialist!" laughed Andy

**Aunt Petunia hurled herself onto the ground beside Dudley, seized the end of his swollen tongue, and attempted to wrench it out of his mouth; unsurprisingly, Dudley yelled and sputtered worse than ever, trying to fight her off. **

Narcissa scoffed, "Is she really that retarded?"

"She pulled on her sons overgrown tongue?" laughed Kingsley "Damn I wish I was there for this!"

"It's not funny!" yelled Molly

"You're right, it's hilarious!" snickered Narcissa

**Uncle Vernon was bellowing and waving his arms around, and Mr. Weasley had to shout to make himself heard.**

Arthur shook his head, "They just wouldn't listen to a word I was saying, they were making it much worse then it had to have been."

"Right because their sons tongue growing an extra twenty feet is something to take lightly." Laughed Charlie

**"Not to worry, I can sort him out!" he yelled, advancing on Dudley with his wand outstretched, but Aunt Petunia screamed worse than ever and threw herself on top of Dudley, shielding him from Mr. Weasley.**

Bill rolled his eyes, "What is she going to do about it? She wouldn't cut his tongue out would she?"

"Oh gross!" snickered Hermione "I hope not! But with the way she is, I wouldn't put it past her."

"**No, really!" said Mr. Weasley desperately. "It's a simple process it was the toffee - my son Fred - real practical joker - but it's only an Engorgement Charm - at least, I think it is -** **please, I can correct it -"**

Fred gaped, "I'll have you know that I wasn't the one who thought of that for a toffee!"

"I'm sorry, George then." Smiled Arthur

"It wasn't me either," snickered George "AJ is the one who thought of that!"

Arthur held his head, "Blaming it on AJ, good idea boys." AJ grinned sweetly at the gapping twins.

**But far from being reassured, the Dursleys became more panic- stricken **

"Well, it's probably not an everyday occurrence for them." Snickered Tonks

Kingsley nodded, "Too bad to, it could have prepared them for this very moment."

**Aunt Petunia was sobbing hysterically, tugging Dudley's tongue as though determined to rip it out; Dudley appeared to be suffocating under the combined pressure of his mother and his tongue; **

"Did they have to rush him to the hospital?" asked Narcissa

AJ shook her head, "Thankfully no, they finally let Mr. Weasley help them. I think."

"Idiots," muttered Narcissa "that child has no hope for a future."

**and Uncle Vernon, who had lost control completely, seized a china figure from on top of the sideboard and threw it very hard at Mr. Weasley, who ducked, causing the ornament to shatter in the blasted fireplace.**

Andy glared, "Now he's being ridiculous! There is not need to throw things!"

"He's an asshole Andy," muttered Ted "what could you possibly expect from him?"

"**Now really!" said Mr. Weasley angrily, brandishing his wand. "I'm trying to help!"**

Charlie shook his head, "This isn't going to end well for anyone involved."

"I'm pretty sure Petunia lost more china in that single visit then ever before." Snorted AJ

**Bellowing like a wounded hippo, Uncle Vernon snatched up another ornament.**

Remus burst out laughing, "A hippo, why haven't we thought of that comparison before?"

"It's exactly what he is," laughed Regulus "he's an overgrown animal."

"**AJ, go! Just go!" Mr. Weasley shouted, his wand on Uncle Vernon. "I'll sort this out!"**

Arthur nodded, "I didn't want you to get hurt in the process of your uncle having a temper tantrum."

"Temper tantrum?" laughed Tonks "I really wish they were here to have this conversation with us. He could give us an interesting outlook on how to have a proper temper tantrum."

**AJ didn't want to miss the fun, but Uncle Vernon's second ornament narrowly missed her left ear, and on balance she thought it best to leave the situation to Mr. Weasley.**

Charlie glared, "Get the hell out of there punk, you don't want the hippo to end up attacking you in anger."

"He better not," snarled Remus "I would hate to kill him before his impending trial."

**She stepped into the fire, looking over her shoulder as she said "the Burrow!" Her last fleeting glimpse of the living room was of Mr. Weasley blasting a third ornament out of Uncle Vernon's hand with his wand, Aunt Petunia screaming and lying on top of Dudley, and Dudley's tongue lolling around like a great slimy python. **

Ron snorted, "Of course you would compare it to a snake."

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked AJ eyes flashing in anger

"You're always comparing things to snakes, you were supposed to be a snake and now you're hanging out with snakes." Snarked Ron

"Wow and all this time I thought you were just an asshole," glared AJ "turns out you're a prejudice asshole. You really can't forgive and forget can you? I realize that the forgetting part is pretty hard, but trying to forgive is simple. The snakes have done nothing to you or your family. I realize that a lot of their families were or are death eaters but that doesn't mean their kids are! Let it go Ron."

"What about you Hermione? Can you just forgive him for what he's done to you?" yelled Ron

Hermione snorted, "Obviously I have if I consider him a close friend! Forget it Ron, you're alone in your quest to discriminate the Slytherin House. Good luck to you and your pursuits though." Bill hugged Hermione into him almost daring Ron to try and start another fight.

"You know what-" started Ron before Charlie cut him off

"Just shut up!" he yelled "No one in this room gives a fuck about your issues with Draco or anyone else who isn't in Gryffindor. You're pathetic Ron, you need to grow up eventually and leave my girlfriend out of your little quest for attention or whatever it is you're after." AJ leaned into Charlie she loved when he put other people in their places.

**But next moment AJ had begun to spin very fast, and the Dursleys' living room was whipped out of sight in a rush of emerald-green flames.**

Andy grabbed the book, "I'll read next. **Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes…**"

**AN: Sorry for the longer then usual wait! I had to have my tonsils removed and the surgery really kicked my ass. I'm always up for suggestion and to answer questions. Read and Review :)**


	75. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes

**AJ spun faster and faster, elbows tucked tightly to her sides, blurred fireplaces flashing past her, until she started to feel sick and closed her eyes. **

Ron rolled his eyes, "Why wouldn't you keep your eyes closed to begin with?"

"It's a natural reflex to keep your eyes open when you're going into unknown territory." Snarked AJ

**Then, when at last she felt herself slowing down, she threw out her hands and came to a halt in time to prevent herself from falling face forward out of the Weasleys' kitchen fire.**

Sirius smiled, "I always fell when I would come through the Floo network when I started to do it on my own."

"You fell because half the time you weren't completely dressed!" laughed Regulus

"Don't be jealous," grinned Sirius "maybe we can find you someone that will cause you to not be dressed all the time."

Regulus scowled, "You are never ever setting me up again! Last time you set me up it was with Bianca Pearce who was dating Raphael Zabini!"

"How was I supposed to know they were an item? They never said anything!" argued Sirius

Narcissa jumped in, "Siri, they announced their engagement during their sixth year. That shows that they were an item."

**"Did he eat it?" said Fred excitedly, holding out a hand to pull AJ to her feet.**

"I cannot believe you too," fumed Molly "you should write to them and apologize."

Arthur sighed, "They are not writing anyone from that house besides AJ. He doesn't need an apology, if anyone is getting one it's AJ. Now leave it Molly."

"**Yeah," said AJ, straightening up. "What was it?"**

"Only the greatest invention ever in the history of ever." Snickered Tonks

"Thank you!" cheered the twins

"**Ton-Tongue Toffee," said Fred brightly. "We've been looking for someone to test them on all summer…"**

"You didn't try to test them on the family?" asked Ted "I would have."

Ginny scowled, "They tried! But mum kept catching them in the act."

"Damn too bad. I would have loved to hear about your tongue being over a hundred feet long." Deadpanned Ted

**The tiny kitchen exploded with laughter; AJ looked around and saw that Charlie and George were sitting at the scrubbed wooden table with Bill Weasley their oldest brother.**

Andy grinned, "Now we can see how the love birds got together!"

"Oh boy!" cheered Kingsley "I was really wondering about this these past few books."

"Leave me alone Kings," smiled Andy "I'm just excited."

"**You remember Bill, right Punk?" smiled Charlie. Charlie was the second oldest Weasley boy and by far the most handsome one. **

Hermione snickered, "I don't about that, but whatever."

"I'm the most handsome one is what you're trying to say." Smirked Bill

"The most cocky too," giggled Hermione "but it suits you I suppose."

**Now that she was out of the Dursleys should properly look at him.**

Draco smirked, "I think you mean drool over."

"I did not drool!" laughed AJ "Well maybe just a little at the time."

**He was even tanner then when she saw him at the train station and his blue sapphire eyes seemed to sparkle when he looked at her.**

"They do," admitted Remus "when the two of you look at each other your eyes light up. It's how James and Lily used to look at one another."

AJ smiled, "It's how you and daddy look at each other too."

**There was no doubt in her mind that she had a crush on Charlie.**

"More like completely in love with him." Smiled Narcissa

Andy nodded, "We know that but with these two I bet it was a long time coming."

**Bill got to his feet, smiling, and hugged AJ tightly. **

"What was that about?" asked Charlie

Bill laughed, "It was nothing, I was just being friendly!"

"Bullshit," scoffed Charlie "you were intentionally pissing me off and I know it."

"Well, maybe." Smirked Bill

**She knew that Bill had been Head Boy back in the day, but he like Charlie was unlike the rest of the family. **

Regulus nodded, "You both are a lot different then most of your family, it's like a breath of fresh air."

"He's still my son," argued Molly "he has qualities of both his parents in him."

"You are his mother and for that he has my condolences." Smirked Regulus

**He was more laid back and didn't seem to have a jealous tendency in his body.**

Ron scowled, "I'm not jealous!"

"Really?" asked Sirius "Because I seem to remember my daughter telling me how upset you were with AJ winning the money last year. Seems like you were a little jealous to me."

**AJ wondered if he was dating anyone, she knew that he and Hermione would get along great.**

Hermione laughed, "Thanks bug, good to know that I was your number one priority at the time."

"You so were!" smiled AJ "I knew that Bill was perfect for you."

**Before any of them could say anything else, there was a faint popping noise, and Mr. Weasley appeared out of thin air at George's shoulder. He was looking angrier than AJ had ever seen him.**

George winced, "That wasn't the best moment of the evening."

"Yeah," agreed Fred "but it was totally worth it!"

"Hell yeah!" laughed George high fiving his brother

Arthur rolled his eyes, "I'm so happy that my talks with the two of you really last."

"**That wasn't funny Fred!" he shouted. "What on earth did you give that Muggle boy?"**

"Nothing he didn't deserve," laughed Narcissa "don't be to angry Arthur."

"**I didn't give him anything," said Fred, with another evil grin. "I just dropped it… It was his fault he went and ate it, I never told him to."**

Ted snickered, "Boo! You could have come up with a better excuse then that!"

"You should have gone for the sympathy card." Laughed Tonks

"Like you felt sorry for him," laughed Ted "and you wanted to make him happy with some delicious candy."

"**You dropped it on purpose!" roared Mr. Weasley. "You knew he'd eat it, you knew he was on a diet -"**

Draco snorted, "He's on a diet every other week, it never works for him. He doesn't care about losing weight, he loves it too much to give it up."

"It's a psychological problem," muttered Remus "and I somehow doubt that his parents are going to give a damn."

"**How big did his tongue get?" George asked eagerly.**

AJ laughed, "Not big enough in my opinion."

"**It was four feet long before his parents would let me shrink it!" raged Mr. Weasley. "You wait until I tell your mother -"**

Charlie scoffed, "You're not going to tell mom!"

"You never tell mom that kind of stuff," laughed Bill " and you know it."

"**Tell me what?" said a voice behind them.**

Sirius gaped, "Speak of the devil and he will appear!"

"Are you calling me the devil?" snarled Molly

"I'm sorry," apologized Sirius "do you prefer Ruler of the Underworld better? I wouldn't want to offend you."

**Mrs. Weasley had just entered the kitchen. **

Snape rolled his eyes; he wouldn't put it past the women to put up charms to alert her when her family was talking.

"**Oh hello, AJ, dear," she said, spotting her and smiling. Then her eyes snapped back to her husband. "Tell me what, Arthur?"**

"You won't let it go will you?" asked Andy

Molly glared, "Of course not! They were keeping something from me and I wanted to know what it was."

"Maybe it had nothing to do with you." Suggested Andy

**Mr. Weasley hesitated. AJ could tell that, however angry he was with Fred and George, he hadn't really intended to tell Mrs. Weasley what had happened.**

Kingsley nodded, "Good, keep her in the dark. Then you're guaranteed a silent night, well almost silent."

"I would shoot myself if I lived in that house." Whispered Tonks

**There was a silence, while Mr. Weasley eyed his wife nervously. **

Ted shook his head, "You shouldn't be afraid of your wife. You're not a child, you're supposed to be equals in your partnership."

**Then Hermione, AJ's best friend walked into the room. Instead of her usual curly hair, she had gotten it straightened, which made her look a little older.**

"You straightened your hair?" asked Ginny

Hermione stared, "Yes! How have you not noticed this? I've been getting it chemically straightened from a muggle hair salon for almost two years now during the summer."

"Oh, well you could have told me." Snarked Ginny

"**Hey sexy," grinned AJ "where's Ron and Ginny?"**

Narcissa nodded, "I think we'd all like to know that."

"Why wasn't I informed of this fight?" asked Molly

"Maybe because it doesn't concern you?" snarked Narcissa

**Hermione snorted, "They were mouthing off or something so Mrs. Weasley sent them to degnome the garden."**

"Damn," muttered Draco "I was hoping that they were sent off to a relatives home or something."

AJ scoffed, "We couldn't have gotten that lucky."

**AJ nodded and sat down next to Charlie who immediately wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him.**

"And no one noticed this?" asked Andy "You people are horribly unobservant."

Hermione nodded, "I knew because AJ is my best friend and all, but it seemed like everyone was choosing to ignore it."

"**Have a good summer Punk?" Charlie asked with a sexy grin.**

"Everything he does is sexy to you!" groaned Regulus "He could walk around in overalls and a piece of straw hanging out of his mouth and you think he was being sexy."

Charlie smirked, "I'm a sexy guy, I can't help it if AJ thinks so too."

"Cocky bastard." Regulus muttered without heat.

"**Oh yea," smiled AJ "it's been great. But for some reason I can see it getting a lot better."**

"Really?" snickered Bill "That's what you two idiots were whispering about?"

AJ grinned, "Who said this book wasn't editing the conversation?"

**Charlie looked around to see if anyone was looking, thankfully everyone was focused on the fight between Mr. and Mrs. Weasley to notice anything else.**

"What did you do?" yelled Molly "In my kitchen no less! What did you do?"

Sirius rolled his eyes, "They most likely had sex without you noticing. Will you calm down you batty old women? Nothing happened that probably hasn't happened a hundred times before."

**He kissed AJ before she could even think straight. It was a simple kiss but the passion behind it had her body craving more. She knew that nothing in her life would ever feel as good as Charlie kissing her.**

"Damn," breathed Tonks "what in the hell kind of kiss was that?"

AJ laughed, "It was a simple peck on the lips but to me it was like fireworks exploding or something. I don't know how to describe it."

"Wow," sighed Tonks "that's true love right there."

"Kissing Charlie is always the highlight of my day. Screw that, highlight of my life." Grinned AJ

Ted rolled his eyes, "Okay, okay we get it. Charlie is an amazing kisser. Can we move on now?"

**AJ pulled away to hear the fight returning to the kitchen, "Right, should we continue this later?" Charlie nodded with a shy smile.**

"Shy?" snickered Remus "I didn't know anything was ever shy between the two of you."

Charlie shrugged with a small blush, "I didn't know if she wanted a kiss or not. But the attraction was there and I knew she could feel it and I don't know! I was just nervous!

"It's okay Charlie. It's nice to know that not everything was cocky about you. It would make me wonder about her choice in men." Grinned Remus

"**What have they done this time?" said Mrs. Weasley. "If it's got anything to do with Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes -"**

Fred grinned, "I love it. Just hearing about it is fun."

"Even though it already happened?" asked Hermione

"Of course," laughed George "it makes us relive our glory days."

"**Why don't you show AJ where she's sleeping, Charlie?" said Hermione.**

Bill nodded, "Very good. I remember this and I am still proud of you."

"It was one of my finer moments." Smiled Hermione

"**Um sure," remarked Charlie "since you aren't friends with Ginny, you and Hermione are bunking in the twins room while they sleep on the couch. I'll show you."**

Narcissa raised a brow, "Now you didn't notice anything wrong or odd about this?"

"We really didn't," admitted Arthur "Ron and Ginny hadn't said anything. They just made it seem like a momentary thing."

"**Yeah, we'll come too," said George.**

Sirius, Remus and Regulus shook their heads at George's naïve thinking.

"**You stay where you are!" snarled Mrs. Weasley.**

Ted rolled his eyes, "Good for you Molly. Pull the angry mother card on two of your kids that are more then likely to just ignore you."

"Did you really think they would listen to you?" asked Kingsley "You aren't supportive in the least on anything they do, so why would they want to talk to you about anything?"

"Exactly! You are constantly putting them down for making these jokes and pranks and such. They're never going to be open with you if you are always going to be like this." Remarked Ted

**AJ and Charlie edged out of the kitchen, and they, Hermione, and Bill set off along the narrow hallway and up the rickety staircase that zigzagged through the house to the upper stories.**

George scowled, "You left us to the wolves!"

"And I thought we were friends!" ranted Fred

AJ snorted, "Sorry boys, when it comes to your mother I'm always walking out as fast as humanly possible."

"**What are Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes?" AJ asked as they climbed.**

"The greatest inventions ever." Grinned Bill

Charlie nodded, "So many kids are going to be buying them this year off you two. It's a good way to make some money in a hurry."

**Charlie laughed, while Bill and Hermione shook their heads with smiles.**

Everyone smiled at Hermione and Bill; they were practically dating before they even realized it.

**"****Mum found this stack of order forms when she was cleaning Fred and George's room," said Bill quietly. **

"What were you cleaning their room?" asked Andy "Aren't they big boys now?"

Molly glared, "Obviously not if they were making joke products that can harm another student!"

"You honestly think treating them like children is the way to go? Once Dora turned a certain age Ted and myself treated her as if she were an adult. You are ruining their lives and you don't even know it." Ground out Andy

**"Great long price lists for stuff they've invented. Joke stuff, you know. **

Remus smiled, "Well that's great though, you both have great ideas."

**Fake wands and trick sweets, loads of stuff. It was great to see the plans they have****…"**

"At least you have a plan in motion," smiled Regulus "I would be proud of you. Obviously you both have a passion for pranks and jokes, why not work in the industry?"

Arthur nodded, "They are working hard for everything they have and want. It's a sight to see, but I'm proud of my boys even if they take it a bit far."

"**We've been hearing explosions out of their room for ages, but we never thought they were actually making things," said Charlie. "We thought they just liked the noise."**

"I like the noise," smiled Fred

George nodded, "It's a reminder of our future success."

"**Only, most of the stuff was a pretty dangerous,"** **said Bill, "and, you know, they were planning to sell it at Hogwarts to make some money, and Mum went mad at them. **

"Wow," blinked Draco "I for one am in complete shock."

Tonks nodded, "Who would have thought Molly would flip out? She's usually so calm and collected over these sort of things."

**Told them they weren't allowed to make any more of it, and burned all the order forms… She's furious at them anyway. They didn't get as many O.W.L.s as she expected."**

"You burned all their order forms?" yelled Sirius "Are you kidding me?"

Molly fumed, "What would you do if AJ did something like that?"

"I wouldn't go through my daughters things because unlike you I trust my kid. You know damn well that Fred and George would never intentionally harm someone. As far as the O.W.L.s go, who cares? They still have their N.E.W.T.s they can score high on. You just need to calm down!" snarled Sirius

**"And then there was this big row," Charlie said, "because Mum wants them to go into the Ministry of Magic like Dad, and they told her all they want to do is open a joke shop."**

Kingsley rolled his eyes, "That's a sure fire way to get your kids to run in the opposite direction. My father wanted me to become a Mediwizard, but that wasn't my dream. We don't much anymore."

"Isn't your father dead?" asked Tonks

"Yeah," breathed Kingsley "no wonder we don't talk much anymore. But that's not the point. Just back off a bit."

**Just then a door on the second landing opened, and a face poked out wearing horn-rimmed glasses and a very annoyed expression.**

Hermione bit her lip, "And enter Percy."

"**Hi, Percy," said AJ.**

AJ scowled at what was to come. Why couldn't he just call her AJ like a normal person?

"**Oh hello, Alessandra," said Percy. "I was wondering who was making all the noise. **

"Were you even being loud?" asked Ted "No. You know what, it's Percy so I'm just going to go with no."

Charlie nodded, "He takes offence to people breathing his air too loudly. He's going to crack one of these days."

**I'm trying to work in here, you know I've got a report to finish for the office – and it's rather difficult to concentrate when people keep thundering up and down the stairs."**

"He makes me want to punch him in the face." Muttered Bill "I know this already happened, but just hearing it again makes the urge that much greater."

Hermione sighed, "Now that's sexy!" Bill laughed while playfully rolling his eyes.

"**We're not thundering, " said Bill. "We'll just let you get back to your…whatever you're doing."**

"Yeah, I have no idea what he's talking about." Laughed Remus

Sirius nodded, "Trust me love, but he doesn't even know what he's talking about."

**As they passed Ron's room, AJ turned to see Ron scowl and slam the door. "I think he's still a little pissed off." She snickered.**

"Just a little?" laughed Draco

AJ snickered, "He was more then a little but I didn't want to sound mean or something in front of them."

**Charlie opened up the door next Ron's. AJ knew right off the bat it was Charlie's room. **

"Really?" snarked Ginny "What was your first clue?"

AJ smirked, "It was the smell. Charlie smells like wood burning on a warm summer night. It's intoxicating." AJ fought back a laugh at the green tint Ginny was sporting.

**The walls were painted sky blue with pictures of Dragons all over. **

"It's my favorite color," smiled Charlie "then again anything other then orange is good in my book."

Tonks shuddered, "I don't know how Ron sleeps in that room without going color blind."

**The bed was a nice size with a beautiful black comforter spread across it. **

"Paying attention to the bed already?" laughed Bill

Regulus smacked him with a pillow; "I really don't need to hear anymore of your thoughts. Ever again."

**There were pictures and articles of Dragons all over; he must have had a passion for Dragons from a young age. **

"Animals in general really." Smiled Arthur "Charlie was always trying to save an animal or learn more about it. But Dragons were his number one since he had started at Hogwarts."

**AJ and Charlie sat on the bed while Hermione sat in desk chair while Bill sprawled across the floor like a cat.**

"A cat?" laughed Narcissa "You do have a few cat qualities if you think about it."

Andy nodded, "We could call you Felix! Yes that is your new cat name!"

"**Where is your room Bill?" asked Hermione**

"Why were you so curious?" grinned Draco

Hermione rolled her eyes, "I didn't know if Bill and Charlie had separate rooms growing up or not."

**Bill grinned, "The room right at the end, the twins room is before it. What's up AJ are you and a certain brother of mine dating?"**

"Oh sweet Merlin," sighed Kingsley "I really don't want to hear about this."

Remus nodded, "I could do without hearing about my daughters future relationship."

"**Wouldn't you like to know," smirked AJ "we're just hanging out. Nothing more and nothing less."**

"Lying is bad for the soul," remarked George

Fred nodded, "You shouldn't lie to family."

"**Have you had a good summer, bug?" said Hermione. "Did you get our food parcels and everything?"**

"It was the only thing keeping her alive!" grinned Tonks

Hermione nodded, "If I had known it was so bad I would have asked my Uncle or Aunt to take me shopping for some sugary things."

"**Yeah, thanks a lot," said AJ. "They saved my life, those cakes."**

"I'm really hungry," complained Ron "can we eat after this chapter."

Arthur shook his head, "Ron we can wait another few chapters for dinner. You need to be patient, we aren't going to let you die of starvation."

"**And have you heard from -?" Charlie began, but at a look from Hermione he fell silent.**

"Why?" asked Draco "Didn't you guys know about Sirius?"

Bill nodded, "Hermione asked AJ if it was okay if we knew about Sirius and she said yes. But since we live in a pretty small house, it would have easy for someone to hear about what we were talking about."

"**I think they've stopped arguing," said Hermione mouthing the words Ron and Ginny pointing at the door before continuing.**

"How did you know we were outside the room?" scowled Ron

Charlie snorted, "We never closed the door so we could see your shadows."

**"Shall we go down and help your mum with dinner?"**

Molly smiled at the teen; she was very kind like AJ had once been.

"**Good idea," said Bill. The four of them left Charlie's room and went back downstairs to find Mrs. Weasley alone in the kitchen, looking extremely bad-tempered.**

"So nothing different?" snickered Ted

Molly glared, "You have no idea what the boys were putting me through!"

"You make it seem like we were trying to kill you." Scowled George

Fred nodded, "We were just trying to show off our new joke stuff. All we wanted was some support."

"Well you don't have it!" shouted Molly "You never will! You should be focusing on school, not pranks and jokes!"

"Alright!" yelled Ted "Molly back off! Fred, George, you'll have your fathers support along will all of ours. Ignore your mother."

"**We're eating out in the garden," she said when they came in. "There's just not room for eleven people in here. **

Remus sighed, "Have you ever thought of moving? Or even expanding it to fit your needs?"

"We've talked about it some," admitted Arthur "but nothing was ever finalized."

"We'll have to talk about it later. After the readings are over, we can draw up some plans." Smiled Remus

**Oh for heaven's sake," she snapped, now directing her wand at a dustpan, which hopped off the sideboard and started skating across the floor, scooping up the potatoes. **

Sirius burst into laughter, "Good stuff! You guys really know how to lighten the mood."

"Sweet Merlin," laughed Andy "you have to sell these things to the students! Could you imagine potions class?"

"I will have to start snapping peoples wands." Muttered Snape

**"Those two!" she burst out savagely, now pulling pots and pans out of a cupboard, and AJ knew she meant Fred and George. **

Regulus grinned, "You're channeling your inner eye again I see."

"You should see it when she's not even trying!" snickered Draco

**"I don't know what's going to happen to them, I really don't. No ambition, unless you count making as much trouble as they possibly can…"**

Fred and George gaped at their mother; they knew she didn't support them but to go that far? That was a low blow.

"**If they carry on the way they're going, they'll end up in front of the Improper Use of Magic Office."**

"They will not!" laughed Tonks "That entire agency is there just to scar underage wizards and witches."

Kingsley nodded, "That unit doesn't even go to the annual Christmas party. Partly because they aren't invited and because no one really knows who they are."

**Mrs. Weasley jabbed her wand at the cutlery drawer, which shot open while Bill and Charlie raced outside. **

AJ glared, "Thanks again for that! We could have used some moral support."

"Should have ran with us," snickered Bill "it would have saved you a headache."

**AJ and Hermione both jumped out of the way as several knives soared out of it, flew across the kitchen, and began chopping the potatoes, which had just been tipped back into the sink by the dustpan.**

Andy scowled, "Now that screams good mothering. Just have knives fly across the room without even a warning. Smooth move."

"You shouldn't have been doing this with them in the room anyhow." Added Narcissa, "Also, you can time to spells to go off when you want the too. Just so you can have more time with the family...that you apparently hate."

"**I don't know where we went wrong with them," said Mrs. Weasley,** **putting down her wand and starting to pull out still more saucepans. **

Charlie glared, "There is nothing wrong with them! You are being completely out of line now!"

"What is wrong with you? How can say that about them? You make it seem like they teamed up with Voldemort!" snarled Bill

**"It's been the same for years, one thing after another, and they won't listen to - OH NOT AGAIN!"**

Arthur looked up the ceiling, "I'm still wondering how we even got through a meal that nigh with the way she was ranting."

"I'm right here!" glared Molly

"I'm well aware of that," agreed Arthur "but you have to admit you were being out of control."

**She had picked up her wand from the table, and it had emitted a loud squeak and turned into a giant rubber mouse.**

Everyone started laughing, Molly deserved a good scare even if it was short lived.

**AJ grabbed Hermione's arm, "We'll go se the table! Now. Lets go."**

"Get the hell out of their pup," smiled Sirius "you don't want to get on her bad side."

AJ smirked, "No, getting on her bad side doesn't happen till later in the story."

**A very loud crashing noise was coming from the other side of the house. **

Bill and Charlie high-fived while their mother shook her head in annoyance.

**The source of the commotion was revealed as they entered the garden, and saw that Bill and Charlie both had their wands out, and were making two battered old tables fly high above the lawn, smashing into each other,** **each attempting to knock the other's out of the air. **

Regulus laughed, "Your house sounds like a hoot."

"It's more fun when Bill and Charlie are home," smiled Fred "then we have people in our corner."

"That's how it was when Siri was home. He was always a buffer between our parents and me." Admitted Regulus

George nodded, "That's why we like them being home. Mom never gets on our case as much."

**Fred and George were cheering, Ginny was laughing along with Ron. **

"That was the only time you two were acting sort of normal," admitted Arthur "any other time you two were closed off."

Ron shrugged "It wasn't our fault, we were being excluded from the rest of the group."

**Bill's table caught Charlie's with a huge bang and knocked one of its legs off. **

"Cheater," muttered Charlie "I had you and you cheated."

Bill scoffed, "I never cheated and I never will. You just aren't a strong enough opponent for me."

"I'm a dragon handler! I can take you on any time any day!" laughed Charlie

**There was a clatter from overhead, and they all looked up to see Percy's head poking out of a window on the second floor.**

Tonks snickered, "I knew he wouldn't be happy over the family having fun."

"**Will you keep it down?" he bellowed.**

"That kid desperately needs to either smoke something or get laid in the near future." Muttered Kingsley

AJ snorted, "I would pay big bucks to see him doped up on something."

"**Sorry, Perce," said Bill, grinning. "Just trying to have a little fun!**

"I'm sure you sounded so sincere too." laughed Ted

Bill scoffed, "There was no sincerity in that sentence whatsoever. He needed to lighten up, but he just couldn't let anything go."

**By seven o'clock, the two tables were groaning under dishes and dishes of Mrs. Weasley's excellent cooking, and the nine Weasleys, AJ, and Hermione were settling themselves down to eat beneath a clear, deep-blue sky. **

"Sounds peaceful," smiled Andy "just being able to eat outside."

Charlie nodded, "And we didn't have to worry about people stealing our food. It was a successful dinner."

**At the far end of the table, Percy was telling his father all about his report on cauldron bottoms which AJ conveniently tuned out to focus on Charlie. **

"Here we go," smirked Draco "now we're going to get the dirty details."

AJ smirked, "There were no dirty details being talked about during this conversation you turkey!"

"**It's a really nice night tonight." Grinned Charlie "I'm happy you're here. I…uh…well…I don't know. I just was really looking forward to getting to know you."**

"You're such a dork," laughed Sirius "I'm starting to see why AJ was drawn to you."

Charlie scowled, "She threw me off my game! I don't know, I can't explain it."

"Love is pretty unexplainable." Smiled Sirius

**AJ smiled, "Me too. I was really happy that you weren't upset that my friendship with Ron didn't work out."**

Kingsley grinned, "Just because your friendship couldn't have worked out doesn't mean that, that has to come between you and Charlie."

"Yeah but it's like blood is blood and I didn't want mine and Ron's issue or whatever to come between what we were establishing almost." Argued AJ

"No, I know," agreed Kingsley "It's a sticky situation no matter what. But what you have to remember that Charlie is his own person, and you haven't done anything to Ron for him to hate you. If you and Charlie get married and have babies, it's because you want that. If you and Charlie break up later on down the road, it's because something isn't working out. Not because of Ron or Molly or Ginny say. Just keep that in mind and you're good."

"**No of course not," stated Charlie "Ron can be a real idiot sometimes. I understand that and I'm not going to let him come between whatever this is. Two friends getting to know each other, just it is what it is. Don't let Ron get you down or come between us Punk." AJ nodded with a smile, she felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.**

Hermione smiled, "He told you everything you needed to hear. He knew you well even at that point, it's like you two are meant for each other."

"So if I had a problem with them dating it wouldn't matter?" pouted Ginny

"It wouldn't," deadpanned Hermione "because you have no idea what you're talking about. You don't have a problem with them dating, you have a problem with AJ for reasons that are your own fault. It's pathetic how caddy you can be."

Ginny glared, "I am not! I just don't think AJ is meant for Charlie!"

"Bullshit! You just don't like that you're not the center of attention. You've had this horrible idea of how AJ is famous and everything she's done, you have no idea who she is as a person. Ginny, stay out of their relationship, you have no business butting into it." Growled Hermione

**Mr. Weasley conjured up candles to light the darkening garden before they had their homemade strawberry ice cream, **

Draco licked his lips, "I love strawberry ice cream. Strawberry anything is delicious."

"You're mom loved strawberries too," smirked Sirius "ask her about her love of the."

"What happened?" grinned Draco

Narcissa jumped in, "Nothing happened! Let it go Siri or I'll tell your daughter the time you go drunk and wound up in your parents bed!"

**And by the time they had finished, moths were fluttering low over the table, and the warm air was perfumed with the smells of grass and honeysuckle.**

"I hate the way I think," muttered AJ "it's always in horrible clichés."

Andy smiled, "That's okay dear, we like to listen to your horrible clichés."

**Charlie looked carefully up the table to check that the rest of the family were all busy talking, then he said very quietly to AJ, "So - have you heard from Sirius lately?"**

"Be careful," murmured Remus "you don't want someone to hear you."

Sirius nodded, "You don't know who could be listening in."

**Hermione and Bill looked around, listening closely.**

"We may have been a little paranoid." Laughed Bill

Hermione snickered, "We had reason to be though."

"**Yeah," said AJ softly, "twice. He sounds okay. I wrote to him yesterday. He might write back while I'm here."**

"Don't you worry about your dad," smiled Regulus he's always able to find fun somewhere."

Remus nodded, "We were actually staying at my parent's old home in muggle France. No one knows about it, it was a nice break from the usual places."

"**Look at the time," Mrs. Weasley said suddenly, checking her wristwatch. "You really should be in bed, the whole lot of you you'll be up at the crack of dawn to get to the Cup.**

"Too bad you couldn't apparate," grinned Tonks "it would have saved you hours of sleep."

Draco glared, "Thanks for the reminder Tonks, it makes us all feel fuzzy inside."

**AJ, if you leave your school list out, I'll get your things for you tomorrow in Diagon Alley. **

"That's…nice of you." Muttered Ted "Odd but nice."

**I'm getting everyone else's. There might not be time after the World Cup, the match went on for five days last time."**

Everyone grinned, they had been hoping for a game like that. It would have been nicer than what they had experienced.

**Everyone went back to the house and into his or her respected rooms, Charlie and AJ shared smiles while Bill and Hermione rolled their eyes.**

"How rude!" snickered AJ "It's as if you found us annoying!"

Hermione snorted, "Right because that would have been unbelievable."

**AJ and Hermione had stayed up for a few hours talking and gossiping, AJ told her about her scar hurting and Hermione promised not to tell anyone. **

Sirius groaned, "Will you tell anyone about your scar hurting besides me?"

"You have to remember that AJ was telling Hermione this in person and you could only know by letter." Reminded Andy

**AJ looked at her watch, "Hey, I'm going to go see if Charlie is still awake. Be back in a few."**

Bill chocked on his water, "Are you serious!"

"Shut up Bill!" laughed Charlie "Just shut up!"

**Hermione smirked, "Yeah right! Just be careful, okay? And I'll want details!"**

Ted groaned, "You don't go into details do you? Because I think I'll need to leave the room for that."

**AJ walked silently into Charlie's room and immediately felt at home, the moon was shinning in through the window and showed off Charlie's perfect body.**

All the boys gagged while the girls wolf whistled at the blushing young man.

**Charlie pulled AJ onto the bed and hugged her close. **

"The urge I have to kill you is getting pretty bad," remarked Regulus "I'm fighting it. But it's getting hard."

Charlie smiled, "But you love me. I'm like a son to you. Right?"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night buddy boy." Laughed Regulus

**They talked for felt like hours; AJ could just talk to him without the feeling of being judged. **

Bill shook his head, "Is it over yet?"

"Shh!" snickered Hermione "It's getting to the good part."

**As the night wore on they shared more kisses, which only got more and more passionate. **

Fred and George rolled their eyes and tried not break into fits of laughter.

**Slowly things went from one thing to the next and AJ found herself loosing her virginity to the one person she felt whole around.**

"That wasn't too bad," grinned Andy "you loved him before you even knew it."

Molly glared, "You had sex in my home! You had sex in your bedroom!"

"Where else are they going to have sex? In a public bathroom? Let it go Molly! I'm sure your sons have had plenty of sex in the home without you knowing!" snarked Andy

Ted winced, "I don't think that was what she needed to hear."

"They never should have done it!" yelled Molly "How you raise daughter is fine, but my son should have morals!"

"Now wait just a damn minute! We raised Dora perfectly fine and are very proud of the women she is today! You have to realize that your kids grow up and leave the home, they have sex and will probably do a hundred other things that will make you upset! But that's not the point, the point is that at some point you have to let go and let them live their lives! They may have had sex in your home but at least it wasn't in some trashy motel or in the back seat of a Ford pickup!" yelled Ted

Andy blinked, "Ford pickup? You really had to bring that up Teddy?" Ted grinned and kissed his wife deeply; he didn't care what Molly said about their parenting skills. He knew that Dora turned out fine and so would AJ.

"**What does this mean?" asked Charlie with a smile. "I really like you."**

"I should hope so!" glared Molly

Sirius glared, "Will you stop it! You make it seem like they should be living like priest and nun! That's not the way works Molly, learn to adapt to the changing times."

**AJ grinned while pulling on Charlie's shirt, "I like you too a lot. But lets just do casual. We don't have to have anything serious."**

Draco scoffed, "Now that's a load of bullshit and we all know it."

"I wasn't even there and I can hear the lie." Snickered Narcissa

"**Oh sure," remarked Charlie with what sounded like disappointment "that's cool." They shared one last kiss before AJ went back into her bedroom she was using.**

Ted nodded, "It was disappointment hun, sorry to tell you but he wanted more."

"I know," mumbled AJ "I was just being an idiot."

**AJ got back into her bed and stared at the ceiling, "I said we could do casual."**

Regulus raised a brow, "Was Hermione even up?"

"**Why?" whispered Hermione "I thought you really liked him?"**

Everyone nodded; they couldn't understand where AJ was coming from.

**AJ shrugged, "Come on Mio, he's a Dragon Handler in Romania. We can't do serious right now and I get that. Maybe someday, but not now."**

"Oh," mumbled Tonks "I can see why you would think that. What changed?"

AJ smiled, "We both realized that we couldn't handle not being together. It'll be explained during the Christmas chapters."

"Good, at least you worked it out." Grinned Tonks

**Hermione sighed but nodded, she knew when to let it go. **

AJ smiled at her best friend, she was glad that Hermione hadn't pushed her to talk.

**They both fell into a restless sleep that night completely unaware of the events of the following day.**

Ron took the book, "I guess I'll read next…**The Portkey…**"

**AN: Thank you for the well wishes, the painkillers are helping a lot and so is the ice cream! AJ will tell everyone her pregnancy at dinner (only one baby for sure, no twins for AJ and Charlie yet), which is going to be in a few chapters. I don't know who Draco will be paired with but I'm up for ideas! I'm always up for suggestions and to answer questions. Read and Review :)**


	76. The Portkey

**AJ felt as though she had barely lain down to sleep in the twin's room when Mrs. Weasley was shaking her awake.**

"What time was that?" asked Tonks

AJ thought, "I think maybe three thirty or four in the morning. I know I had only gotten like two hours of sleep though."

"At least it was worth the sleepless night." Snickered Tonks

"**Time to go, AJ, dear," she whispered, moving away to wake Hermione.**

George gaped, "How come you woke them up all sweetly?"

"Yeah!" griped Fred "You were practically screeching in our ears!"

"You wouldn't wake up! What do you expect me to do?" snarled Molly

**AJ felt around for her watch, put it on and groaned at the stiffness in her muscles. **

Bill bit his lip, "Aren't your muscles supposed to be a little looser now?"

"That's my daughter you're talking about." Reminded Sirius

"Right," blushed Bill "no more inappropriate jokes. Well ones that are including AJ."

**It was still dark outside. **

Remus smiled, "Look on the bright side, you're going to a huge Quidditch game!"

"There was no bright side!" groaned Ron "It was still dark outside!"

"It's a figure of speech Ron, you aren't meant to take it literally." Muttered Remus

**Hermione groaned and grabbed a hair tie AJ held out for her. **

Hermione shook her head, "I hate when people wake me up in the morning."

"You aren't a morning person either?" asked Kingsley

"It's not that," smiled Hermione "I'm usually fine in the morning. But when other people wake me up, I get grouchy and annoyed over everything."

**At the foot of AJ's mattress she saw two large, disheveled shapes emerging from tangles of blankets.**

Charlie glared, "Really? They could have been getting dressed or something!"

"The door was still open!" laughed George "Unless your girl likes a show, I doubt they were getting dressed."

"'**S' time already?" said Fred groggily.**

Andy snickered, "That could be the reason why you were woken up so early."

**The twins grabbed clothes to change into in the bathroom while AJ and Hermione got dressed in silence, AJ was not a morning person. **

"I really don't like morning," groaned AJ "or morning people."

Hermione laughed, "You don't like people in general!"

"People annoy me, I can't help it!" snickered AJ

**Once dressed they all walked down the stairs looking a little more human.**

Draco smirked, "I bet AJ had bloodshot eyes, her hair was black and Hermione's hair was all over the place with normal eyes."

"You know us well!" laughed the Girls

**Mr. Weasley looked up as everyone entered and spread his arms so that they could see his clothes more clearly. **

Arthur smiled, "I really think I looked just like a muggle!"

"You really did dad," smirked Fred "I was proud of you."

**He was wearing what appeared to be a golfing sweater and a very old pair of jeans, slightly too big for him and held up with a thick leather belt.**

Molly groaned, "Yes Arthur you looked like a regular muggle."

"Leave him alone," groaned Narcissa "he tried at least. It would have been easier for Arthur to just go looking like a wizard and just erased peoples memories if need be."

"**What d'you think?" he asked anxiously. "We're supposed to go incognito - do I look like a Muggle, AJ?"**

Tonks grinned, "You know Arthur if you would have talked to some of the Aurors at work, we have special clothes on reserve for people going undercover as muggles."

"My dad doesn't talk to the Aurors," remarked Ginny "so why would he ask for help?"

"Ginny, you have no idea what you're talk about so you really need to just shut your mouth before I smack the shit out of you." Ground out Tonks

"**Yeah," said AJ, smiling, "very good."**

AJ shrugged, "What was I supposed to say? I didn't want to hurt his feelings."

"**Where're Bill and Charlie and Per-Per-Percy?" said George, failing to stifle a huge yawn.**

"Apparating!" grinned Bill "Thank Merlin we got our license."

Charlie nodded, "I wanted to go with everyone else but I knew I wouldn't have been able to wake up."

"**Well, they're Apparating, aren't they?" said Mrs. Weasley, heaving the large pot over to the table and starting to ladle porridge into bowls. "So they can have a bit of a lie-in."**

Ted pulled a face, "Porridge? Nasty."

"What is wrong with my porridge?" asked Molly

"Nothing!" Ted held his hands up, "I never said anything was wrong with it. I don't like porridge, I'm more of a bacon and eggs man myself."

"Can we stop talking about food?" asked AJ feeling sick to her stomach at the thought of food.

**AJ tried to not look disappointed, she really wanted to see Charlie again. **

"Awww," cooed Narcissa "that's too sweet!"

Regulus rolled his eyes, "Okay, we need to stop talking about cute and fuzzy things."

"**So they're still in bed?" said Fred grumpily, pulling his bowl of porridge toward him. "Why can't we Apparate too?"**

"Because you haven't taken the test yet you moron!" glared Snape

George grinned, "Funny, mom almost said the same thing!"

"**Because you're not of age and you haven't passed your test," snapped Mrs. Weasley. **

Snape shuddered while Molly looked pleased with herself.

"**Where are Ron and Ginny now?"**

"Hell?" suggested Sirius

Remus nodded, "Plotting to take over the world?"

"No," argued Regulus "they're in hell plotting to take over the world while listing to ACDC!"

**AJ knew about apparition thanks to Charlie, "Is the test hard?"**

"Not really," remarked Andy "it's all about focusing on the target."

Charlie winced, "I failed the first time, but it wasn't my fault!"

"Right. It never is." Snickered Andy

"**It can be very difficult if you aren't focused on the destination or you haven't read the manual all the way through."**** Remarked Arthur looking at the twins.**

Draco smiled, "Maybe we should all start reading about the apparition test now so when we actually take the test we're more prepared."

"That's a great idea!" beamed Hermione "Oh we can really be prepared for it now!"

**There were footsteps down the passageway and Ron and Ginny came into the kitchen, both looking pale and drowsy.**

Ron scowled, "It was too early in the morning! How wakes up at that hour?"

"I know!" groaned Ginny "That was just uncalled for."

Arthur rolled his eyes, "We needed to be up early so we could get there on time and set up the tents. You know this."

**"Why do we have to be up so early?" Ginny said, rubbing her eyes and sitting down at the table.**

"So you asked the question before and received an answer. What was the reasoning behind asking the question a second time?" asked Kingsley

Ginny glared, "Maybe I couldn't remember what my dad had said!"

"**We've got a bit of a walk," said Mr. Weasley. "We have to be careful about how we travel at the best of times, and on a huge occasion like the Quidditch World Cup…"**

"I'm assuming you used a Portkey?" asked Remus

Arthur nodded, "Horrible way to travel but it's one of the most effective ways of getting around with a large group."

"**George!" said Mrs. Weasley sharply, and they all jumped.**

"What did he do?" asked Tonks "You make it sound like he tried to kill puppies or something!"

AJ nodded, "It had to do with them packing some practical jokes they made. It wasn't anything major but Mrs. Weasley flipped the script."

"**What?" said George, in an innocent tone that deceived nobody**

"I really need to work on my innocent voice." Muttered George

Molly glared "Or maybe you could stop lying in the first place!"

"Mom!" yelled George "You make it seem like I was lying about something serious!"

**Mrs. Weasley pointed her wand at George's pocket and said, "Accio!"**

Regulus raised a brow, "Right because you're not being over controlling now."

"Great parenting skills," muttered Sirius "mother wasn't even as bad as her."

**Several small, brightly colored objects zoomed out of George's pocket; he made a grab for them but missed, and they sped right into Mrs. Weasley's outstretched hand.**

Charlie shook his head, "That's what the fighting was about? You were so loud Bill and I almost came down to make sure that no one killed someone."

"We thought Voldemort and team of death eaters came into the house. You really over reacted mom." Muttered Bill

"How can you say that?" asked Molly "They could have harmed innocent people!"

"They wouldn't have! That's the point, you never listen to them when they tell you anything." Yelled Charlie

Bill nodded, "If you would listen you would know that the spell will wear off after fifteen minutes!"

"**We told you to destroy them!" said Mrs. Weasley furiously, holding up what were unmistakably more Ton-Tongue Toffees. **

"Damn," muttered Sirius "you could have made a killing off bringing them to the cup."

Fred nodded, "I know! That's what the whole plan was but of course mom wouldn't hear us out."

**"We told you to get rid of the lot! Empty your pockets, go on, both of you!"**

"Now you're going overboard Molly." Sighed Remus "You have to trust your children! You make it seem like they're common criminals or something."

Ted nodded, "You have no trust in anyone, it's sad to see that you can't even trust your own family."

**It was an unpleasant scene; the twins had evidently been trying to smuggle as many toffees out of the house as possible.**

"We were!" yelled the twins "There was no reason for us not too!"

"**We spent six months developing those!" Fred shouted at his mother as she threw the toffees away.**

Draco gaped, "Six months? Holy shit, you guys really put a lot of effort into those."

"We did!" agreed George "All the time and effort we put into perfecting them was all wasted after our mom just tossed them out."

"**Oh a fine way to spend six months!" she shrieked. "No wonder you didn't get more O.W.L.s!"**

Regulus shook his head, "If you would look past them just being pranks, you could see all the magic that went into them making and perfecting them. They used a tremendous amount of magic making them and for you to just ignore that is wrong. You're completely wrong Molly."

"**I'll send Bill, Charlie, and Percy along around midday," Mrs. Weasley said to Mr. Weasley, as he, AJ, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny set off across the dark yard after Fred and George.**

"That wasn't tense at all," laughed AJ "no one would talk."

Hermione nodded, "We don't get along with Ginny and Ron so talking to them was out of the question. Fred and George would only talk amongst themselves, so it was felt to AJ and I to entertain ourselves."

"Even if we were friends with Ron and Ginny, they were dead to the world and kept muttering things about it being too early and something about someone being evil." Shrugged AJ

**Only a dull, greenish tinge along the horizon to their right showed that daybreak was drawing closer. **

Narcissa smiled, "That would have been the perfect time to have someone close to you to keep you warm."

"Or to just hold your hand and keep you company." Grinned Andy

"It really wasn't that cold out though." Remarked Ron

Ginny nodded, "And we could have kept them company if they weren't being such downers."

Narcissa opened her mouth but closed it while Andy just stared at the clueless teens. They had no idea how to deal with the opposite sex; poor kids were bound to live at home for the rest of their lives.

"**So how does everyone get there without all the Muggles noticing?" AJ asked.**

"Good," complimented Tonks "a nice safe topic."

Bill nodded, "Dad was probably upset with mom being her usual self so keeping the topic light was a god move."

**Mr. Weasley went into an in-depth conversation on what a Portkey was and how one worked, AJ nodded politely but was regretting asking.**

Arthur winced, "I sometimes forget what I'm talking about and go beyond what you need to know about. I am sorry AJ."

"It's fine Mr. Weasley," grinned AJ "it was just early. In the morning it's too hard for me to follow a conversation that goes beyond 'hey.'"

**They didn't have breath to spare for talking as they began to climb Stoats head Hill, stumbling occasionally in hidden rabbit holes, slipping on thick black tuffets of grass.**

Sirius winced, "Ouch, I remember that Hill from when we were kids. That damn thing will kick your ass."

"There should have been an easier way to get up there but we couldn't think of anything at the time." Sighed Arthur

**Each breath AJ took was sharp in her chest and her legs were starting to seize up when, at last, her feet found level ground.**

Remus shook his head, "You're better then I am cub, I would have given up and told everyone to go on without me."

"Really papa?" laughed AJ "I was too excited for the game to have to stay behind."

"**Over here, Arthur! Over here, son, we've got the Portkey."**

Andy raised a brow, "Whose there already? You let pretty early."

"**Amos!" said Mr. Weasley, smiling as he strode over to the man who had shouted. The rest of them followed.**

"Oh a Diggory," smiled Andy "he was always a little odd in school."

Hermione blinked, "Did you know Mr. Diggory well?"

"Oh no, not well at all. But he was always talking a mile a minute in class to the professors. We had a nickname for him when he was young but I can't remember it." Sighed Andy

**Mr. Weasley was shaking hands with a ruddy-faced wizard with a scrubby brown beard, who was holding a moldy-looking old boot in his other hand.**

Draco shuddered, "That would have freaked me out if I didn't know that a Portkey could be anything."

"Trust me," mumbled Hermione "I thought he was crazy at first."

"**This is Amos Diggory, everyone," said Mr. Weasley. "He works for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. And I think you know his son, Cedric?"**

Regulus sighed, "Is he going to say something dumb? I could see that happening."

"Oh yeah," laughed George "he got on AJ's bad side real quick."

"It was awesome!" laughed Fred "she told him off like there was no tomorrow!"

**AJ and Cedric never saw eye to eye on anything, partly because he flirted with her every chance he got.**

Charlie scowled, "I hate that kid."

"He's dead love, we should respect that." Smiled AJ

"I know," muttered Charlie "but I just. Ugh! He's so damn annoying!"

"**Hey AJ, you're looking cute today." Smirked Cedric**

Kingsley snorted, "Were you looking cute that day?"

**AJ glared, "I look like a drug addict in need of a fix. Bite me Diggory."**

Everyone burst into fits of laughter; "A drug addict?" laughed Bill

"Was that the best way to describe it?" laughed Ted

AJ scowled, "My eyes were bloodshot, I'm sure I was pale and that ass was my stomach turn!"

"In need of a fix," laughed Draco "I can see it now."

**"AJ? AJ Potter?" asked Mr. Diggory**

Sirius scowled, "Give me a reason to kick his ass. Please!"

"Oh trust me," laughed Hermione "you will."

"**Yes," sighed AJ.**

Arthur bit his lip, "I should have said something but he can be rather pushy."

"**Ced's talked about you, of course," said Amos Diggory.**

The twins scowled deeply while AJ rolled her eyes.

**"Told us all about playing against you last year… I said to him, I said - Ced, that'll be something to tell your grandchildren, that will… You beat AJ Potter!"**

"Like that was her fault!" yelled Remus "What is wrong with him?"

Charlie glared, "What a jerk! And of course Cedric didn't tell him the whole story!"

**AJ glared hair turning red, "Excuse me?"**

"Merlin." Sighed Snape

"**Well, Ced did tell me you fell off your broom. He managed to hang on!" laughed Mr. Diggory "That's my boy!"**

Kingsley glared, "God to hell Amos! She heard her parents last words you fool!"

"Like he gives a damn," glared Bill "he didn't get the full story. He's like everyone else, he's all about the standings."

"**Right," agreed AJ sarcastically "let me clear something up for you. **

Narcissa nodded, "This ought to be real good."

"He deserves whatever she dishes out." Smirked Tonks

**Your son lost because the Dementors! I could have kicked his ass on the field if they weren't there. Don't brag about things you know nothing about."**

Everyone cheered for AJ who was shaking her head at them.

"**Right," nodded the now silent man "well we must get going I suppose. You just need to touch the Portkey, that's all, a finger will do -"**

"You shut him up," grinned Fred "best moment ever."

George nodded, "I fell in love with you there!"

"**Three…" muttered Mr. Weasley, one eye still on his watch, 'two… one…"**

"You didn't tell them what was going to happen!" yelled Sirius

Remus sighed, "This is going to end well."

**It happened immediately: AJ felt as though a hook just behind her navel had been suddenly jerked irresistibly forward. **

Hermione shuddered, "That was the worst feeling ever, I felt like I was going to be sick."

"I got sick the first time I took one." Admitted Bill "It was awful and it's not something you get used to."

**Her feet left the ground; she could feel Ron and Hermione on either side of her, **

"It's too tight of squeeze," winced Ted "you're going to crash into one another."

**Their shoulders banging into hers; they were all speeding forward in a howl of wind and swirling color; **

AJ put a hand to her mouth preventing herself from getting sick all over the place.

**Her forefinger was stuck to the boot as though it was pulling her magnetically onward and then.**

"It's magically stuck there," smiled Kingsley "it's a sticking charm."

Regulus nodded, "Otherwise you would go off into space and most likely be killed."

"Nice Reggie, that's exactly what people need to hear." Grinned Kingsley

**Her feet slammed into the ground; Ron staggered into her and she fell over; the Portkey hit the ground near her head with a heavy thud. **

Charlie smiled, "At least you stayed up most of the time! I always fell over even I did it alone."

**AJ looked up. Mr. Weasley, Mr. Diggory, and Cedric were still standing, though looking very windswept; everybody else was on the ground.**

"We're much more used to it then you." Smiled Arthur "That and we weren't as close together as everyone else."

Molly glared, "They could have been killed! They could have been killed."

"They weren't though! They were barely harmed!" argued Arthur

"**Seven past five from Stoatshead Hill," said a voice.**

Draco took the book, "I'll read and then we can get dinner. **Bagman and Crouch…**"

**AN: Thank you for reading and reviewing! Not sure if AJ and Cedric are going to hook up or not, but we shall see! Two chapters in one day, not bad! Next one will be up soon, I'm too tired to write anymore :( tonight. Thanks again! Read and Review :)**


	77. Bagman and Crouch

**AJ disentangled herself from Ron and got to her feet. **

"That must have been a wild ride." Smiled Ted "The first time I went by Portkey I was only twelve and I didn't use one again till I was fifteen."

Arthur gaped, "Only twelve? Merlin you must have been terrified."

"Yeah it wasn't one of my fondest memories." Ted winced in remembrance.

**They had arrived on what appeared to be a deserted stretch of misty moor. **

Sirius smiled, "It has to be deserted pup, other wise it wouldn't be a place Wizards and Witches can use."

"I know that know," grinned AJ "but at the time it was weird to see."

**In front of them was a pair of tired and grumpy-looking wizards, one of who was holding a large gold watch, the other a thick roll of parchment and a quill. **

Tonks shook her head, "Every year around that time we pick names out of hat."

"You pick names out of a hat?" asked Bill

"What?" laughed Tonks "It sucks for them, but it's the fairest way."

**Both were dressed as Muggles, though very inexpertly: The man with the watch wore a tweed suit with thigh-length galoshes his colleague, a kilt and a poncho.**

Hermione rolled her eyes, "There should be a class to take to teach you to blend in with muggles. They honestly looked like two homeless people."

"We could call the class Wizard today, Muggle tomorrow!" laughed AJ "It'll be a hit at Hogwarts!"

"**Morning, Basil," said Mr. Weasley, picking up the boot and handing it to the kilted wizard, who threw it into a large box of used Portkeys beside him; AJ could see an old newspaper, an empty drinks can, and a punctured football.**

"What would happen if a muggle picked one up and tossed it away?" asked AJ

Ron rolled his eyes, "Why would a muggle throw out something like that?"

"Because you jackass," muttered AJ "they don't want to contribute to Global Warming!"

"What are you talking about?" yelled Ron

Remus jumped in, "Nothing would happen cub, your magic allows you to be taken away with them. The muggle wouldn't be harmed in the least."

"**Hello there, Arthur," said Basil wearily. "Not on duty, eh? It's all right for some… **

"Looks like someone is a little bitter." Snickered Sirius

Arthur nodded, "He was a little angry the entire day, which he had every right to be but still."

**We've been here all night. Hang on, I'll find your campsite… Weasley… Weasley…" **

"Was the turnout bigger then any other event?" asked Hermione

Kingsley nodded, "It was the biggest turnout in over fifty years. If the incident hadn't happened, it would have been more

**He consulted his parchment list. "About a quarter of a mile's walk over there, first field you come to."**

"You guys had a good space then," grinned Draco "too bad it wasn't long lasting."

AJ shuddered, "Trust me I know, the end of all this was complete bullshit."

"**Am I being an idiot?" asked AJ while they started walking towards the sight.**

"What are you talking about?" asked Andy

Narcissa grinned, "I think it's about Charlie. I could be wrong, but I doubt it."

**Hermione blinked, "If you like Charlie just be with him. What's the worse that could happen?"**

"Listen to her!" yelled Tonks "Listen to her, she's smart!"

Ted nodded, "I'm not all for this relationship starting so soon, but it'll save you a headache if you just listen to her."

"**He lives hours away," argued AJ "and he probably has a number of girls after him."**

"Are you the jealous type?" asked Bill innocently

AJ rolled her eyes, "No of course not! I just don't like girls fawning over what's mine."

"Right," laughed Bill "that's not being jealous at all."

"**But bug, he really likes you! You should have seen him before you came, he was making sure everything about him was perfect." Smiled Hermione**

Charlie groaned, "You told her that?"

"Sorry," laughed Hermione "I was just trying to help."

"I know, but now I sound like a sissy or something. I'm more manly then that." Muttered Charlie

AJ kissed him, "You are very manly and I love that you wanted everything to be perfect."

"**Yeah?" smiled AJ "That's cute…I don't know. Maybe I'll tell him I want more. But do I?"**

"Yes you do," smiled Sirius "you're better then a casual thing."

Regulus nodded, "Don't settle sweets, Charlie loves you and you're starting to see that you love him. Settling for something casual will end up making things more complicated then they need to be."

**Hermione bit her lip, "Okay lets put it this way. If some girl asked Charlie out would that make you mad?"**

"Yeah would you be mad?" asked Fred

George nodded, "Yeah AJ, would you?"

"You're both idiots," laughed AJ "and you'll find out in the next sentence."

"**Depends on the stupid bitch," snorted AJ **

Bill laughed loudly, "Nice sis! You really are all for casual."

"I think the book is embellishing a bit," laughed AJ "I would never use such words."

"**Whoa where did that come?" Hermione laughed at her smirking friend.**

"Damn," snickered Kingsley "I think we know what that means."

Ted nodded, "Oh yeah, I think we all know how long this casual relationship is going to last."

"**I think you found your answer bug, you like him and you want him for yourself." Smirked Hermione**

"Girls are possessive by nature, it's just how we are." Smirked Narcissa

Hermione nodded, "You have no idea how possessive AJ can be when it comes to Charlie."

"You must have loads of stories!" laughed Narcissa

**Mr. Weasley stopped. "****Ah, here we are, look, this is us."**

Charlie grinned, "It's almost time for my appearance!"

"Little excited?" snorted Bill

"**Right," he said excitedly, "no magic allowed, strictly speaking, not when we're out in these numbers on Muggle land. **

Draco smiled, "You guys put the tents together on your own?"

"It was great!" laughed AJ "I've never been camping in my life so I was no help whatsoever."

"Come on Mio, you had to have some experience!" laughed Draco

Hermione snorted, "Are you kidding me? The last time I went camping a raccoon tried to get in my tent!" everyone started smiling at the laughing trio, they were closer then family at times.

**We'll be putting these tents up by hand!** **Shouldn't be too difficult… Muggles do it all the time… Here, AJ, where do you reckon we should start?"**

"I'm sorry, I had no idea you weren't used to camping. I figured your family had gone camping all the time." Remarked Arthur

AJ smiled, "It's fine really. They did go camping a few times but I never went. They would leave me with their neighbor which was fine with me."

"We can go camping!" grinned Tonks "It could be a family thing!"

"You may want to hang on to that thought for a little bit." Laughed Draco

**AJ didn't have the heart to tell him she had never been camping and had no desire to add that to her bucket list.**

Tonks pouted, "Really? You don't want to go camping?"

"Dora, the last time we went camping you fell down and broke your wrist and ankle. And that was before we even went to the campsite." Grinned Andy

"Right," muttered Tonks before smiling, "we could camp in a hotel room!"

**However, she and Hermione put on brave faces and they finally managed to erect a pair of shabby two-man tents.**

Hermione and AJ high-five each other, they made a good team.

**AJ wondered how they would all fit; maybe she and Charlie could bunk together.**

Molly glared, "You will not!"

"How would you know?" laughed AJ "You weren't even there and you can't control when we have sex!"

"Sirius, Remus! Aren't you going to say something?" yelled Molly

Sirius glared, "I believe we said before that when it comes to AJ, we would parent her in our way! You can't stop kids from having sex Molly, it's only going to make them want to have sex more and in unsafe places."

"And if you recall," snarled Remus "this already happened. These are AJ's thoughts! We can't control the past and we can't yell at her for what she thinks!"

"**We'll be a bit cramped," Mr. Weasley called from the tent, "but I think we'll all squeeze in. Come and have a look."**

Narcissa grinned, "You weren't expecting it to be magical did you?"

"No," smiled Hermione "I honestly thought Mr. Weasley had gone crazy or something."

**AJ bent down, ducked under the tent flap, and felt her jaw drop. **

AJ grinned, "It was the coolest thing I've ever seen."

"It's all about having the muggle see what they want to see." Smiled Arthur

**She had walked into what looked like an old-fashioned, three room flat, complete with bathroom and kitchen.**

Ginny rolled her eyes, "If there wasn't a bathroom or kitchen how would we go to the bathroom or cook?"

"Muggles just use the outdoors or porta potties for bathrooms and cooking is done over a fire." Explained Ted

**He picked up the dusty kettle and peered inside it. "We'll need water…there's a spring just over the hill. **

AJ jumped up, "Does anyone want a snack?"

"Um…no?" snickered Narcissa "There's some raspberry crisp in the kitchen though."

"Really?" smiled AJ running into the kitchen, leaving a stunned room behind her.

Draco stared, "What's up with her? She never eats throughout the day, it's like against her beliefs."

"Maybe she's just hungry or maybe she just wants a few minutes to be alone!" defended Charlie

"Calm down Lassie," laughed Draco "it was just a joke."

AJ walked back in eating her crisp with a cup of coffee in the other hand, "What's up? Why are Charlie and Draco having a stare off?"

"Because they're idiots." Snorted Hermione

**AJ, Ron, Hermione will you get us some? The rest of us will get some wood."**

"That must have been a fun trip for water," laughed George

Fred nodded, "I'm jealous we couldn't go with!"

"You should be," deadpanned AJ "it was the best walk ever."

"**But we've got an oven," said Ron. "Why can't we just -"**

Bill rolled his eyes, "How would you explain that to a muggle? You have no electricity in the woods Ron."

"Well! How was I supposed to know!" grouched Ron

"Hmm," thought Bill "maybe common sense? Something you're obviously lacking."

"**Ron, anti-Muggle security!" said Mr. Weasley, his face shining with anticipation.**

Tonks nodded, "That would be really hard to explain to a random muggle passing by."

"We would have had our asses chewed out if that were to have happened." Muttered Kingsley

**After a quick tour of the girls' tent, which was slightly smaller than the boys', AJ, Hermione and Ron set off across the campsite with the kettle and saucepans.**

Regulus smiled, "Did you talk at all during the walk?"

"I don't think so," remarked Hermione "it was just really weird."

**Their fellow campers were starting to wake up. First to stir were the families with small children.**

"I wasn't expecting for so many people to show up with such young children." Commented AJ

Narcissa blinked, "Why? It's a huge sporting event that witches and wizards all over the world were excited for."

"Usually when there will be a huge gathering, parents tend to leave their children home in fear of them being harmed or kidnapped." Explained AJ

**AJ had never seen witches and wizards this young before. **

Snape made a face but didn't say anything. He knew AJ hadn't been around the magical world except for school and Diagon alley.

**Here and there adult wizards and witches were emerging from their tents and starting to cook breakfast. **

Ron groaned and looked longingly into the kitchen.

"**What's with the green?" asked AJ**

"What green?" asked Ted "Where is there green?"

Kingsley grinned, "They probably walked into the Irish neck of the woods."

"I forgot how much the countries take pride in their colors." Sighed

**They had walked into a patch of tents that were all covered with a thick growth of shamrocks. **

Hermione smiled, "Too bad there wasn't any four leaf clovers."

"I could have used some that year." Grinned AJ

**From behind them, they heard their names.** "**AJ! Ron! Hermione!"**

Fred and George grinned, "More admirers?"

"Better not be," groaned Charlie "I'm sick of these little boys."

Fred smirked, "You're going to love the chapter that gets into guys asking AJ to the ball. It'll be great for you."

**It was Seamus Finnigan, their fellow Gryffindor fourth year. **

"He was a nice kids," smiled Remus "a little flirtatious but nice enough."

Kingsley grinned, "Was he a ladies man?"

"More like a mans man. It was harmless flirting but he should turn it down when talking to his professor." Snickered Remus

**He was sitting in front of his own shamrock-covered tent, with a sandy-haired woman who had to be his mother, and his best friend, Dean Thomas. **

Sirius smirked, "Didn't Dean write you a love letter in second year?"

"No," argued AJ "I don't think that happened. Ever."

"Oh it so did!" laughed Sirius

**"Like the decorations?" said Seamus, grinning. "The Ministry's not too happy."**

Narcissa rolled her eyes, "They're always so worried about what other people think and how they're going to be perceived to other countries."

"Fudge was gripping about the decorations for I don't know how long." Laughed Tonks

**"Ah, why shouldn't we show our colors?" said Mrs. Finnigan. **

Ginny snorted, "Because green is an awful color."

"Because no one likes green or what it represents." Muttered Ron

**"You should see what the Bulgarians have got dangling all over their tents." she stated**

Regulus rolled his eyes, "I don't think I like this women very much."

"She does seem to be pretty narrow minded about the smallest of things." Agreed Andy

**Ron stayed back with Seamus and Dean while AJ and Hermione went to explore.**

Arthur sighed, "You shouldn't have split up like that Ron! That's why I told you to go with AJ and Hermione."

"Nothing happened!" argued Ron "It's not like they died or something!"

"That's not the point Ronald." Sighed Arthur

"**I wonder what the Bulgarians have got dangling all over their tents?" said Hermione.**

Hermione scowled, "It wasn't anything that I was expecting that's for sure."

"You're the one that went to the dance with him." Smirked Draco

"Yeah well," Hermione blushed "it wasn't my fault! I needed a date and I wasn't going to go with some loser from school!"

Bill kissed her cheek, "Anytime there is a dance, I'm your partner."

"**Let's go and have a look," said AJ**

"Just be careful," advised Arthur "sometimes they aren't the nicest of people."

AJ nodded, "Yeah we kind of got that from the posters."

**Each and every tent had the same poster attached to it, a poster of a very surly face with heavy black eyebrows. **

"Who is he?" asked Andy

Tonks raised a brow, "Someone that doesn't own a mirror apparently."

"I think its Krum," remarked Ted "the weird Quidditch player. The kid doesn't know how to smile or look remotely normal."

**The picture was, of course, moving, but all it did was blink and scowl.**

Narcissa made a face, "I can see why he has such a fan base with the women."

"He actually does," remarked Charlie "but it's mostly for the fame."

"**Who is he?" asked Hermione**

Ron rolled his eyes, "How could you not know?"

"Because I am muggle born!" shouted Hermione "How can you not remember that?"

**A voice behind them was heard, "Victor Crum of course, what century have you two been living in?"**

Remus groaned, "Who could that be? One of his supporters?"

"Probably," scowled Tonks "they're most likely all over trying to get a glimpse of him."

**Both girls turned around and engulfed their best friend Draco in a tight hug.**

Remus and Tonks looked away while AJ, Hermione and Draco started smirking and chocking back laughter.

"**How's your summer been?" asked AJ "Is your father around?"**

Narcissa winced, "Be careful dear, if your father catches you…I would hate to hear about what he would do."

"He wasn't around," snorted Draco "he never is."

**Draco smiled, "He's at the hotel, it's for magical folk and not too far from here. Don't worry."**

Arthur bit his lip, "What would have happened if your father caught you talking to AJ and Hermione?"

"I don't think this is an appropriate conversation to have right now." Murmured Snape

"**How has your summer been?" asked Hermione "Your owls are always cryptic."**

Bill smiled, "Honestly? It's better that way no matter whom you're talking too. Fudge takes security measures to an extreme when it comes to owls."

"I don't think Fudge can be too cautious when it comes to the mail. Death eaters could be corresponding or intercepting the mail." Argued Molly

"That doesn't even make sense," scowled Bill "just leave it alone mom. You don't even know what you're talking about."

"**It's been really good actually, mom and I went to Italy for a week. **

Narcissa smiled, "That was nice, we have to go again but this time everyone has to come."

"That'll be so much fun!" grinned Andy "We haven't done a big family vacation is ages! Italy will be so fun and so will France!"

**It was nice to get away for a bit. How about you?" asked Draco**

Charlie looked at AJ "Did you tell him? I knew you would tell Hermione but I don't know about Draco."

"Maybe," grinned AJ "maybe not. You'll have to see."

**Hermione and AJ explained everything that Draco missed, including the dirty details.**

"Is there anything the three of you don't talk about?" laughed Kingsley

Hermione shook her head, "No not really. I think all our lives we kept things hidden from people because we didn't have friends. So now that we have such a tight friendship we don't hide things."

"I understand," smiled Kingsley "it's just not common anymore. I like it, I think you three need to stick together as much as possible right now."

**Finally reaching the spring, Draco smacked AJ in the back of the head.**

Sirius glared "Excuse me? Why did you smack my daughter?"

"It was more of a love pat!" argued Draco "There was no heat behind it!"

"A love pat? What is a love pat?" glared Charlie

"Okay I can't defend myself in front of both of you!" yelled Draco over the laughter

"**Casual? A hot sexy man tells you he likes you and you tell him causal?" asked Draco **

Draco blushed deep red while everyone smiled at him; they had an idea that he may have been bi or even gay. Of course they didn't have a problem with it one bit and they knew he would tell them in their own time.

"**What is going on your head?"**

Tonks nodded, "That's what I want to know! Someone needs to knock some sense into you!"

"Calm down Tonks," laughed AJ "we're good now. We're completely together and nothing is coming between us. Keep that in mind."

"**I don't know anymore," sighed AJ "we'll see what happens I guess."**

Charlie kissed AJ, "All that wasted time, but it's okay punk."

"We're together now, that's all that counts." Smiled AJ

**After getting water, AJ and Hermione waved goodbye to Draco who had to head back before his father got suspicious. **

"He didn't notice right?" asked Tonks

Draco snorted, "Of course not. He doesn't notice anything unless it's directed towards money or something."

**Ron met up with them before they made it back to the camp looking semi normal again.**

Ron scowled, "Maybe because I was with actual friends and not two fake people."

"Two fake people?" asked AJ "I wonder if you're going to keep saying that when it comes time to see who had my back throughout the tournament."

"Don't bother arguing with him, he just wants to start a fight like usual." Remarked Hermione

**As they set the water down, Ron asked, ****"You've not got that fire started yet?"**

Andy snickered, "What took so long?"

"I was just…it was a little difficult at first." Defended Arthur

"**Dad's having fun with the matches," said Fred.**

Molly gapped "You were having fun with matches? You were having fun with something that lights things on fire? What is wrong with you Arthur?"

"I didn't mean it that way!" yelled Fred

George nodded, "He kept getting burned! Dad isn't used to matches!"

**With the help of Hermione Mr. Weasley had finally gotten the fire going. **

"And she only burned her hand once!" snickered AJ

Hermione huffed "That's because a certain friend of my mine was making dirty jokes in my ear!"

"Would I do that?" laughed AJ "No I wouldn't! I'm too pure and innocent for that."

**At last, the fire was ready, and they had just started cooking eggs and sausages when Bill, Charlie, and Percy came strolling out of the woods toward them.**

Remus shook his head, "Of course you would know exactly when to come. The work is done and the food is ready. Nicely done boys."

"In all honesty it wasn't planned, but we do have impeccable timing." Snorted Bill

"**Just Apparated, Dad," said Percy loudly. "Ah, excellent, lunch!"**

Sirius gaped, "Really? Thank you for pointing that out Captain Obvious."

"He's an idiot," muttered Regulus "I really do want to meet him though."

"Right, because that wouldn't end in a blood bath." Snickered Sirius

**Charlie sat next to AJ "I wanted to come with you guys, but it was really early."**

Draco smiled, "I think she knows that is was early considering she was the one that woke up at an ungodly hour."

"Well, I wanted to go but I wasn't sure if she wanted me there so early." Admitted Charlie

"Your both idiots," snorted Draco "you both were just so lost in the beginning."

"**Don't worry about Charlie," smiled AJ "I understand."**

Ted smirked, "Have you ever noticed that you always smile whenever you're talking to him. It doesn't matter what, you just smile."

"I can't help it, he's always so adorable and I don't know." Smirked AJ "He makes me happy and I always want to laugh when I'm around him."

"**Aha!" Mr. Weasley said to the man coming forward. "The man of the moment! Ludo!"**

Kingsley rolled his eyes, "Ludo is just weird. He's a nice guy but he was always a bit touched in the head."

"Whatever happened to him? He disappeared after the Triwizard tournament and no ones seen him since." Remarked Tonks

"He probably got involved with the wrong crowd." Snorted Kingsley "The guy never knew what was right and was wrong."

"**Ahoy there!" Bagman called happily.**

Bill snickered, "Ahoy there? I forgot he thought we were on a pirates ship."

"He was being friendly," laughed Hermione "remember Percy? He seemed to like him."

"Percy likes anyone in power if you haven't noticed." Snickered Bill

**Percy hurried forward with his hand outstretched.**

Molly smiled, "Your brother is trying to make a name for himself at the ministry, you should take a lesson from him."

"Who wants to have a name for themselves at the ministry?" asked Regulus "The ministry is falling apart. It's only a matter of time before people start to turn on them, you better hope your son gets out before that."

"I am very proud of my son! He's working for a fine minister and I could only hope that all my sons and daughter work for him someday!" snarled Molly

Regulus grinned without humor, "Good for you Molly. Keep pushing these unrealistic dreams on your kids, see how fast they run from home and never look back."

"**Ah - yes," said Mr. Weasley, grinning, "this is my son Percy. He's just started at the Ministry**

"Now there's something to be proud of!" snorted George

Fred nodded, "Percy is perfect, we really should look up to the stuck up jerk more often."

**- And this is Fred - no, George, sorry - that's Fred –**

"You had it right the first time," smiled AJ "just go with your gut."

**Bill, Charlie, Ron - my daughter, Ginny and Ron's friends, Hermione Granger and AJ Potter."**

Andy scowled, "Here we go, he's going to look at the scar."

"And he's going to do that weird gapping thin with his mouth." Muttered Narcissa

**Bagman did the smallest of double takes when he heard AJ's name. **

Bill rolled his eyes, "It was more obvious then that, it was really weird."

"Yeah," nodded Hermione "it was like he surprised you were there."

"I don't think he expected to see her. He's a weird guy." Remarked Bill

**His eyes performed the familiar flick upward to the scar on AJ's forehead.**

"What do you expect?" snorted Ginny "It's a pretty noticeable scar."

Remus cocked his head, "I think it has more to do with her name being brought up rather then the scar."

**Charlie must have felt her tense, "Want to go for a walk? Just around here or something?"**

"Oh I did," laughed Charlie "I really thought you were going to give into the infamous Potter temper and let him have it."

Draco grinned, "Now that, I wouldn't have minded hearing about."

**AJ nodded eagerly, anything to get her away from the weird fan base she seemed to acquire wherever she went.**

Snape groaned he hated when he was wrong about people. Especially about her, she was supposed to be just like her father and enjoy her fame. He was a spy for Merlins sake and he couldn't even get a good read on a damn teenager.

**When a safe distance away Charlie grabbed her hand, AJ felt an electric jolt go through their intertwined hands.**

Charlie kissed AJ, "I felt it too. We really are meant to be together."

"I think so too," grinned AJ "we're it for each other."

"**So I'm not a virgin anymore," AJ coughed, "just ignore me."**

"Yeah, I don't even know what to say about that." Snorted Sirius

Regulus shook his head; "There are so many other things you could have said that would have made it less awkward. Like the weather, that's a safe topic."

"The weather?" asked Remus "Why do people bring up the weather? That just makes people more on edge because now they know it's awkward."

"Ignore him love, remember Reggie has a one date curse." Snickered Sirius

Regulus glared, "Leave my love life out of this!"

"More like lack of there of!" laughed Remus causing Regulus to roll his eyes but was fighting a smirk.

**Charlie laughed, "I could never ignore you punk, you're too important to me."**

Tonks squealed, "You are so sweet! Merlin AJ is one lucky girl!"

"Thanks Tonks, that means a lot." Muttered Kingsley

"I didn't mean it like that!" explained Tonks "I'm lucky you're my partner on the field and maybe someday off the field. It's just, I'm happy for AJ."

Kingsley kissed her head, "I know, I'm just messing with you doll."

"**When was your last serious relationship?" asked AJ**

"Good," smiled Andy "make sure you get all the details out in the open."

Narcissa nodded, "Just make sure that he's not feeding you what you want to hear. Men can be such players."

"**Actually I've never been in a serious relationship before. Never found a girl I could see myself being with longer then just sex." Admitted Charlie**

"Really?" asked Ted "Not that I care about your past, but I'm just surprised you haven't done serious before."

Charlie shrugged, "As a Dragon Handler I live on the base and it's not the most glamorous of jobs and not a lot of girls can handle it."

"Hey as long as your honest with my niece and you're not feeding her a line of bullshit you're good." Smiled Ted

Molly glared, "Am I the only one who is appalled by all of this? How could you just sleep with women? How Charles!"

"**Honesty," grinned AJ "I like that in a man. When do you go back to Romania?"**

"Aww," cooed Bill "you're the perfect man for her! You're too sweet little Charlie."

Charlie scowled, "Well I'm not going to lie to her! I really want something to come from us that wasn't just sex!"

"Chill, I was just kidding. I'm happy for you both." Grinned Bill

"**I go back September third but only a for a few days, um I'm actually going to be spending a lot of time at Hogwarts." Admitted Charlie**

Ron glared, "You knew! You knew and you didn't even tell me?"

"Wow, you really are a shitty ass friend AJ!" snarled Ginny

"What in the hell are you two talking about?" asked AJ "What didn't I tell you?"

Draco nodded, "Was it a secret Charlie was going to be at Hogwarts for a while?"

"Oh," breathed Hermione "they think Charlie told you about the tournament!"

"Who cares?" asked Draco

"I do! She should have told me!" yelled Ron

Ginny nodded, "Completely unfair!"

"I didn't know you asses!" shouted AJ "Chill the fuck out you morons!"

**AJ bit her lip, "That's awesome, I was going to miss you if I couldn't see you until maybe next summer or something."**

"Wait!" yelled George "This is huge!"

Fred held his head, "George! She actually admitted something emotional!"

"**Um about last night," stuttered Charlie "are you. Like um…I don't know. Are you okay?"**

Remus smiled, "Thank you, just making sure she's okay is important."

"You're making it really hard for me to hate you!" grumbled Sirius

"**You were a perfect gentlemen. Thank you, last night was more then I could have ever hoped for." Smiled AJ**

"Can the sexual talking be over with?" asked Regulus

Any smacked him with a pillow "Leave them alone! At least they're talking. That's more then what most people do in a lifetime."

**As they shared more kisses they decided to walk back and see if Bill and Hermione were becoming friends.**

"See?" grinned Narcissa "No more talk about sex or any lovie dovie stuff."

Draco smiled, "I think AJ reached her talking about emotions quota for the year at that point."

"**Who's that guy talking to Bagman?" asked AJ**

"Oh this was when Crouch came over." Sighed Arthur

Molly raised a brow, "What did he want? Did he need something?"

"It was nothing Molly." Groaned Arthur "He didn't want anything at all. Relax."

**Charlie looked, "Oh that's Barty Crouch, he works for the ministry too. He took a hard hit in the first war."**

Kingsley nodded, "His own son. That caused him more pain than anything during that war."

"He had to persecute his own son," sighed Remus "that had to have killed him in a way."

"**What happened?" asked AJ "Did his family die?"**

"In a sense," remarked Tonks "depends on how you look at it."

Ted nodded, "That whole family was a complete disgrace after he did what he did."

"**His son was a death eater and Crouch ended up persecuting him." Explained Charlie**

AJ shuddered at what she was going to find out that year. She pushed so many of those memories to the back of her head; she didn't want to relive them.

**A sense of excitement rose like a palpable cloud over the campsite as the afternoon wore on.**

"All the salesmen are going to be popping up now," smiled Ted "make sure you get some good stuff."

Bill nodded, "They were actually selling some really nice stuff this year. Usually it's all junk or too expensive."

**Salesmen were Apparating every few feet, carrying trays and pushing carts full of extraordinary merchandise. **

"I think we had more fun seeing the merchandise then we did watching the game!" giggled Hermione

AJ nodded, "The game was fun and all but the shopping was the best."

"We have to go shopping when we go on this family trip!" grinned Hermione

"Of course!" cheered AJ

**They had everything imaginable for the teams. AJ was surprised that the prices weren't too high.**

Arthur grinned, "Is that another muggle thing?"

"Sort of, when you go the game the merchandise is always more expensive there rather then at a random store." Explained AJ

"**What are these?" asked AJ looking at a cart piled high with what looked like brass binoculars, except that they were covered with all sorts of weird knobs and dials.**

"You have to get a pair!" yelled Sirius "Sorry, but those came out when I was in school and they were the coolest gadgets ever."

Andy nodded, "They were very nice and a little expensive if I remember."

"**Omnioculars," said the saleswizard eagerly. **

"They're very pricy," remarked Molly "we would never be able to afford them."

Arthur nodded, "I think one of the boys may have bought them. It's their money Molly, don't start."

**"You can replay action… slow everything down… **

"Wow," smiled Draco "those are really nice."

Hermione nodded, "I'll have to show you mine sometime, they're really cool to just play around with."

**And they flash up a play-by- play breakdown if you need it. Bargain - ten Galleons each."**

"Damn," muttered Kingsley "they aren't cheap that's for sure."

Narcissa nodded, "Price certainly went down since we were their age though.

**Charlie smiled and bought four while Bill bought them each green shirts.**

"You both are very sweet," smiled Ted "and I don't mean just because you bought them things. It was nice for you to think of them and not just yourselves."

Bill shrugged, "I make good money and I would rather spend it on people that deserve it then have it sitting in a bank collecting dust."

**Heading back to the tent, they spotted Ron, and Ginny sporting green rosettes, and Mr. Weasley was carrying an Irish flag. **

"That kids mom would be proud," laughed Tonks "she can't be mad now."

AJ nodded, "She seemed like the kind of women that would hurt another person over pretty much anything."

**Fred and George had no souvenirs, which made AJ feel guilty.**

George waved her off, "Don't worry about it! We had placed a bet while you and Charlie were off."

"We did it to ourselves, don't worry." Smiled Fred

**And then a deep, booming gong sounded somewhere beyond the woods, and at once, green and red lanterns blazed into life in the trees, lighting a path to the field.**

Everyone started to cheer loudly the game was beginning!

"**It's time!" said Mr. Weasley, looking as excited as any of them. "Come on, let's go!"**

Molly got up, "I'm going to start dinner now before Ron starves to death."

**AN: Thanks so much for the reviews! I love the feedback and the suggestions! Always up to ask questions :). Read and review.**


	78. Reactions

Sitting down to dinner Charlie and AJ sat closer to the door then normal. Regulus snorted, "If Sirius and Remus already know, you shouldn't be afraid."

"What about my mom? How do you think she's going to take this?" snarled Charlie

Regulus chocked back a laugh, "I'll protect you dragon boy. Don't worry about your mommy attacking you."

Everyone dug into the meal while AJ just played with hers, she knew she needed to eat but the thought of what was to come made her sick to her stomach. How would everyone take the news? She was sure her Aunt Andy and Uncle Ted would be supportive but would everyone else? Molly would flip out that was for certain; she never knew when to give people a breather. She was not looking forward to this, catching her dads eye she saw him nod and give her a reassuring smile.

AJ grabbed Charlie's hand, "Um well we have something to tell you all and it's pretty big."

"What now?" asked Molly "What could you possibly have to tell us now?"

"I'm pregnant," glared AJ "that's what I needed to tell you!"

There was a moment of silence when all of a sudden glass was broken; Snape just stared at AJ before getting up and walking out of the room without sparing anyone a glance.

AJ stared after the retreating figure before yelling; "It's Charlie's baby if you were wondering!"

"I wasn't!" a voice shouted back making AJ snicker maybe Snape wasn't so bad.

AJ looked around the room before landing on Draco; she was worried about his reaction more then anyone's. He and Hermione were like her siblings and she valued their opinions over anyone's.

Draco saw her look at him, he shrugged "If it's a boy will you name it after me?"

"First of all no," laughed Charlie "second of all hell no."

Andy got up and hugged her niece, "It's not going to be easy, but I think you're up for the challenge. Just know that if you need anything, Teddy and I are always here for you. Do you have a healer? How far along are you? Are you feeling sick?"

"Calm down love," smiled Ted "one question at a time is easier to handle. You going to marry her dragon boy?"

Charlie nodded, "That's the plan, nothings set in stone but maybe soon."

"I haven't been sick and no I don't have a healer. I'm about a month along." Smiled AJ

Narcissa sighed, "I saw how hard it was for Andy, but I know the two of you can handle anything that life may throw at you two. Just know that people are going to judge and make life pretty hard for you, ignore them though. Your health and the health of the baby is all that matters now."

"Are you going to have twins?" asked Fred

George grinned, "If you do, you have to let us babysit!"

"Hey, I'm godfather!" laughed Bill "I will do all the babysitting!"

"Who said you're the godfather?" laughed AJ

Hermione snorted, "I explained the movie 'The Godfather' to him earlier and now it's all he can think about."

"How are you going to go to school?" asked Arthur "You are going to finish correct?"

Charlie nodded, "I'm going to be working at the dragon reserve here in London so I can be closer to AJ during the pregnancy and I was thinking that after the baby is born AJ and I could live together at Hogwarts. AJ and the baby are the most important people in my life now dad, nothing is going to change that."

"That can be arranged," remarked Dumbledore "we will inform the other teachers before the beginning of the term."

Kingsley hugged AJ "This doesn't mean that you aren't going to be come an Auror. We can work it out! We'll set up a daycare for the baby! Come on AJ, you know you want this."

"Do you think the baby will be a metamorphmagus?" asked Tonks "I hope so! Could you imagine all the fun we'll have? Oh AJ! This is so exciting!"

Ron glared, "You sixteen and pregnant, why is everyone acting like this is some great thing that's happening to you?"

"You're basically a slut. Good for you." Snickered Ginny

Remus stood up, "Okay that's enough! You are not going to talk to my daughter like that in her own home! She could have kept this hidden but she didn't, she could have told us all to screw and never had contact with us ever again! You two will not be welcome in the house ever again after the readings, I cannot have you around AJ or the baby if you're only going to be negative."

"How can you support this?" shouted Molly "What kind of parents are you for acting like this is nothing! You did this to my son you made him do this! Charlie was never like this until he met you! How could you do this? I will not support this at all and I want nothing to do with you or the baby! You are not welcome in my home anymore!"

Sirius got in-between Molly and AJ, "Listen and listen good Molly, you start with my daughter again and you can get the hell out of my house. We are supporting AJ as much as we are because she's still our family; she's still Remus daughter and mine! You think I would kick my daughter out and let her and Charlie handle this alone? No! Because I am her father and she needs to know that her family supports her! AJ doesn't need you or house or whatever the hell you think you have to offer her. She and Charlie are going to be just fine because they have a great support system and if you don't want to be involved in their lives, good. They don't need negative people that are just going to judge them and make their lives harder then they already are!"

"As far as this being AJ's fault you have another thing coming!" growled Remus "It takes two people to make a baby, you should know all about that considering you pop them out like tic tacks! Were they irresponsible? Yes. Are they being incredibly mature about the whole thing? Yes. You keep pushing your kids away and you're going to lose your entire family for good and I for one couldn't care less. Leave my daughter and her baby out of whatever issues you have."

Molly huffed, "Charlie is my son! I have a right to know what's going on in his life, I have a say!"

"He's a big boy now Molly! He can do whatever the fuck he wants whenever he wants without going to you! Let him go Molly before you never see him again!" shouted Regulus

Molly stormed out of the room with an angry face making everyone sigh in relief. Arthur smiled, "I'm sorry for how she's acting, I don't know what's gotten into her. Charlie, AJ I'm shocked but I'm here for the both of you."

Everyone walked into the living room, AJ carrying pomegranate blueberry smoothie compliments of her Aunt Narcissa. AJ grabbed the book, **The Quidditch World Cup…**"

**AN: Hope you liked! If you have not had a pomegranate blueberry smoothie, you need to. It's the most delicious thing ever, then again I love pomegranate blueberry anything. Read and Review :)**


	79. The Quidditch World Cup

**Charlie draped an arm casually around AJ claiming that he didn't want everyone to get separated. **

Charlie smirked, "You have to admit that was a good line!"

"Very nice," snickered Ted "I'm beyond happy you're pulling the moves on my niece."

"I wasn't putting the moves on her," argued Charlie "I was just. Whatever, continue reading."

**Ministry witch at the entrance checked their tickets. "Top Box! Straight upstairs, Arthur, and as high as you can go."**

Tonks smiled, "Those really aren't bad seats, you're in the action zone at least."

"Free is free," smiled Arthur "I wasn't going to be picky with where we were sitting."

"**Charlie, remember Jessica Sheffield from sixth year?" yelled Bill over the crowd**

Sirius blinked, "How is this a good time to bring up an old fling?"

"Idiot," muttered Andy "you are a complete idiot!"

**Charlie blinked, "Yeah…why?"**

"I think this is something we would all like to know." Glared Remus

Narcissa nodded, "I really want to know how this is going to play out, because somehow I doubt it'll end well."

**Just as AJ was going to ask who she was, a girl with brown hair wrapped Charlie in a tight hug.**

"Well it was nice knowing you dragon boy." Smirked Kingsley

Draco nodded, "We'll remember you fondly and only speak words of kindness when we talk about you."

"You're an ass," glared Regulus "I should just hit you now and get it over with."

"**Charlie!" yelled the girl "It's great to see you! It's been forever!"**

Charlie winced, "To be honest I wasn't expecting to see an ex at all! And I tried to defend myself!"

"Sure you did," snickered Bill "I forgot all about this."

"Shut up, you are no help what so ever!" snarled Charlie

**Charlie nodded, "Yeah…yeah it has. Um this is AJ! And you remember Bill right?"**

Hermione shook her head, "I don't like that girl, at all. She was a slut."

"How do you know?" laughed AJ "We only met her once."

"I just know these things. It's a sixth sense." Snickered Hermione

"**How about Hermione and I leave the three of you to catch up?" asked AJ with sarcasm**

"Where were you during all this?" asked Molly making everyone jump, they hadn't noticed her coming in the room.

"They were in the isle that was right new to the seats Molly!" argued Arthur "I knew they were safe Molly, calm down!"

**AJ and Hermione were about to sit down when AJ felt a hand on her arm.**

Narcissa smiled, "Were you there to explain the situation?"

"It wasn't me, I think I was still trying to bat off Jessica or something." Remarked Charlie

**AJ turned around to see Cedric, "Cedric, what's up?"**

"Does he have perfect timing or what?" snickered Ted

"I wouldn't go that far," smiled Tonks "I bet he causes a huge problem."

"**How are?" asked Hermione sparing AJ glances**

Hermione nodded, "Every time AJ and Cedric are talking it's always him flirting and her batting him off, it was weird."

"Now if only this could be avoided," sighed Draco "too bad both of them have their heads up their asses."

"**Where are you sitting?" asked AJ "Maybe I could sit with you, we could have our own after party."**

Charlie bit his lip, "If he was still alive I would kick his ass all over again."

"You kicked his ass?" laughed Sirius "When?"

"It was after the ball and he did something he shouldn't have, he deserved it." Snarled Charlie

**Hermione pulled AJ away, "What are you doing AJ? You don't even like Cedric!"**

Remus sighed, "Just don't do something stupid to get back at Charlie. You'll regret it big time in the long wrong."

"I can't believe we're reading this," laughed Regulus "how in the hell do you two get together?"

"I want to see how Charlie reacts to all this." Smirked Remus

"**Hey if Charlie can flirt so I can I!" argued AJ going back to Cedric**

Narcissa sighed, "He wasn't flirting though, he was more or less just talking to an ex. I know that's not any better, but it's no reason to do something with Cedric a guy you hate."

"I for one can't wait to see how this plays out!" grinned George

Fred nodded, "How didn't we know about this? You guys have all the fun!"

**Cedric smiled as AJ and Hermione came back, "You guys want to sit with me? I think I can make room."**

"Seriously?" scowled Andy "That's how he talks to a lady? He's treating you like a piece of meat."

Tonks nodded, "He's a major jerk, you can tell he just wants to use AJ to get what he wants and then leaves her high and dry."

**As AJ opened her mouth she heard a jealous voice from behind, **

Kingsley bit his lip, "I bet its Charlie."

"Really?" laughed Draco "How do you figure?"

"**What's going on? Dad was wondering if everything is okay." Remarked Charlie**

Arthur raised a brow, "I was? I saw AJ and Hermione talking to their friend and didn't think anything of it"

"OH!" laughed AJ "The truth reveals itself! Nice Charlie, I thought our relationship was based on trust and honesty."

**Cedric glared, "AJ and Hermione were going to go sit with me. Got a problem with that?"**

"Fight!" yelled Ted "I sense a fight coming on!"

Sirius shook his head, "I doubt it, and Charlie wouldn't fight in front of AJ, and he's too nice for that."

"**I think I'm going to go sit down," laughed Hermione "I don't want to be a witness to murder and all."**

"Good idea Mio," laughed Bill "Charlie comes off all calm and collected till AJ is involved."

Kingsley grinned, "I know we should respect the dead and all, but Cedric makes it really hard."

**Charlie rolled his eyes, "Go sit down little boy before I make you. Come on, punk the game is starting."**

"That's it?" asked Tonks "I wanted more! I want some action!"

Charlie snorted, "Just wait, it's coming soon."

"**Dad!" yelled Charlie reaching the seats with a stunned AJ**

"Are you going to tell your dad what happened?" laughed Remus

Sirius snorted, "Way to be a protective boyfriend, having your dad handle it is a good idea."

"Maybe," snickered Remus "Arthur lectured Cedric on being too forward!"

"That must be it!" laughed Sirius

"**AJ isn't feeling good, I'm going to take her back to the tent for some pepper-up potion." **

Molly gaped, "And you believed them? Isn't it obvious they just want to have sex?"

"How is that obvious?" asked Arthur "I can't stop them! AJ is not my daughter and Charlie is of age! You can't tell them what to do anymore!

**Mr. Weasley nodded looking concerned while Hermione and Bill were smirking.**

Bill grinned, "The two of you are such idiots, that was such a lame excuse. I knew you weren't going to let her talking to Cedric go."

"Why didn't you tell your father?" asked Molly fuming

"And say what?" asked Bill "Um dad, Charlie and AJ are sleeping together go stop them. Are you retarded?"

"Did you just call me retarded?" yelled Molly "How dare you!"

"Moving on!" yelled AJ with laughter in her voice

**The twenty-minute walk back to the camp was completely silent; AJ didn't know what Charlie's problem was.**

Draco laughed, "You have the emotional range of a man, it's hilarious. I love it!"

"Well it was weird, he didn't have a right to be mad. We weren't together, that's how casual relationships work." Argued AJ

"You don't get it," sighed Draco "you and emotions just don't mix."

"**What is your problem you ass?" AJ shouted**

Andy coughed, "So having a serious conversation that could solve this isn't going to happen."

"You ass?" laughed Narcissa "That's the perfect way to make a guy want to be with you."

**Charlie glared, "My problem? My problem? You were flirting with that little twerp!"**

Fred snickered, "I'm right with you there bro!"

"He was a twerp!" snorted George

"**I can do whatever I want and whoever I want!" shouted AJ**

"That's how you defend yourself?" laughed Hermione

Regulus snickered, "I love you to death, but that was probably the worst argument you have ever had and will ever have."

"Please tell me it gets better?" snorted Hermione "It just has to. Charlie is more open then AJ, so this will be interesting."

"**Really?" yelled Charlie "That's great! Go sleep with him for all I care!"**

Sirius rubbed his head, "You two are the biggest idiots I have ever met in my entire life."

"Daddy!" AJ pouted, "You think I'm an idiot?"

"No of course not! You're both just being less smart then normal." Defended Sirius

Andy snorted, "Nice save Siri, keep going."

"**And you can go sleep with that slut!" snarled AJ**

"She wasn't a slut," remarked Bill "she just got around a lot in school."

Hermione raised a brow, "Basically she was a slut but she was a high class one?" Bill snickered and nodded

**Charlie gaped, "She was a one night stand in high school! It was ages ago! What does it matter?"**

"You're better then casual," reminded Kingsley "and Charlie obviously doesn't want one either."

Ted nodded, "Just explain to him what you want and then makeup. That's how fights work."

"**You don't have to explain a damn thing! We're casual, remember?" snarled AJ**

"She's pissed now," smiled George

Fred grinned, "Good luck bro."

"Idiots!" snickered Charlie "It's in the past!"

"**That's what you want though!" growled Charlie "You want casual!"**

Narcissa smiled, "We're getting somewhere! Maybe now you two can stop playing games and just date each other."

**AJ shook her head, "What do you want Charlie? Tell me what you want damn it!"**

"You knew what I wanted though!" argued Charlie

AJ scoffed, "You never said it though, so how was I supposed to know?"

"You're right," smiled Charlie "you're right and I'm wrong."

Remus smacked Sirius's arm, "That's how you end a fight love, just agree with me."

"**I want to be with you! I want you and only you! Merlin, just give me a damn chance!" shouted Charlie**

Bill rolled his eyes, "That's how you say it? Of all the ways to say it that's how you go about it?"

"AJ had to push you and Hermione together!" snorted Charlie "So I wouldn't talk about how AJ and I got together."

**AJ stared, "What? Why? Are you kidding me?"**

"Okay the correct response is 'awesome, lets bone'." Laughed Draco

AJ laughed, "I wouldn't say that! Okay, well I would, but I didn't."

"**I Charles Septimus Weasley want to be with you Alessandra James Potter. Why is that so hard for you to believe?" asked Charlie**

"Is your baby going to have Charlie's name for the middle name if it's a girl?" asked Regulus

AJ shrugged, "I don't know Uncle Reggie, I think it's still too soon to be picking out names."

"Yeah," sighed Regulus "but it's excited even for me just being the Uncle. Do you want a boy or a girl?"

"Girl!" laughed AJ and Hermione, while Bill and Charlie yelled "Boy!"

**AJ shrugged, "Because you're not supposed to want to be with me. **

Sirius sighed, "I'm going to kill Vernon and Petunia. They deserve it for giving you such a complex."

"Don't worry Sirius," smirked Kingsley "we'll accompany you. We'll say we went over for dinner and they just dove for the bleach."

"The bleach?" laughed Sirius "Right, they just started chugging bleach by the gallon!"

**You're supposed to be with someone sweet and loving, not an emotional train wreck."**

Narcissa smiled, "You're not an emotional train wreck, you're just not an emotional person. And you're very sweet and compassionate. You just have a different way of showing it."

"**You are perfect," smiled Charlie "everything about you is perfect to me. Just give us a shot punk, you won't regret it."**

"You say yes right?" asked Tonks

Ted rolled his eyes, "With AJ you never know."

"She's gotta say yes!" argued Andy "She just does!"

**AJ nodded, "Okay enough emotional garbage. We're together exclusive." **

"YES!" cheered the room making AJ shift uncomfortably and Charlie to blush.

**Charlie and AJ consummated their new relationship before walking back to the game.**

Sirius, Remus and Regulus all glared while AJ smiled back sweetly.

**After assuring everyone she was fine now, AJ and Charlie got the play by play from Bill and Hermione.**

Molly rolled her eyes, "No one thought it was odd that AJ and Charlie were gone for long?"

"Well," grinned George "we may have been running interference."

Fred nodded, "We couldn't let dad catch them, AJ would die of humiliation."

"You two!" shrieked Molly but was silenced with a look at Remus and Sirius's angry faces.

"**Look at Lynch!" AJ yelled.** **For the Irish Seeker had suddenly gone into a dive.**

Tonks bit her lip, "Dives are so dangerous though! I would really hurt myself!"

"You hurt yourself walking on solid ground," snickered AJ "a dive would be very dangerous for you."

"**He's seen the Snitch!" Charlie shouted. "He's seen it! Look at him go!" **

Remus shook his head, "Damn it! Where's Krum!"

"They can't win!" yelled Regulus

**Krum was on his tail. He was drawing level with Lynch now as the pair of them hurtled toward the ground again –**

"They're going to crash!" screamed Andy "How does this end?"

**"They're going to crash!" shrieked Hermione.**

Andy nodded, "Yes they are!"

"They can pull out though, you have to remember that they're professionals." Argued Ted

"**They're not!" yelled Bill.**

"What are you crazy?" asked Kingsley "They're both getting too close!"

Bill shook his head, "I knew what I was talking about! I may not be as good as AJ and Charlie in Quidditch but I do know when someone is going to crash."

"There was a crash though!" snickered AJ

"**Lynch is!" yelled AJ.**

AJ smiled, "I was right, like usual."

**And she was right; Lynch hit the ground with tremendous force.**

"Oh damn," muttered Sirius "was he okay?"

Hermione nodded, "Yeah after the Mediwitch finally took care of him."

"**The Snitch, where's the Snitch?" bellowed Charlie, along the row.**

"Pay attention to the game!" yelled Fred

George glared, "How could you not be see the damn snitch! You're a seeker."

"Will you calm down?" laughed Charlie "I couldn't watch the snitch and be in the audience at the same time."

"**He's got it - Krum's got it - it's all over!" shouted AJ.**

Sirius sighed, "They lost though, that sucks!"

"They're still talking about that game because it was such a huge event and the way it ended was crazy." Remarked Kingsley

"Bet Bagman lost a pretty penny, he was always a gambler." Snorted Sirius

**Krum, his red robes shining with blood from his nose, **

Ron and Ginny were cheering loudly for different reasons of course.

**Was raising gently into the air, his fist held high, a glint of gold in his hand.**

"Did he forget about his bloody nose?" asked Narcissa "He needs to get that set or it could cause serious damage."

Andy nodded, "He doesn't sound like a very bright boy, good thing he's a celebrity."

**The scoreboard was flashing BULGARIA: 160, IRELAND: 170 across the crowd. **

"I hate everyone," muttered Draco "stupid Ireland."

AJ nodded, "I was really surprised they won. I thought they would lose with Krum on the opposite team."

"My father had a lot of money betting on that game," admitted Draco "I so wanted them lose."

**Bagman shouted, **"**KRUM GETS THE SNITCH - BUT IRELAND WINS — good lord, I don't think any of us were expecting that!"**

"Why didn't he wait to catch the snitch?" asked Ginny

Ron scowled, "Because he was being an idiot, he could have waited a little longer to catch it."

"No he couldn't have," argued AJ "they would have lost by more then. Krum knew that he wouldn't be able to win either way."

"**He was very brave, wasn't he?" Hermione said. "He looks a terrible mess…"**

Bill rolled his eyes, "Don't be concerned about someone like that. He's fine, with the money he's got he'll be okay."

"Are you a little jealous Bill?" grinned Hermione

"What? Me?" Bill scoffed, "Of course not. I'm too mature for that sort of thing."

**Flags were waving all over the stadium, the Irish national anthem blared from all sides.**

Arthur smiled, "Even if they aren't the team I wanted to win, they were good and they deserved the win."

"We go to see a great game and we won money!" laughed the twins, "That's all that counts!"

**AJ, Charlie, Hermione and Bill were all jumping and cheering when Charlie grinned, "I have a girlfriend!"**

Remus smirked, "That's how you told them?"

"I couldn't hold it in," smirked Charlie "and I only told Bill and Hermione."

**Bill congratulated Charlie while Hermione hugged them both tightly.**

Hermione blushed, "I was just excited! My best friend who doesn't do people or emotions was finally admitting to be in a real relationship."

"It was just funny." Snickered AJ "It was like we were getting married or something you were so excited."

"Oh my god! When you get married do you have any idea how amazing the party will be? But knowing you, you and Charlie will run off to Vegas or something." Laughed Hermione

**AJ caught Draco's eye a few seats down and pointed to her between Charlie and gave him a thumbs up.**

Ted grinned, "Did you know what that meant?"

"Surprisingly yes. I hate to admit it, but I'm turning into AJ. We don't even have to have conversations anymore, we can just share looks and know what's being said." Smirked Draco

**Draco grinned and blew her a kiss, which AJ laughed loudly at causing him to laugh as well.**

"Do I need to be worried about something?" laughed Charlie

AJ rolled her eyes, "You know I only have eyes for you love."

"**They'll be talking about this one for years," Bagman said hoarsely,**

"It's still all the talk at the ministry," remarked Tonks "a lot of people say it was rigged."

Bill rolled his eyes, "Why doesn't that surprise me? Whenever money is being thrown around people start to make excuses for losing."

"**A really unexpected twist, that… shame it couldn't have lasted longer… Ah yes… yes, I owe you… how much?"**

"I think if it would have lasted any longer it would have ended with more bloodshed." Remarked Narcissa

Regulus nodded, "Bagman only cares about the money side of it all. I'm sure he had more money on the line then just what he bet with Fred and George."

"He was involved with the Goblins before," stated Narcissa "if he continues that we're going to be reading about his body in the paper."

**For Fred and George had just scrambled over the backs of their seats and were standing in front of Ludo Bagman with broad grins on their faces, their hands outstretched.**

Molly glared, "I cannot believe the two of you! What if you would have lost?"

"Then we would have owed him money rather then the other way around." Laughed the twins.

Sirius grabbed the book, "We'll read one more chapter before bed. Sound good?"

Before Sirius could talk Snape walked in with a goblet, "Here, you need to take this everyday. It's for the pregnancy so the baby stays healthy and so do you. If you die and leave me alone with yet another version of you, I will find a way to bring you back and kill you."

"Thanks Professor," grinned AJ "I knew you cared!"

Sirius bit his lip, "Now that we know what a softy you are, lets continue **The Dark Mark…**"

**AN: I know I cut this a lot, but to be honest it would have been so boring if I hadn't! I can't think of a lot to say during Quidditch lol. I'm always up for suggestions and to answer questions. Read and Review :)**


	80. The Dark Mark

"**Don't tell your mother you've been gambling," Mr. Weasley implored Fred and George as they all made their way slowly down the purple-carpeted stairs.**

Molly glared, "Why shouldn't they tell me?"

"Maybe because you're going to judge them and make them feel guilty over nothing." Suggested Charlie

"I would do no such thing!" yelled Molly "I am always supportive of my children."

"You tossed all their inventions out like they were garbage! They have gone to you time and time again talking about a joke shop and all you do is laugh. Of course they aren't going to go to with anything anymore!" snarled Charlie

**"Don't worry, Dad," said Fred gleefully, "we've got big plans for this money. We don't want it confiscated."**

Fred smiled, "We had some help from a reliable source too."

"Were you taking donations while you were at school?" asked Tonks

"No," grinned George "we had one person help us."

**Mr. Weasley looked for a moment as though he was going to ask what these big plans were, but seemed to decide, upon reflection, that he didn't want to know.**

Arthur nodded, "Your right on money with that AJ. I knew whatever their plans were, I didn't want to be an accessory too."

"Sounds like murder Mr. Weasley." Laughed AJ

**They were soon caught up in the crowds now flooding out of the stadium and back to their campsites. **

Andy grinned, "Usually there is more excitement when the game is over then when it's just beginning."

"Yeah, the excitement of the game wore off rather quickly though." Sighed Bill

"Oh shit," muttered Andy "I completely forgot about what happened that night."

**When they finally reached the tents, nobody felt like sleeping at all. **

Tonks smiled, "Well, I'm sure Hermione and AJ have plenty of gossiping to do."

"We also had a surprise guest that joined us half way through the night." Grinned Hermione

**Mr. Weasley agreed that they could all have one last cup of cocoa together before turning in. **

Remus licked his lips, "That's the perfect thing to give someone when they don't want to sleep. The chocolate relaxes their entire body without them even knowing it."

"Anything that has to do with chocolate makes you relax." Snickered Regulus

**They were soon arguing enjoyably about the match; Mr. Weasley got drawn into a disagreement about cobbing with Charlie.**

Sirius smirked, "Now that's a debate I would have liked to have heard about."

"It's always interesting when my sons come home and I get to see how much they've matured. I see it a lot when it comes to us having a debate, you'll notice that when AJ leaves the house." Smiled Arthur

"Right," huffed Sirius "I don't want to think about AJ leaving the house anytime soon."

**It was only when Ginny fell asleep right at the tiny table and spilled hot chocolate all over the floor **

Ginny glared, "I did not fall asleep a the table! I wouldn't do that, I just was resting my eyes!"

"Right," smirked AJ "whenever I rest my eyes I fall face first on a table top."

"Whatever! You're not perfect either and I was tired!" argued Ginny

"Will you chill? No one is laughing at you; you're making a bigger deal then it was." Groaned AJ

**that Mr. Weasley called a halt to the verbal replays and insisted that everyone go to bed.**

Kingsley laughed, "Did anyone actually go to sleep?"

"The guys may have," said AJ "I know Hermione and I didn't sleep at all."

**AJ and Hermione walked to their tent while Mr. Weasley wrapped Ginny in a blanket on the couch.**

Ron rolled his eyes, "Why did you two get your own tent?"

"They didn't Ron," sighed Bill "the girls had their own. Since Ginny was dead on her feet dad kept her in our tent. Chill man."

**Hermione and AJ changed into sweatpants and oversized sweaters' grinning like there was no tomorrow.**

Charlie smiled, "Did I have something to do with this?"

"No," scoffed AJ "it was all Cedric."

Charlie rolled his eyes, "No need to be mean punk."

**They talked for what felt like hours until they saw someone walk by their tent, "Do you think it's Charlie?" asked Hermione**

Ted blinked, "Was it you?"

"I didn't leave the tent till later and AJ and Hermione were already outside when I got out there." Said Charlie with confusion

**AJ shrugged, "I'm up for another round, but what will you do?"**

Draco stared, "That's what goes through your mind when someone is outside your tent that you don't know?"

"From now on, when this happens don't talk about sex." Laughed Sirius "Just don't, it's not the answer."

"Sex is the question, yes is the answer." Deadpanned Draco, AJ and Hermione

Sirius rolled his eyes, "I don't even know why I bother with the three of you sometimes."

"**Tape it of course and sell it for a profit." Deadpanned Hermione **

"I have a feeling the two of you are going to cause more problems in this war then Voldemort." Muttered Snape

AJ smiled, "I'll take that as a compliment Sir."

"**Why are you guys talking about sex tapes?" asked Draco coming into the tent**

"You did go somewhere safe," smiled Narcissa "I was worried."

Arthur raised a brow, "Did you know what was going to happen?"

"No, I just knew that Luscious was planning something and I didn't want Draco to be in the middle of it." Stated Narcissa

**AJ and Hermione made a gap in between themselves for Draco on the big bead. **

Draco cocked his head, "Ever notice that I'm always in the middle when we're in bed, but when it comes to walking AJ is always in the middle?"

"First of all, love how you phrased that sentence." Laughed AJ "But yeah, I noticed that too, it's weird how we roll."

Hermione snorted, "You make us sound like a gang or something."

"We so are!" laughed Draco "We're a really small gang, with absolutely no cause."

"**So sex tapes?" he asked again getting comfortable.**

Tonks made a face, "You guys are really weird."

"You have no idea." Sighed Charlie

**AJ grinned, "We're going to make one, you have to direct it."**

"For the love of Merlin will you shut up and just sleep?" asked Snape

Hermione smiled, "Calm down professor, I think we're going to be shutting up soon."

"**Not that I mind, but why are you here?" asked Hermione**

"It is kind of odd to just pop up out of nowhere like that." Remarked Andy

Kingsley nodded, "Just be happy he's not in the thick of the problems."

**Draco sighed, "My mom told me to head back to the manner or somewhere safe, she thinks my father is planning something."**

"You should have gone to someone with your information!" glared Molly

Draco rolled his eyes; "I'm a kid, who's going to take my word for anything? Also everyone loves my father no one would believe me over him."

"**Fuck," muttered AJ "what does…what was that?" AJ shushed the others and listened closely.**

"Oh Merlin," sighed Sirius "it's starting and you're right there."

Regulus bit his nailed, "Run to the woods, run in the woods and hide. Don't be a hero AJ."

**She could hear screams, and the sound of people running. **

"If I could have just remembered the damn dream, this all could have been avoided." Muttered AJ

Charlie hugged AJ close, "Nothing could have avoided this. Fudge wouldn't have listened and the death eaters have too much power over everyone."

**AJ, Draco and Hermione ran out of the tent. **

"Surprisingly that's better then just sitting in the tent," muttered Andy "you'd be a sitting duck otherwise."

Ted rubbed his wives shoulder, "They're aright now, and they made it out fine."

"But look at all the people that must have died over something so senseless!" argued Andy with tears in her eyes.

**Loud jeering, roars of laughter, and drunken yells were drifting toward them; then came a burst of strong green light,** **which illuminated the scene. **

Sirius winced, "Who died?"

"No one, it was a spell to look like the killing curse." Sighed AJ

"Great," scoffed Sirius "now they're inventing more spells. Just what we fucking need."

**A crowd of wizards, tightly packed and moving together with wands pointing straight upward was marching slowly across the field. **

George rolled his eyes, "Wonder who that could be."

"I know, they're so secretive." Muttered Fred

**AJ looked closely at them… They didn't seem to have faces… Then she realized that their heads were hooded and their faces masked.**

Regulus growled, "They're such cowards! They can't even show their own damn faces. Bunch of little bitches."

"Why do they cover their faces?" asked Kingsley "Wouldn't they want people to know where their loyalties are?"

"Of course not. They need to still be out in the open and be able to do Voldemort's bidding." Argued Regulus

**High above them, floating along in midair, four struggling figures were being contorted into grotesque shapes. **

Narcissa scowled, "Sick bastards! Those fucking bastards!"

"No one deserved the fate they received that night." Muttered Ted

**It was as though the masked wizards on the ground were puppeteers, and the people above them were marionettes operated by invisible strings that rose from the wands into the air.**

"That's exactly what they are," snarled Sirius "fucked up puppeteers. They have no souls or idea of the difference between right and wrong."

Remus growled, "Looks like they haven't lost their touch when it comes to tormenting people."

**Two of the figures were very small. **

Andy sniffed, "They're just children! They did nothing wrong and are completely innocent!"

"They have no idea what's happening to them either. Those children are so young they have no idea about dark magic and death eaters." Sighed Narcissa

**More wizards were joining the marching group, laughing and pointing up at the floating bodies. **

Tonks growled, "I can't wait to imprison them! No, we're putting them in prison; they're getting the Kiss. Prison is too good for them."

"It wouldn't be hard to find probable cause either." Muttered Bill

**Tents crumpled and fell as the marching crowd swelled. **

AJ winced, "How many death eaters are there?"

"Too many to count," sighed Regulus "we only know the ones that were persecuted and who wasn't. The ones that aren't can always lie until we have proof, but they're too careful to get caught."

"If they're so afraid of being caught, what's the point of being on that sides?" asked AJ

Regulus shrugged, "They don't think like we do. They're so lost and obsessed with power it's all they can think about. To them, if they aren't caught, when Voldemort returns they can easily feed him a load of bull."

**Several tens caught on fire. The screaming grew louder.**

Hermione winced, "The screaming was more terrifying then anything."

"It made everything more real," sighed Draco "we all wanted to stop it but we couldn't."

**The floating people were suddenly illuminated as they passed over a burning tent and AJ recognized one of them: Mr. Roberts, the campsite manager. **

Ted growled, "Of course they're going to go after him! He's an innocent muggle who has no idea what's going on! Never once have they taken on someone their own size. Pathetic."

"The first war started just like this." Sighed Charlie "We never understand our past, so we're doomed to repeat it over and over again."

"With Fudge in office we're doomed for generations to come." Growled Ted

**The other three looked as though they might be his wife and children. **

Everyone winced, those poor children.

**One of the marchers below flipped Mrs. Roberts upside down with his wand. **

"Merlin," sighed Kingsley "she has no idea what's happening or why. They say how muggles shouldn't know about them, but then they do something like this! Idiots, complete idiots."

**Her nightdress fell down to reveal voluminous drawers and she struggled to cover herself up as the crowd below her screeched and hooted with glee.**

"You saw all this?" asked Remus

AJ nodded, "It was pretty unavoidable when we were in the thick of everything."

"**That's sick," Draco muttered, watching the smallest Muggle child, who had begun to spin like a top, **

Andy growled, "That poor child is going to have brain damage! The doctors won't even be able to properly diagnose him!"

**sixty feet above the ground, his head flopping limply from side to side. "That is really sick…"**

"I sound like an idiot," snickered Draco "you should have just smacked me or something."

Charlie smiled, "You were stressed and scared, anything you say in a time like that is going to sound stupid."

**Bill and Charlie came running over, "Run to the woods! Hide! **

"I would rather you all stick together but I understand where you're coming from." Sighed Tonks

Bill shrugged, "We didn't have much choice, we weren't sure what was going on and we didn't want to put them in more danger."

**We're going to the ministry to sort this shit out, we'll be back!" Charlie kissed AJ's cheek while Bill gave a smile to Hermione. **

"I swear to Merlin if you ever leave me alone like that again I will kill you." Glared AJ

Charlie smiled, "Next time there is a Quidditch World cup and it's attacked, I swear I won't leave you."

"You're an ass," snickered AJ "but I love you anyhow."

**Mr. Weasley, Percy, Charlie and Bill all ran off into the thick of the crowd.**

Hermione sighed, "We honestly didn't know if we were going to see you guys again."

"You thought we were going to die?" asked Bill shocked

"Well yeah," muttered Hermione "we had no idea what was going on or anything."

Bill kissed her, "I will always try to come back to you when a fight or something is going on like that."

"**C'mon," said Fred, grabbing Ginny's hand and starting to pull her toward the wood. **

"I didn't need someone to hold my hand! I can handle myself just fine!" huffed Ginny

Fred snorted, "Sure you can, and I wasn't about to let you die or something just because you're stubborn as all day long."

**AJ, Draco, Hermione, George and Ron followed. They all looked back as they reached the trees. **

"Didn't anyone notice that you were with them?" asked Ted

Draco shrugged, "If they did no one said anything yet, the twins never had a problem with our friendship. It was just Ron and Ginny."

**The colored lanterns that had lit the path to the stadium had been extinguished. **

"Pull out your wands and perform the lumos charm," advised Remus "it's an emergency now."

Regulus nodded, "You have to be able to see where you're going or you're going to be killed or something."

**AJ felt herself being pushed hither and thither by people whose faces he could not see. Then she heard Draco yell with pain.**

"What happened?" asked Narcissa "Were you hurt badly?"

Draco smiled, "No, I was just knocked to the ground."

"Now you're separated thought!" groaned Narcissa "This just keeps getting better and better."

"**What happened?" said Hermione anxiously, stopping so abruptly that AJ walked into her. **

AJ snorted, "You really should give me a warning next time you do that."

**"Draco, where are you? Oh this is stupid - lumos!"**

"Was that really necessary?" asked Molly "You broke the law for the lumos charm!"

Snape rolled his eyes, "She didn't break the law! They have to see where they're going in order to not run into a damn death eater!"

"**Sorry!" he yelled "Someone knocked me to the ground. Where is everyone?"**

"You were separated." Stated Arthur looking panicked

AJ nodded, "But not for long, like a few minutes or something. We were fine."

"Thanks for the reassurance." Smirked Arthur

"**I don't know," sighed AJ "we lost them." **

"Where were you guys?" asked Tonks "How did you get separated so fast?"

George shrugged, "I honestly couldn't tell you, it was happening so fast."

"One minute they were behind us and then the next minute they were gone. We couldn't go look for them either, we had Ginny with us." Explained Fred

"No going back would have been a mistake," remarked Tonks "you guys did the right thing."

"**Fred and George can't have gone that far," said Draco, pulling out his wand, lighting it like Hermione's, and squinting up the path. **

Charlie sighed, "I wish you weren't alone, you guys should be together and not walking around like that."

"At least they're will each other though," smiled Bill "it could have been that just one was left alone."

**AJ dug in the pockets of her sweatpants for her own wand - but it wasn't there. **

Any groaned, "You lost your wand? Oh no!"

"If someone get's a hold of that wand," muttered Kingsley "you're screwed. This just isn't going to end well."

"More importantly she doesn't have a way to protect herself! Now she has to rely on Draco and Hermione to protect her." Sighed Andy

"**I've lost my wand!"**

Narcissa bit her lip, "Check around the ground or something near you. It could have fallen out when people were pushing you around."

"Just wait till the Aurors come and then they can locate your wand faster." Suggested Sirius

**Draco and Hermione raised their wands high enough to spread the narrow beams of light farther on the ground.**

Regulus scowled, "Someone could have taken it though. The crowd is so bad that anyone could have gotten a hold of it."

"She would have felt someone reaching into her pants though," argued Bill "that's where her wand is."

"Usually she would feel it, but in a crowd that size. Come on, everyone is pushing everyone and there's complete ciaos." Regulus retorted

Bill nodded, "Yeah I guess. It's just without a wand, she's completely defenseless."

**AJ looked all around her, but her wand was nowhere to be seen.**

"Why didn't you just use the summoning charm?" asked Ron

AJ snorted, "We didn't know it yet and if I had used it and a dark wizard or witch had it, I would have been dead on the spot."

"**Maybe it fell out of your pocket when we were running?" Hermione suggested anxiously.**

"I didn't know what we were facing and the idea of AJ without a wand scared the shit out of me." Admitted Hermione

Draco nodded, "AJ is the one who always has a plan and the one with the first spell or something. I don't know how to describe it."

"Basically," laughed AJ "I'm the one who saves your sorry asses."

**A rustling noise nearby made all three of them jump. **

Charlie tensed, "Be prepared to have a fight, don't be gentle especially if it's a death eater."

"You don't know if it's a death eater," sighed Ted "it could have been a bird."

"A bird made a noise that made them jump?" asked Charlie

**Winky the house-elf was fighting her way out of a clump of bushes nearby. **

"The house elf?" asked Sirius "What could she be doing in the middle of the woods?"

"Maybe her owner is allowing her to hide?" suggested Bill

"No," argued Sirius "they wouldn't do that."

**She was moving in a most peculiar fashion, apparently with great difficulty; it was as though someone invisible were trying to hold her back.**

Remus raised a brow, "Her owner commanded her to do something and she's having a hard time finding a loophole out of it."

"Why though?" asked Hermione "Dobby had no problem finding loopholes when it came to AJ."

"That's true, but Luscious never thought of all the ways that Dobby could find a way around his order. Also whoever is controlling Winky is very smart and is used to this sort of thing happening."

**She kept whispering lowly before she disappeared into the trees on the other side of the path, panting and squeaking as she fought the force that was restraining her.**

Fred raised a brow, "So was she not allowed to hide?"

"Or was she just fighting off a command?" asked George

"I think both," muttered Kingsley "she didn't want to do what she was supposed to do."

"**Lets keep moving." AJ muttered with confusion**

AJ grinned, "I knew Hermione was going to be angry and I didn't know what the hell was up with Winky."

"I had a right to be angry!" argued Hermione "Did you see how scared the house elf was?"

"You're right, I'm sorry. Lets move on!" huffed AJ

**They followed the dark path deeper into the wood, still keeping an eye out for Fred, George, Ron and Ginny. **

Molly glared, "Where were you? Were trying to be involved with the fight?"

"No!" argued Ron "We were around, but they just couldn't find us."

**Now they were in the very heart of the wood. They seemed to be alone now; everything was much quieter.**

Sirius sighed, "Maybe the riot is over finally."

"That or the riot has just moved to a different section farther away from where AJ is." Remarked Regulus

"That's great," scoffed Sirius "makes me feel so much better you ass."

**AJ was about to say something when Ludo Bagman emerged from behind a tree right ahead of them.**

Arthur raised a brow, "Bagman? What would he be doing in the woods?"

"Hiding like everyone else?" snickered the twins

"**Who's that?" he said, blinking down at them, trying to make out their faces. "What are you doing in here, all alone?"**

Narcissa made a face, "What is that supposed to mean? Doesn't he know what's going on?"

"He's a weird guy," added Andy "you never know what he's going to say."

"I'm sure he lost a few bets that he can pay." Snorted Narcissa

**They looked at one another, surprised.** "**Well - there's a sort of riot going on," said Draco.**

"He honestly didn't know?" asked Ted "Why wouldn't he know?"

Tonks shrugged, "Maybe he was on something? How could he not know though?"

"Brain damage after all those years of being a beater on the Quidditch team." Scoffed Tonks

**Bagman stared at him.** "**What?"**

Charlie laughed, "Okay, that reaction alone makes it okay that he doesn't know what's going on."

"He's such a tool," laughed Bill "he's in his own little world or something."

"**At the campsite… some people have got hold of a family of Muggles…"**

Kingsley groaned, "He isn't going to be able to do anything besides cause more problems."

**Bagman swore loudly.** "**Damn them!" he said, looking quite distracted, and without another word, he Disapparated with a small pop!**

"So he leaves three kids on their own in the woods?" asked Tonks

Sirius rolled his eyes, "Seems like a good idea fucking jackass."

"Why would he do that?" asked Tonks "Who does that?"

"Well my darling cousin, it's because he's a jackass with absolutely no brain." Snarled Sirius

"**Not exactly on top of things, Mr. Bagman, is he?" said Hermione, frowning.**

Draco snickered, "No! Really? I thought he had it all going on when he was around us."

"Shut up you!" laughed Hermione

"**He probably suffers from brain damage," said Draco, leading the way off the path into a small clearing, and sitting down on a patch of dry grass at the foot of a tree.**

Ted and Draco high fived for thinking the same thing.

"**Why would someone do something like this during such a big event?" asked Hermione**

"That's the perfect time," muttered Andy "everyone is around and they can show off the power they hold."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "It just doesn't make sense because the ministry is all around."

"True, but they know the ministry isn't the smartest of people." Replied Andy

**AJ put a finger to her lips and around. **

Remus tensed, "What now? Another moron like Bagman?"

"No," sighed AJ "a moron but not Bagman."

**It sounded as though someone was staggering toward their clearing. **

Narcissa bit her lip, "Someone could have been harmed and are looking for help. Maybe a muggle?"

"Maybe, but I somehow doubt they can get that lucky." Muttered Kingsley

**The footsteps came to a sudden halt.**

Ted narrowed his eyes, "They're planning something, but what could they do in the woods?"

"Why would a death eater hide though?" asked Tonks "They never hide until enforcements come in."

**There was silence. Draco, Hermione and AJ kept as quiet as they could.**

Bill nodded, "Good, don't let yourselves been seen or known."

"It could have been us though!" argued Ron

"And knowing you," laughed Bill "you would have been yelling for them."

**And then, without warning, the silence was rent by a voice unlike any they had heard in the wood; and it uttered, not a panicked shout, but what sounded like a spell.**

Charlie leaned forward, "Whatever kind of spell it was probably isn't a well known one."

"**MORSMORDRE!"**

"Like I said, it isn't well known." Muttered Charlie

Sirius made a face, "What in the hell kind of spell is that? I've never heard of that spell before."

"Could it be something Voldemort taught the death eaters?" asked Charlie

"Could be," sighed Sirius "he taught them and invented so many spells we'll never know them all."

**And something vast, green, and glittering erupted from the patch of darkness AJ's eyes had been struggling to penetrate; it flew up over the treetops and into the sky.**

Snape sucked in a breath, the dark mark had been performed in front of them, and they were lucky to be alive.

**AJ stared, it was a colossal skull, comprised of what looked like emerald stars, with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue.**

"The dark mark." Muttered the room remembering all too well what that was a sign of.

**Suddenly, the wood all around them erupted with screams. **

Snape shuddered, "Of course it did, everyone remembered what it was from the first war. It's taught at Hogwarts during your seventh year."

"Producing the dark mark is?" asked Ginny

"No you moron," sneered Snape "what the dark mark looked like. You learn about the first war during the seventh year."

"**AJ, come on!" Draco yelled, "We aren't safe!"**

Regulus nodded, "Get the fuck out of there before you're accused of producing it or knowing who did."

"**What's the matter?" AJ said, startled to see his face so white and terrified.**

"You're damn right I was terrified, everyone whose heard of it was." Muttered Draco

AJ nodded, "Trust me, if I ever see it again I'll be terrified just as much as the next person."

"**It's the Dark Mark, AJ!" Draco yelled. "Voldemort's!"**

"That probably wasn't something I should have yelled." Sighed Draco

Narcissa shrugged, "Everyone saw it and I'm sure they were all thinking the exact same thing."

**Hermione stared at the two of them wide eyed. **

"Scared sweetheart?" asked Bill

Hermione nodded, "I was more scared for AJ and the other muggles. If Voldemort was there or his supporters I knew AJ would be in danger."

**The three of them started across the clearing - but before they had taken a few hurried steps. **

"Shit!" snarled Remus "The ministry is going to be attacking you any minute now!"

AJ nodded, "Yeah it was great. Really terrific."

**A series of popping noises announced the arrival of twenty wizards, appearing from thin air, surrounding them.**

"Fuck!" shouted Kingsley "They're not going to listen to a damn thing you say!"

Ted growled, "Don't attack them! If you do you're going to look guilty and they're going to have an excuse to throw out more curses."

"Where are you?" snarled Kingsley "Charlie? Arthur?"

"We were on our way!" growled Charlie "I was going as fast as I could!"

**AJ whirled around, and in an instant, she registered one fact: Each of these wizards had his wand out, and every wand was pointing right at herself, Draco, and Hermione.**

Andy groaned, "Are you kidding me? They honestly think you three would have done something like this?"

"Of course they did," snarled Sirius "they don't care if you're innocent or not. I think we've realized the ministry sucks."

**Without pausing to think, she yelled, "DUCK!"**

Fred smiled, "Good plan."

"You don't want to lose your head." Snorted George

**She seized the other two and pulled them down onto the ground.**

"Thanks for that by the way." Smiled Hermione

Draco nodded, "The way they were throwing off curses we were doomed."

"**STUPEFY!" roared twenty voices. **

"Its just kids!" yelled Andy "Who does that to a bunch of kids?"

Regulus snorted, "Like they give two shits who they're pointing the finger or wands at. They just want to prove that they're doing something other then just standing there like a bunch of tools."

"**Stop!" yelled a voice he recognized. "STOP! That's my family!"**

"Arthur is that you?" asked Remus

Arthur shook his head, "No, I was back at the tent with the others, Charlie insisted on going."

"At least everyone was safe for the most part." Sighed Remus

**AJ raised her head a little higher. The wizard in front of her had lowered his wand. **

Bill rolled his eyes, "At least someone has half a brain in that damn group."

"He wasn't going to put it down at first," scoffed Charlie "they really thought that AJ, Draco or Hermione would have done it."

**She rolled over and saw Charlie striding toward them, looking terrified.**

Narcissa smiled, "Doesn't surprise me, he was probably more worried about you then he let on."

"Oh no," laughed AJ "there was plenty of worry he was showing."

"Good, you need to be with a man that isn't afraid to show a little emotion." Grinned Narcissa

"**AJ - Draco" - his voice sounded shaky - "Hermione - are you all right?"**

George raised a brow, "Were you crying Char?"

"Don't call me that and no. I wasn't crying." Scoffed Charlie

"AJ calls you 'Char' all the time," pointed out Fred "and I bet you were."

Charlie rolled his eyes, "AJ calls me a lot of things that you two never will! And no I wasn't crying!"

"You're awfully defensive." Snickered George

"**Out of the way, Charlie," said a cold, curt voice.**

Tonks raised a brow, "Whoever it is, tell him to fuck off, you need to make sure your family is safe."

"Somehow I doubt that would go over too well." Snickered Sirius

**It was Mr. Crouch. He and the other Ministry wizards were closing in on them. **

Kingsley huffed, "Crouch isn't going to listen at first, he never does."

"But they're just kids," argued Andy "how can he not see that?"

"Doesn't matter to him, after what his son did, he lost all faith in people and how they act." Remarked Kingsley

**AJ got to her feet to face them. Mr. Crouch's face was taut with rage.**

"Ignore him, he goes away when he notices people aren't listening." Stated Mr. Weasley

Draco smirked, "Really?"

"No," laughed Mr. Weasley "but it is rather funny to see his face go red and redder over the course of a few moments.

"**Which of you did it?" he snapped, his sharp eyes darting between them. "Which of you conjured the Dark Mark?"**

Bill snorted, "That my friend is the million dollar question, why don't you figure it out instead of pointing the finger."

"He was dead set on it being one of us," muttered Hermione "he was really out of it."

"Yeah he's a crazy ass on the best of days but when the dark mark starts to appear, he just snaps." Admitted Bill

"**Have you lost your damn mind?" shouted AJ "We didn't do that!"**

Snape rolled his eyes, "Good idea, yell at the man who has a wand while you're defenseless."

"Charlie wouldn't have let him hex me even if he was dying to." Smiled AJ

"**Do not lie, girl!" shouted Mr. Crouch. "You have been discovered at the scene of the crime!"**

"She's also AJ," stated Ted "that in itself shows that she would never do something like that."

Draco nodded, "He was above reason at the time, he wasn't paying attention at all."

"**Barty," whispered a witch in a long woolen dressing gown, "they're kids, Barty, they'd never have been able to."**

"Listen to her! She knows what she's talking about!" advised Regulus

Narcissa scoffed, "Reggie, you're thinking like a normal person again. You have to think like a jackass then you'll understand where he's coming from."

"**Where did the Mark come from?" said Charlie**

"From a death eater!" yelled Molly "Now will you please get out of the darn woods!"

Charlie stared, "We know who it could have come from but we don't know where. We needed proof mother and obviously we had none."

"Just get out of the woods! You don't know what could be in there." Whimpered Molly

"I deal with dragons on a daily basis," reminded Charlie "I think I can handle the woods."

"**Over there," said Hermione shakily, pointing at the place where they had heard the voice. **

Bill wrapped an arm around her, "He doesn't believe you, does he?"

"Of course not," snorted Hermione "he wouldn't take me seriously."

**"There was someone behind the trees… they shouted words – an incantation -"**

"That's great," scoffed Ron "no wonder he didn't listen."

Tonks glared, "Whatever Ron, like you could have done any better."

"**Oh, stood over there, did they?" said Mr. Crouch, turning his popping eyes on Hermione now, disbelief etched all over his face. **

"Will someone throw a silencing charm at this stupid ass?" yelled Sirius "I realize he's a paranoid ass but to be this over the top about it is ridiculous."

Andy nodded, "I realize he wants to get to the bottom of this but he's going about it all wrong."

"What I want to know is who would have done it? A death eater I know, but who would have the balls to do it like that?" asked Sirius

**"Said an incantation, did they? You seem very well informed about how that Mark is summoned, missy -"**

Remus glared, "All she had to do is read it in a book! It's in ever history book known to man! What is his problem?"

"Do you think he's been put under the imperious?" asked Bill

"Could be," remarked Remus "but I really don't know with him. I think he's having flash backs and that's what's messing with his judgment."

**AJ glared, "Maybe you should think with your head that's supposed to house your brain rather then the other one."**

Regulus burst out laughed, "Sweets, you can't just say things like that to people that work for the Ministry! No matter how true it is!"

"You need to keep your mouth shut." Muttered Snape but if you looked closely you could see him fighting a smile.

"But what does that mean?" asked Ron "I don't get it."

"Nothing, it means nothing at all. Wait till your married and maybe then your wife will explain it to you." Laughed Regulus

"**Look, your too late! AJ, Draco and Hermione didn't do a damn thing!" snarled Charlie putting AJ behind himself.**

"You're damn right I pulled you behind me," muttered Charlie "the way they were acting was ridiculous. I honestly thought they were going to arrest you or something."

Kingsley nodded, "I wasn't there for it but I heard that the people there weren't playing around. If they though you were guilty you were going to prison or something."

"I can understand where they were coming from. But it was ridiculous how they wouldn't even listen to a thing AJ was saying." Growled Charlie

"**I don't think so," said a wizard with a scrubby brown beard. It was Amos Diggory, Cedric's father. **

AJ snorted, "It's odd how all the Diggory's seem to be at odds with me."

"Well you did tell him off earlier that day, so him defending you was unlikely." Snickered Hermione

"Cedric has probably told his dad about you and lied," added Draco "he's just a jerk. Ignore him."

**"Our Stunners went right through those trees… There's a good chance we got them…"**

Draco laughed, "Oh you caught the culprit alright."

"Do you think he's still being laughed at over that?" snickered AJ

"Probably!" smirked Draco "How do you explain that to people?"

AJ nodded, "After drinking excessively of course."

**Mr. Diggory squared his shoulders, raised his wand, marched across the clearing, and disappeared into the darkness. **

"Wow, who knew he had such balls." Snickered the twins

Arthur rolled his eyes, "He is a fully trained wizard and knew what he needed to do in order to get the mess cleaned up."

**A few seconds later, they heard Mr. Diggory shout.**

"A death eater was caught that night?" asked Andy

Narcissa shrugged, "But why would they stay? Usually they just run like the little bitches they are."

"It would have been in the paper," argued Remus "we would have known right away that a death eater was captured."

"**Yes! We got them! There's someone here! Unconscious! It's - but - blimey."**

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Why is he being so dramatic? Just get it over with."

"He has reason to be dramatic," smiled Molly "Amos is very good at finding dark magic."

"Because that's something we should all be proud of." Snorted Tonks

"**You've got someone?" shouted Mr. Crouch, sounding highly disbelieving. "Who? Who is it?"**

Bill scowled, "If he says he's found someone, he's obviously found someone. Charlie, hex him. You know you want to."

"Good plan," snarked Charlie "right in front of all the ministry officials? Or should I have done it in private?"

"Oh please! You fight dragons off on a daily basis and you're afraid of ministry officials?"

Charlie blinked, "You have no idea what my job entails do you?" Bill laughed and shook his head causing Charlie to roll his eyes with a smile.

**Mr. Diggory was carrying a tiny, limp figure in his arms. AJ recognized the tea towel at once. **

"That means it had to have been a house elf." Muttered Sirius

Regulus nodded, "That's insane, why would a house elf conjure the dark mark?"

"Their owner," sighed Sirius "the owner forced the elf to do it."

**It was Winky.**

Remus bit his lip, "Isn't that Crouches elf?"

"Sweet Merlin!" laughed Kingsley "Talk about karma hitting him where it hurts."

**Mr. Crouch did not move or speak as Mr. Diggory deposited his elf on the ground at his feet. **

Narcissa looked away, "He has to be so embarrassed! First his son, now the elf, guy can't catch a break."

"But the elf was told to do it then," remarked Andy "Crouch is her only owner. Right?"

"He has to be, his wife is dead righ?" asked Narcissa

Andy shrugged, "That entire family confused me, but I think she's dead and so is his son. Weird, I don't know anymore."

"**This - cannot - be," he said jerkily. "No -"**

"He's such a bastard," muttered Hermione "pathetic little asshole."

George nodded, "He doesn't seem to be the nicest person ever."

"He's not! He treated that little elf horribly!" growled Hermione

**He moved quickly around Mr. Diggory and strode off toward the place where he had found Winky.**

Ted scoffed, "There isn't anyone out their you jackass. Stop looking and handle the situation accordingly."

"Yeah right," snickered Fred "that would make it easy. He has to try and prove he gives a crap about the elf."

**Mr. Diggory looked around grimly, looking down at Winky's unconscious form. "Barty Crouch's house-elf bit embarrassing."**

AJ laughed without humor, "You're a dick and you need to stop seeing the irony in everything. Stupid fuck."

"Wow," laughed Tonks "pregnancy hormones must be fun with you."

"It has nothing to do with my pregnancy. He just rubs me the wrong way and I just can't stand him." Muttered AJ

Tonks raised a brow, "He try something or what?"

"No," snorted AJ "he just I don't know. He always acts like he an agenda or something. I don't trust him and never will."

"**The dark mark requires a wand though." Argued Charlie**

Kinsley nodded, "True. How could she just get a wand? She would have been ordered to steal a wand."

"Weird," muttered Remus "this was all planned out too well."

"**Yeah," said Mr. Diggory, "and she had a wand."**

Regulus bit his lip, "Crouch is going to have a bitch of a time explaining this one."

"How could he have talked his way out of this one?" asked Bill "I wish I had gone with you now Charlie!"

"**What?" asked Draco and Hermione**

Everyone tried to smile, but they couldn't even muster that.

**Mr. Diggory held up the wand, "Had it in her hand. No non-human creature is permitted to carry or use a wand."**

"Well if you think about, the elves don't need it." Remarked Ted

Hermione sighed, "I know that, but it's still not right the way they're treated! They're treated like slaves!"

"The thing about elves," explained Ted "is that they really do love to serve people. It's in their genetic makeup to want to serve others. They do it because it's something that makes them feel good and complete in a way. I understand you want them to be paid or something, but to them it's against all their beliefs. Do you get it?"

"I guess. Not really." Laughed Hermione

Ted smiled, "Okay it's like this. If you're a Christian and you have a friend that is an Atheist, you're not going to push your beliefs on them because you believe it to be true. You're going to accept it for the way it is and let them their lives the way their beliefs allow them."

"I get it now!" smiled Hermione "I'll try not to be so pushy when it comes to the house elves."

**Just then there was another pop, and Ludo Bagman Apparated right next to Charlie. **

Narcissa raised a brow, "What's he want now? Another fix?"

"He must have seen the dark mark and gotten scared," laughed Remus "he's an idiot. He didn't even know about the riot that broke out. Something is up with him and Crouch."

"**The Dark Mark!" he panted. "Who did it? Did you get them? Barty! What's going on?"**

Sirius laughed, "You have to admit he is good for a laugh. He's like that really annoying kid in class that would point out the obvious to prove that he was paying attention when he wasn't."

"Were you that kid in school daddy?" laughed AJ

"NO!" snickered Sirius "That was your papa cub! Everyone thinks he was such a stickler for the rules, he pranked more then any of us."

**Mr. Crouch had returned empty-handed.**

Andy rolled her eyes, "Was he really expecting to find someone hiding in plane sight?"

"Sure, he needed to put his own mind at ease and he didn't want the entire wizarding world knowing that his elf did something like that." remarked Tonks

"**Where have you been, Barty?" said Bagman. "Why weren't you at the match? **

Regulus narrowed his eyes, "He wasn't at the game? Why the hell not?"

"It was a huge game though," muttered Bill "why wouldn't he be there?"

"You didn't notice him leave or anything?" asked Regulus

Bill shook his head, "No, I was more interested in the game then what that fuck was doing."

**"Bagman had just noticed Winky lying at his feet. "What happened to her?"**

"Like you care!" scowled George "He just wants information to spread around."

Fred nodded, "I'm starting to hate that we had his money in our possession."

"Right, Merlin only knows how he got it." Muttered George

"**I have been busy, Ludo," said Mr. Crouch. "And my elf has been stunned."**

Tonks rolled her eyes, "Don't sound too upset you over grown toddler!"

"He's a jackass," muttered Sirius "he's not making any sense when he talks. There's something going on with him."

"**Stunned? By you lot, you mean? But why -?"**

Charlie rolled his eyes, "I really had the urge to smash him in the back of the head a few times. Maybe it would have done his dumbass self some good."

"I would have!" laughed Bill "Screw the ministry officials, he needs to be put in his place."

**Comprehension dawned suddenly on Bagman before he grimaced and looked away. **

AJ snorted, "He looked like someone told his he was going to be sentenced to death."

"I thought so too, he was really out of after the game." Remarked Draco

"Maybe he was under the imperious," said Hermione "but that's unlikely. He was more likely just showing signs of early dementia."

**Mr. Diggory ****raised his own wand, pointed it at Winky, and said, "Ennervate!"**

Andy sighed, "This is not going to end well for that poor elf. Amos isn't a patient man, let alone with mythical creatures."

"He doesn't understand them," huffed Kingsley "he honestly needs a different job. I don't know why he works with them if he doesn't even like them."

"Because he doesn't want someone else to treat them better or whatever." Muttered Andy

**Winky's great brown eyes opened and she blinked several times in a bemused sort of way.**

Regulus sighed, "At least she wasn't seriously harmed, those stunning charms were more then likely used with full force."

"Who cares?" muttered Ron, "It's just a house elf."

"People who have actual souls give a damn about those who are supposedly beneath us. You're the kind of wizard that makes us all look bad!" snarled Regulus

**Watched by the silent wizards, she raised herself shakily into a sitting position.**

Hermione sighed, "She knew she was in trouble and she didn't even do anything."

"Like Diggory would care," huffed Charlie "he doesn't care Hermione. He's the kind of person who only cares about witches and wizards, everyone and everything else is beneath him."

"**Elf!" said Mr. Diggory sternly.**

Draco growled, "She has a name you stupid fuck!"

"That's what I'm saying!" cheered Hermione "Thank you!"

**"Do you know who I am? I'm a member of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures!"**

AJ rolled her eyes, "Anybody care? No? Me either."

"He's a very proud man pup!" snickered Sirius "We have to show him respect for his majesty."

"**What's going to happen to Winky?" whispered Hermione**

Bill sighed, "More then likely piss ant himself is going to take her into questioning."

"He would have tortured her wouldn't he?" asked Hermione

"Most likely," mumbled Bill "he would. He's just that kind of person Mio, he's never going to change."

**Draco bit his lip, "She might be freed, I don't know though."**

Ted smiled, "If you really think about it, she's better off being free rather then being with Crouch for the rest of his existence."

"Do elves live longer then we do?" asked AJ

"Yes they do," explained Ted "their magic is more powerful then ours and it keeps them healthier then ours does for us."

**AJ looked over and saw Mr. Diggory hold up the wand, before he could say anything AJ knew whose wand that was.**

Remus groaned, "No! Don't tell me!"

"Fuck," muttered Narcissa "how in the hell is this going to work?"

"Now they're really going to blame you!" snarled Remus

"**That's my wand!" AJ said.**

Sirius bit his lip, "I know you're being honest and honesty is always the best policy, but at this time you should have lied."

"It wouldn't have done any good Sirius," snorted Kingsley "they would have done tests on the wand."

"Yeah but at least then it wouldn't have been done around her." Muttered Sirius

**Mr. Diggory stared in disbelief. "Is this a confession? You threw it aside after you conjured the Mark?"**

George laughed, "Yeah? Did you AJ?"

"Tell us how it felt, don't leave anything out!" snorted Fred

**AJ glared, "Yeah that's exactly what I did you piece of-"**

Everyone burst into laughter, "You are insane!" chocked out Tonks

"He pissed me off, he shouldn't have been ass!" defended AJ

"Right," snickered Tonks "he deserved it!"

**Charlie clapped a hand over her mouth, "Ignore her. You can't honestly believe Alessandra Potter would do this!"**

Charlie smirked, "I knew he was going to snap at any minute and I didn't want him to take it out on AJ."

"Good," smiled Sirius "at least when I'm not around I can count on you to take care of her."

"You're going to be around for a long time. Don't talk like that," grinned Charlie, he felt AJ tense at Sirius dying. He knew AJ wouldn't survive something like that, she loved Sirius too much.

"**Er - of course not," mumbled Mr. Diggory. "Sorry… carried away…"**

Narcissa snarled, "Gee, ya think? Jackass."

"I don't like him," muttered Bill "he doesn't treat my future sister-in-law well at all."

"You're really banking on Charlie asking AJ to marry him aren't you?" snickered Narcissa

Bill grinned, "They better! If they think they're just going to date for years to come they have another thing coming."

"You're such a girl!" laughed Narcissa

"**The elf didn't do it!" shouted Draco, "It was a voice of a person!"**

Hermione smiled, "Thanks for that by the way, I wanted to defend her but I didn't know how."

"I know that's why I did it." Smiled Draco

"**She's been caught red-handed!" Mr. Diggory roared. "Caught with the guilty wand in her hand!"**

Arthur narrowed his eyes, "That doesn't mean anything! Wrong time, wrong place! Simple as that, they have no proof and they aren't going to get any."

"They can do the reversal spell but that doesn't prove who cast it and who didn't." Remarked Kingsley

"**Amos," said Mr. Crouch curtly, "Please allow me to deal with her."**

Fred glared, "He's not going to hurt her is he?"

"He can't!" growled George "You can't do that in front of people, he has an image to uphold."

AJ had never seen the twins so angry, it was shocking to see them so serious, but it warmed her to know there were more sides to them then they showed.

**Winky looked up at Mr. Crouch, her eyes brimming with tears. "M-m-master, p-p-please…"**

Tonks sniffed, "It's not fair! She loved being his elf and he ripped it away for no damn reason! I hate him!"

"It's okay Dora," Ted whispered "she's probably happy with her new family. You know house elves never stay free for long. Don't worry."

"I know I just hate it dad. I really do." Sighed Tonks

"**I told her to remain in the tent. I told her to stay there while I went to sort out the trouble. **

Andy sneered, "That's great, leave your elf alone in that mess! Anyone one of them would have run for cover! She could have died."

"How can he not realize that?" asked Hermione "He's so narrow minded it's unbelievable!"

**And I find that she disobeyed me. This means clothes." Said Crouch**

Ginny scoffed, "Oh how terrible! Getting clothes must be such a hardship."

"I know," remarked Ron "they're just elves. They don't understand anything, idiots."

Hermione glared, "Shut up! Both of you know nothing! Just shut up you prejudice assholes!"

"**No!" shrieked Winky, prostrating herself at Mr. Crouch's feet. "No, master! Not clothes, not clothes!"**

"Poor elf, doesn't even know how good she has it being freed by that sadistic asshole." Muttered Bill

"You have to remember that for them it's a punishment," remarked Charlie "it's not freedom in our sense of the word."

**Charlie sighed, "We're heading back. Give AJ her wand back. Now."**

Sirius grinned, "Good, don't let that asshole intimidate you."

"My money is on dragon boy," smiled Remus "I think he could take Amos in a fight."

"You might be right love, when AJ is concerned he takes the protective boyfriend to a new level." Smiled Remus

**Mr. Diggory handed AJ her wand and AJ pocketed it.**

"Odd," laughed Draco "it never mentioned how you glared at him and almost gave him the bird."

AJ snickered, "The book is trying to portray me as a lady."

**They walked in silence; Charlie wrapped an arm around AJ who linked arms with Hermione who was holding Draco's hand tightly.**

"Did you fall a lot?" laughed Ted

AJ snickered, "Surprisingly no, we really walk well together."

"Yes walking is our strong suit," laughed Draco "we're a talented bunch!"

"**Who were those people with masks on?" asked AJ after a few minutes.**

"You hadn't learned about death eaters yet?" asked Andy

Hermione scoffed, "Professor Binns doesn't teach us anything unless it has something to do with goblins."

"Great," sighed Andy "keep up the good work Dumbledore! You're professors are great!"

**Charlie sighed, "Death eaters, they're followers of Voldemort, they do all his bidding and what not."**

Arthur smiled, "I'm glad you explained it rather then myself. I would have given too much information and more then likely scared them."

"After everything they've seen, I don't think anything is going to scare them any more." Muttered Bill

"**A lot of death eaters weren't convicted," stated Charlie "they claimed they didn't know what they were doing or they were forced. Load of bull."**

AJ scowled, "There should be a way that you can test them to prove they were under the imperious! All those death eaters got off free because they lied through their teeth!"

"A few exceptional potions masters are trying to come up with a potion to prove the imperious was used on them." Remarked Remus

"What about the truth serum?" asked AJ "Can't that prove anything?"

Remus sighed sadly, "No it can't because you won't be able to answer a question like that. You could have been put under without you even knowing. We'll find a way cub, don't worry."

"**I really should head back to the Hotel, I can use the floo network and get back to the manor before my father knows I'm gone." Sighed Draco**

"He didn't know you were gone right?" asked Narcissa

Draco smiled, "He wasn't home, I think he was still in the meeting, it probably led into the next morning."

**Charlie nodded, "We'll go to the hotel first, it's only a few minutes away. Where's your mom?"**

Ron rolled his eyes, "Probably at the death eater meeting."

"I'm sure she was right with her husband." Whispered Molly

"Actually," snarled Narcissa "I wasn't! I am not nor have I ever been a death eater!"

"**She's in Italy," remarked Draco "for a case she's working on."**

Andy smiled, "I always knew you would become a lawyer! I just knew it."

"Law is fascinating," grinned Hermione "I'm thinking about going into that after graduation."

"You would be a great lawyer!" smiled Andy

**Hermione looked excited, "Your moms a lawyer! I forgot! That's exciting, I can't wait to meet her!"**

Hermione blushed, "I really needed a distraction after what we just witnessed."

"We understand," smiled Kingsley "after everything you've been through, I would be surprised if you were just fine."

**Reaching the hotel, Hermione, Draco and AJ hugged tightly while Charlie shook his hand.**

Charlie rolled his eyes, "We're men, we have to show a level of manliness when we're in front of women."

"Good luck with that," snickered Tonks "you don't have a lot to work with."

**Reaching the tent, Charlie explained everything that happened, no one could believe what they were hearing.**

The twins nodded, "It sounded like it was all made up."

"Who wants to believe a house elf would do something like that?" asked Regulus "I don't believe it at all, she didn't do it."

"**I don't get it," said Ron, frowning. "I mean… it's still only a shape in the sky…"**

Sirius rolled his eyes, "Yeah right, just a simple little shape. That shape caused more fear in peoples lives then anything!"

"Just seeing it was awful, you knew without a shadow of a doubt the occupants in the house were gone." Sighed Remus holding Sirius's hand tightly

"Was that above my house?" asked AJ

"No," mumbled Sirius "Voldemort didn't have enough power anymore to do the spell."

"**Ron, You-Know-Who and his followers sent the Dark Mark into the air whenever they killed," said Mr. Weasley. **

Arthur winced, "From now on I'm not giving these little pep talks."

"You were so depressing with that explanation!" snickered Bill

"How can it not be depressing?" asked Arthur "No matter how you spin it, it's just depressing."

**"Just picture coming home and finding the Dark Mark hovering over your house, and knowing what you're about to find inside…" **

Regulus shuddered, "Scariest moment of your life, muggles were being killed left and right and they had no idea what it meant."

"There was no way to explain it to them," sighed Ted "we lied so much during the first war. Nothing we could come up with was a good excuse for why it happened."

**Mr. Weasley winced. "Everyone's worst fear… the very worst."**

"How do you think people felt having to tell the others their family members were gone?" asked Tonks "Like if you weren't home, the Auror had to come and find you and just tell you. That person must have become so hard just from everything they had been through."

Kingsley nodded, "Looks like that's something that's going to happen again this time around. We can't avoid the deaths, but hopefully we can prevent innocent lives from being lost."

"I hope so." Mumbled Tonks in Kinsley's shoulder.

**Everyone was quiet for a long moment before they decided to go to bed; AJ and Hermione went back to their tent while Ginny stayed with her family.**

Andy grimaced, "Didn't you want to stay with everyone? Don't you feel safer with being in a group?"

"It was something where families should be together and they're not my family. No matter how hard they try, they just aren't. If it was just Charlie, of course I would feel better with staying, but it was the entire family."

**AJ and Hermione were lying in bed wide-awake. **

"Weren't you tired?" asked Narcissa

Hermione nodded, "Dead tired. But we just couldn't sleep; it had nothing to do with adrenaline. It was fear."

**Neither would admit they were afraid to close their eyes in fear of what might come.**

"Go in the other tent," advised Bill "just go. We won't care or judge you."

Charlie nodded, "Actually we would have felt better having you there with us. Then we would have known you guys were safe."

"**We could have died tonight bug." Whispered Hermione**

Everyone winced, the thought of either girl dying was too much for them to handle. They were too young, too kind and pure to die over something senseless like Voldemort going on a rampage.

**AJ nodded, "I know doll. But look on the bright side, I wouldn't have died a virgin."**

Everyone started laughing, AJ was great at breaking the tension in any situation. Snape recovered first, "That's the bright side to all this? Really?"

"Well dying a virgin would have sucked!" laughed AJ "I think you agree with me on this!"

Snape rolled his eyes, "I hope you get help someday soon."

"**You are such an ass!" laughed Hermione "Charlie is a lucky man to have you in his life."**

"I'm going to have a lifetime of laughter to look forward to!" laughed Charlie

Bill grinned, "You're both lucky, I don't know anyone that would willingly deal with either of you for a lifetime."

"Yeah right," scoffed Charlie "we're gems. People would be lucky to be with us."

**AJ and Hermione stayed up the entire night talking, playing card and just relishing in the simple things life was giving them that night.**

Molly got up; "It's time for bed. We need sleep now."

After everyone saying their goodnights, they all went into their beds and prayed for dreamless sleep.

AJ and Charlie made slow, passionate love. Their secret was out and there would be no more hiding. For once AJ felt that life was pretty good. Listening to Charlie's breathing even out AJ got out of bed, put on her sweatpants and Charlie's white t-shirt. She was restless and usually when she was restless she would talk to Hermione, but she knew that she and Bill were more likely to be talking and getting to know one another. Walking down the steps she knew exactly whom she could talk to.

**AN: These chapters are long but I will update as soon as I can! Promise! Next chapter is another break chapter. Read and review :)**


	81. An Unexpected Talk

AJ walked silently past her grandmothers' portrait, she shuddered at the thought of that women waking up. She would never understand how her Uncle Regulus and her dad turned out so normal, if all the stories were true the Black families weren't known for their fuzzy upbringings. AJ had overheard her dad and papa talking one night about how her grandfather put her dad under the cruciatus curse for refuses to listen to how Voldemort was for the light. He just couldn't understand because he was under Dumbledore's thumb. AJ shook her head, she hated when her mind would only give her flashbacks to times that were better off left alone. AJ poured her self a cup of black coffee and walked down the basement into the potions lab.

AJ hopped on the counter and took a sip of coffee, loving every minute of the delicious drink. She watched Snape cut up bits of flitterbloom and add it to the simmering blue potion. He wasn't concentrating as hard as she would have been; then again she wasn't a potions master. Snape seemed to be muttering an incantation and for the first time AJ couldn't see any anger or hatred in his face. If she didn't know him, she would have assumed that he was a regular guy working on a potion because it was his passion, not because it was his job. AJ tore her eyes away from his face to look at his hands, unlike Charlie's; Snape's hands were smooth. AJ pictured Snape and Charlie having a fistfight, Charlie would kill him with his bare hands.

The silence became too much for AJ, "I've been thinking a lot lately. Feel free to ignore that sentence. I've been thinking about the past, I can't seem to get away from it. It's like I'm haunted by my memories and I don't know how to stop it." AJ took another sip of coffee; she knew coming down here was a mistake. Snape hated her, that wasn't going to change.

"Do you want to forget the past?" Snape asked, his eyes never leaving his work, but AJ could see the muscles in his jaw tighten.

AJ blinked, "I think if I chose to forget I wouldn't be the person I am today. I wouldn't be me and I like being me. Don't you?"

"Oh yes, you are something," deadpanned Snape "thank Merlin there is only one of you for now."

"I read this article when I was younger about how when the next generation becomes parents they parent like their parents did for them. It makes me laugh because I don't have parents and I have no idea how they would have handled me. This one mothers day we had to make cards for our moms in art class, I explained to the teacher that I didn't have a mom. She told me that was okay; I could make one for my Aunt. So I did, and I spent so much time on that damn card. My hand writing was always good but I wanted it to be perfect, took me all day to make it right." AJ let out a humorless laugh that sent a chill up Snape's spine, "When we got home, Petunia fawned over Dudley's card, hung it on the fridge and showed it to everyone that came to the house. I gave her mine and she looked at me with the coldest eyes I have ever see, threw it in the trash smacked me across the face and told me that I wasn't her daughter and I never would be someone's daughter."

Snape stared at AJ who stared back with an unreadable emotion. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" asked AJ "Talk? It's part of my charm, along with my good looks and stunning personality."

"Why do you refuse to give into your emotions? You always close yourself off and put up a mask. Why?" asked Snape looking intently at AJ, he always wanted to know why and he hoped she would finally give him a straight answer rather then giving him the run around.

AJ drank the last of her coffee and sat the cup down next to her, "I could ask you the same thing," remarked AJ "but I won't because unlike you I don't care. I don't always want to read people, I don't care if people lie or cheat to get what they want. That's there own prerogative. But, since you asked so nicely and you have yet to kill me, I'll tell you. Emotions…they aren't my strong suit. They're just messy, what's the point in me crying over someone? Is that going to bring that back? Is it going to make me feel whole again? No. It's not going to do a damn thing besides ruin my makeup and make me look like a clown. Situations where people are overly sad or are crying, I just get anxious and I don't know what to say or do. I always end up saying something inappropriate and the mood is instantly lightened."

"You're not like your mother or father. You look like James and every now and then you say something that Lily would have, but other then those few moments you are unlike anyone in your entire family. It's unnerving really." Murmured Snape

"Why do you hate him so much?" asked AJ "Just…why? Yeah I get being picked on sucks and it causes a lot of issues but I've never hated someone because of that. We've been reading about my home life so you know that I can relate to it, and yet I'm the one that isn't holding a grudge."

Snape went back to the potion and after a few moments of silence AJ thought the conversation was over. "He took what I wanted," Snape said so quiet AJ almost missed it, "I loved your mother. She was kind and sweet and everything about her was good. But she loved your father, when he walked in a room she would stop what she was doing and look at her. When they were together, it was like magnets, he moved she moved. And then they had you. James had everything I wanted and I had nothing. That's why I hate your father and I always will."

"You wanted to be my father?" asked AJ with a smirk.

Snape rolled his eyes, "You will never ever change."

"No, probably not," agreed AJ "thanks for being honest and listing to me. See you tomorrow, well later today for the readings."

As AJ started walking up the steps Snape turned, "You should cut the coffee when you're pregnant. It can increase the baby's heart rate and can cause you to lose sleep that you should be getting. You will love your child, that in itself will make you a better mother then your Aunt was towards you." AJ nodded and walked back up the stairs.

Walking into her bedroom she saw Charlie sleeping peacefully, as she crawled back into bed he pulled her closer into him. He always made her feel safe and loved; it was the best feeling in the world. The next morning AJ woke up to the smell of banana pancakes and maple syrup, the smell was heavenly.

AJ got dressed quickly and found her dad and papa making breakfast. They were both still in pajamas and looking very relaxed, she thanked every God that came to mind that gave her parents this moment of solitude.

"Hey pup," smiled Sirius "ready for some breakfast? I know bananas aren't your favorite fruit but somehow how raspberry pancakes doesn't sound very good."

AJ gaped, "Are you kidding me! It's sounds delicious! Tell him papa."

"Sorry cub, I'm on your dads side on this one. Want a smoothie with breakfast?" asked Remus

AJ nodded as everyone started to come down for breakfast. Molly looked angry at the thought of Remus and Sirius cooking breakfast but she kept the angry out burst at bay. Once everyone was done eating, they headed into the living room where Bill picked up the book, "**Mayhem at the Ministry…**"

**AN: Hope you liked it! Working on the next chapter soon! Read and Review :)**


	82. Mayhem at the Ministry

**AJ and Hermione walked outside when they heard Mr. Weasley getting the others up. **

Sirius winced, "Did you get any sleep at all?"

"Um," laughed AJ "not so much. We were up talking and I think we did our nails a few times."

"There was no point in that at all. You bite your nails so much the pain just chips away." Snickered Hermione

Sirius made a face, "Girls are so weird, no wonder I was never interested in them."

**Mr. Weasley used magic to pack up the tents, and they left the campsite as quickly as possible, passing Mr. Roberts at the door of his cottage. **

"Was he okay?" asked Andy "He certainly went through a lot in a short amount of time."

Arthur nodded, "Once we did the once over and modified his memory, he was fine. We were worried about brain damage but nothing had come up after the spells."

"He should have been sent to the muggle hospital though, you could have told him he hit his head or something. That would have explained the memory issue." Argued Andy

**Mr. Roberts had a strange, dazed look about him, and he waved them off with a vague "Happy Christmas."**

"How is he supposed to explain this to other muggles?" asked Narcissa

Kingsley shrugged, "We never really take that into consideration. I don't know why either."

"That's something you people need to think about!" argued Narcissa "How can you people just modify a memory and then wonder why muggles become suspicious of us."

**"Sometimes, when a person's memory's modified, it makes him a bit disorientated for a while." Said Mr. Weasley**

Ted rolled his eyes, "No offense Arthur but I think they gathered that when he was wishing them a Merry Christmas."

"I wonder if the children were okay," murmured Tonks "the one was being spun around like a rag doll. That can't be good for their little heads."

**Charlie kept AJ close to him as they walked to the Portkey, it was almost as if he was reassuring himself she was alive.**

Remus smiled, "You must have been out of your mind with the worry the night before."

"The night before?" scoffed Charlie "Try every day that she isn't near me and I can't protect her. I realize she can take care of herself but the thought of something happening to her makes me more protective then ever before."

"Welcome to true love dragon boy. From now on your life is going to revolve around AJ and the baby, you'll do anything to protect them." Grinned Remus

**The Portkey thankfully only took them a few feet from the Burrow. A moment later a cry echoed along the lane.**

Fred rolled his eyes, "Here we go."

"Emotional mom to the rescue." Muttered George

"She was worried about her little babies though!" cooed AJ

"Just be happy she didn't do it you," muttered the twins, "she practically crushed us."

"**Oh thank goodness, thank goodness!"**

"Hate to say it but I would have been an emotional wreck too." Sighed Regulus

Draco gaped, "You're admitting to being like Molly? Really?"

"No you ding dong!" growled Regulus "If I spoke to AJ the way Molly spoke to her sons, I would be a nervous wreck. Then again I'm not a stupid asshole, so I wouldn't talk to AJ that way."

**Mrs. Weasley came running toward them, still wearing her bedroom slippers with a rolled-up copy of the Daily Prophet clutched in her hand.**

Bill rolled his eyes, "You were overreacting mom."

"It was all over the Prophet! How was I overreacting William?" snarled Molly

"Because it was written by Rita Skeeter!" yelled Bill "That in itself should have given you a clue that she was embellishing and just trying to sell a story!"

Molly shook her head, "She may have a different idea of how to report the news, but she's always honest."

"Honest?" laughed AJ "The bitch wrote that Cedric and I were dating and Hermione was jealous! If that isn't bullshit I don't know what is."

**She flung her arms around Mr. Weasley's neck, and the Daily Prophet fell out of her limp hand onto the ground.**

Arthur winced, "That was little painful, I felt that I was being choked."

"Sounds like a great welcome home," muttered Ted "fun marriage you have."

"Tell me about it." Mumbled Arthur.

**Looking down, AJ saw the headline: SCENES OF TERROR AT THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP complete with a twinkling black-and-white photograph of the Dark Mark over the treetops.**

Sirius rolled his eyes, "Does she always have to be such a jerk when it comes to her articles?"

"She goes for the dramatic affect, it sells more papers and it keeps the readers interested." Sighed Charlie

"I can see that," agreed Sirius "but when she makes light of such serious situations it pisses me off."

**AJ backed up when Mrs. Weasley hugged the twins; she wanted nothing to do with that.**

Andy smirked, "Too emotional for your taste?"

"I don't mind being hugged," smiled AJ "I just don't like being hugged like that. She hugs you like you were on your death bed, it makes me uncomfortable."

"Next time just shove her away or push someone in-between the two of you." Suggested Andy

"**Should have taken the picture in color," remarked AJ "it would have made it more dramatic."**

"Too much emotion for you?" laughed Sirius

AJ snorted, "Surprisingly no, the thought just came to me at the time."

"Of course it did," snickered Sirius "what else would you be think of at a time like that?"

**Mr. Weasley soothed Mrs. Weasley while leading her back toward the house. **

"Do you think of AJ and Hermione as family?" asked Draco

Molly looked taken back, "Well yes, of course. Whether they like it or not, I do consider them my family and my concern."

"I'm going to ignore the second part," snored Draco "but onto the first part. Why didn't you make sure they were alright too?"

"Of course I was worried about them!" argued Molly

Draco shook his head, "I never asked if you were worried, I asked why you didn't make sure they were okay. The answer is simple because you don't care. When it comes to them or your family, you're always going to chose your family."

**"Bill," he said, "pick up that paper, I want to see what it says…"**

"I shouldn't have bothered," murmured Arthur "it was all dramatized."

Sirius scowled, "She was always spreading rumors in school about people. Like this one time, she said that James put a potion in the Slytherins drinks to turn their voices into frog crocks."

"Wasn't that true though?" asked Arthur

"Well…yeah. But that's not the point!" argued Sirius

**Bill handed his father the newspaper. Mr. Weasley scanned the front page while Percy looked over his shoulder.**

Narcissa grinned, "He was really worried about the ministry was going to be perceived wasn't he?"

"That's all he cares about anymore," stated Charlie "screw his family. The ministry is all that counts anymore."

"Maybe he'll change, you never know. When it comes to family, that's not something you turn away from for long." Smiled Narcissa

Charlie rolled his eyes, "Thanks for trying, but we know Percy. We've accepted it, well some of us have."

**AJ and Hermione shared a look; it was time to give the Weasley family sometime alone.**

"It was just Dad and Percy arguing, you didn't miss much." Snickered Bill

Hermione nodded, "We knew that your mom was worried though and she probably needed sometime with you guys."

**Walking into the twins' room AJ suddenly wanted to be anywhere but there.**

"You don't like our room?" asked George

Fred shook his head, "It's the best room in the entire house! You should have asked us to help you plan some pranks."

"Then you really could have seen our room in action!" laughed George

**She didn't belong here; she should have been with family reassuring them she was okay.**

Remus winced, "Sirius and I were worried about you, but at the time there was very little we could do."

"I know," reassured AJ "I was just being dramatic for no reason."

**AJ rubbed her forehead sensing a headache coming on, she could feel Hermione's eyes on her back, and she could feel the concern rolling off her in waves.**

"A quiet AJ is something to be feared," grinned Ted "you're either plotting something or you're upset."

Kingsley laughed, "Or both! You have to remember that she has James, Sirius and Remus' blood in her now since the adoption."

"And she's still in the room." AJ smiled sweetly at the blushing men.

"**Do you think Sirius is okay?" asked AJ never turning around.**

Andy sighed, "We really need to come up with a better form of communication for the two of you when AJ goes back to school."

"Can you imagine what they'll be like if either one doesn't get an owl back immediately?" laughed Regulus

"Look on the bright side Reggie," smirked Andy "you're the one whose going to listen to Sirius rant."

"**I'm sure he's fine," assured Hermione "no need to worry."**

Draco bit his lip, "You regret that?"

"Yes," muttered Hermione "I forgot AJ's golden rule. Never talk about her emotions, she doesn't feel them."

"Exactly! How could you forget?" snickered Draco

AJ laughed, "You're both idiots, you have rules when it comes to dealing with my emotions? Dorks."

**AJ turned, "Worried? I'm not worried about him! **

"Of course you aren't," laughed Bill "you're completely calm and collected."

Ted snorted, "I'd hate to see you worried, you may have a panic attack or something."

**He's a grown man; he can take care of himself. I just want to make sure he hasn't shaved his head and joined a biker gang."**

Arthur raised a brow, "A biker gang? What's a biker gang?"

"I'll explain it later," snickered Tonks "just enjoy the mental picture of Siri without hair."

"That's a good picture!" laughed Arthur while Sirius scowled.

"**Who's joining a biker gang?" asked Charlie walking into the room with Bill.**

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Why would anyone join a biker gang?"

"I don't even know what one is." Muttered Ron

**AJ rolled her eyes; she explained the dream she had to Bill and Charlie while Hermione bit her lip and looked worried.**

Hermione groaned, "Of course I was worried! You may have already told me about the dream but hearing it again made it so much more real."

"It's odd that AJ would have a dream about Voldemort and then all of sudden something happens like that." remarked Kingsley

"Could he have been gaining more power at that point?" asked Hermione

Kingsley shrugged, "With Voldemort you never know, he could have been making plans years in advance."

**"It's weird, my scar hurts, and three days later the Death Eaters are on the march, and Voldemort's sign's up in the sky again." Remarked AJ**

"You're reading too much into it," remarked Molly "it was just a coincidence."

Snape glared, "As far as her visions are concerned there is no such thing as a coincidence. Do not speak of things you do not understand."

"Wait so I'm having visions?" asked AJ looking around

Molly jumped in, "You're too young to be hearing this! Just forget anything was said."

"No," remarked Sirius "she's going to hear about what's going on during the next break. AJ has a right to know."

"You're making a big mistake Sirius Black!" shouted Molly

"It's not a mistake!" yelled Sirius "And even if it was a mistake it's mine to make! Unlike you Molly, I know that I can't protect AJ from everyone and everything!"

**Charlie sighed, "Yeah but it's just a dream. Right?"**

Charlie winced, "Oh wishful thinking."

"Never a good move. Never ever." Remarked Bill

"**I don't know," mumbled Hermione "it seems like it was more. But I don't know how."**

"You could have come to us," sighed Arthur "we would have helped you."

Remus scoffed, "Molly wouldn't have let you do a damn thing Arthur and you know it. She would have smothered AJ with hugs and affection, something AJ can't stand while you sat idly by doing nothing. I'm sorry Arthur but it's the truth."

"**Come and have a game of Quidditch in the orchard, AJ" said Bill. "You and Charlie against me and Hermione."**

"Why didn't you ask me to play?" gaped Ron

Ginny scowled, "I could have played too! You guys are always leaving me out of everything! It's so mean!"

"How do you think I feel?" grouched Ron "I'm always the last one to know everything."

"Will you two shut up!" yelled Regulus rubbing his eyes.

**Hermione didn't typically do anything that involved leaving the ground, but one smile from Bill had her caving.**

Hermione rolled her eyes, "I didn't cave! I just did it because I knew that you were upset and Quidditch would make you feel better."

"Keep telling yourself that Mio!" snickered AJ

**Neither Mr. Weasley nor Percy was at home much over the following week. **

Bill smirked, "I missed talking to Dad, but having Percy gone for the entire day and night was amazing."

"You two really don't get along do you?" asked Tonks

"He's just," Bill huffed "he's changed so much. All he cares about is Fudge and he's blinded by that man, it's sick."

Tonks nodded, "Remember though that Fudge does have way of gaining the love and support of people. He was reelected twice already and knowing him, he'll go on for three."

"**It's been an absolute uproar," Percy told them importantly the Sunday evening before they were due to return to Hogwarts.**

"Well yeah," deadpanned Kingsley "what do you expect when something like that happens? There hasn't been an attack like that since the first war."

AJ narrowed her eyes, "So it was kind of like a signal that there was something going to happen. Like the return of Voldemort?"

"That's exactly what it was but the thought of him coming back is something no one will believe without proof. Fudge made such a big thing of his downfall, no one will believe he's back now." Remarked Kingsley

"Basically it's bullshit," sighed AJ "no one is ever going to listen until it's too late."

**"I've been putting out fires all week. People keep sending Howlers, and of course, if you don't open a Howler straight away, it explodes."**

Ted burst out laughing, "He was getting Howlers? Why didn't he just throw then in the fire?"

"You can do that?" asked Hermione "I thought they went off no matter what."

"No, all you have to do is set them on fire. You'll hear a little bit of what was intended but nothing like the real deal." Explained Ted

"**Why are they all sending Howlers?" asked Ginny.**

The twins rolled their eyes, "Because they know what a pompous prat Percy is."

"I somehow doubt that's what it was all about." Glared Molly

"**Complaining about security at the World Cup," said Percy. "They want compensation for their ruined property."**

"I still don't see why that was such a big deal. They should have given everyone something for what they lost." Remarked Charlie

Bill nodded, "You know how Percy is though, he probably heard Fudge complaining and now he has to follow along."

"He's a kiss ass and a sheep," muttered Charlie "can't expect much from him anymore."

"**Your father hasn't had to go into the office on weekends since the days of You- Know-Who." she said.**

Tonks winced, "That couldn't have brought back happy memories."

"Every single that's happening this year is pointing to the start of another war!" snarled Regulus "How can they all be so blind to this?"

"Wait until someone dies, then Fudge will admit something is going to happen." Sighed Tonks

Regulus raised a brow, "That weird flirty kid Cedric died, and yet Fudge is still saying that he's not back. He apparently wants to see Voldemort himself."

"**Well, Father feels he's got to make up for his mistake at the match, doesn't he?" **

"Why am I not surprised?" asked Sirius "Good job raising him Molly, I can see why you want to give me parenting advice."

Remus elbowed Sirius rib, "Calm down Siri, you know she's just trying to get you made. I know and you know that you're a good father, just take it easy."

**Said Percy. "If truth be told, he was a tad unwise to make a public statement without clearing it with his Head of Department first -"**

"No matter what I said she would have turned it against me! That's how she is!" argued Arthur

Narcissa nodded, "Exactly, that's why we're confused as to why your son didn't even know that. It's a common fact that she is a liar and makes up stories to sell them."

"It would have been nice if my own son would have listened to my side of the story though." Muttered Arthur

"**Don't you dare blame your father for what that wretched Skeeter woman wrote!" said Mrs. Weasley**

George snickered, "Way to piss of mom."

"Not like it takes much anymore." Smirked Fred

"Stop swearing!" yelled Molly "I will tolerate you two sounding like pirates anymore!"

**Bill bit his lip to prevent himself from saying something he may regret, in favor of playing a game of chess with Ron.**

"More like preventing myself form strangling him." Growled Bill

Hermione snickered, "Your hands kept getting tighter and tighter around the pieces. I think they would have

**Hermione was immersed in The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4, copies of which Mrs. Weasley had bought for her, AJ, and Ron in Diagon Alley.**

"Somehow that book didn't come in handy at all." Snorted AJ

Andy raised a brow, "Why not? That class is supposed to give you valuable dueling lessons."

"Yeah," sighed AJ "our professor was more interested in the Unforgivables."

"You were taught the Unforgivables at year four?" asked Andy

AJ nodded, "It was a fun year for us, I wish I could relive it again. Oh wait, I am. Lucky me."

**Charlie was reading over a few applications he received from the Dragon Reserves. **

"You were planning on leaving Romania already?" asked Ted

Charlie shook his head; "We get applications every year for our internship programs. I get the majority of the applications and I have to approve or deny them."

"Wow," breathed Ted "I didn't know you had so much to do."

**AJ was had her feet in Charlie's lap while reading a book Hermione bought her the year before. **

Ron pulled a face, "I can't believe you actually read something."

"Why is it that you assume I'm like you in the sense that I'm an idiot when it comes to reading?" asked AJ

"Because you," Ron rolled his eyes, "you just don't read things. It's weird."

AJ stared, "I read all the time! You just have your head up your ass all the time so you have no idea what I'm doing!"

**Fred and George were sitting in a far corner, quills out, talking in whispers, their heads bent over a piece of parchment.**

"Were you working on your new order forms?" asked Draco

Fred smirked, "I think we were doing our homework. We're good kids! We do all our summer homework when we should."

"I'm surprised your nose didn't grow on that last statement." Snickered Draco

"**Oh your father's coming!" Mrs. Weasley said suddenly, looking up at the clock again.**

"What a welcome home," smirked Narcissa "I so wish I was there for this."

Charlie scoffed, "Be thankful you weren't, mom was acting like dad had gone off to war or something."

"**Coming, Arthur!" called Mrs. Weasley, hurrying out of the room. **

"I was worried for my husband!" argued Molly "I had a valid reason for my worrying."

Kingsley rolled his eyes, "It has nothing to do with that, but you're making it seem like he was facing death. He was just doing his job."

**A few moments later, Mr. Weasley came into the warm living room carrying his dinner on a tray. He looked completely exhausted.**

"Those days were never ending," remarked Arthur "I felt bad for the Aurors more then any of us. They kept having to follow leads that were just dead ends."

Tonks winced, "I was just getting into more active field duty around the time. It was pure hell, there were days at a time that we didn't get to go home."

"That's exactly why I was so worried. Days were going by when we wouldn't get updates from you guys. We were scared that something had happened and we couldn't afford to send people after you." Sighed Arthur

**"Rita Skeeter's been ferreting around all week, looking for more Ministry mess-ups to report. **

Remus growled, "Ever notice how she's always looking for an angle when it comes to people in power? She always finds a story but twists it to fit her views."

"That's illegal though!" argued Hermione "How come she was getting away with all this?"

"She gets pieces of information off the streets, they don't know if she's hiding near by. How she gets the information isn't illegal and neither is how she spins it. Unless you tell her 'off the record' she can print it all." Argued Remus

Hermione glared, "It's still not right and I'm never going to like her or the lies she spreads!"

**And now she's found out about poor old Bertha going missing, so that'll be the headline in the Prophet tomorrow.**

"Why wasn't that public news anyhow?" asked Bill

Tonks rolled her eyes, "Because at the time they weren't considering her a missing person. She was just someone who was forgetful."

**I told Bagman he should have sent someone to look for her ages ago." Explained Arthur**

"Would it have done any good?" asked AJ "Voldemort had her, so what could they have done?"

Snape sighed, "It wouldn't have done anything. He would have been long gone with the body before they even know where to look. The dark lord is always a step a head when it comes to the ministry."

"**Mr. Crouch has been saying it for weeks and weeks," said Percy swiftly.**

"Crouch can suck a dick!" growled Regulus "He doesn't give a shit about anyone but himself and as far as I'm concerned he had something to do with that mess."

Sirius nodded, "I can see where you're coming from, but trust me when you find out who was behind it you're going to freak."

"I hate when you know things that I don't. Makes me feel slow or something." Muttered Regulus

"**Crouch is very lucky Rita hasn't found out about Winky," said Mr. Weasley irritably."**

Bill laughed, "I would have paid big bucks for her to find out about that! Could you imagine what Crouch would have gone through?"

"Would he have been fired? Or something?" asked Hermione

"Not fired," explained Bill "but he would have been made out to be a fool. Someone who can't control their house elf is not someone who is going to be taken seriously."

Hermione groaned, "They shouldn't be controlled though!"

"I agree with you. But when you have someone like Crouch with a house elf, the elf probably knows more secrets about Crouch that could get him killed." Sighed Bill

"**I thought we were all agreed that that elf, while irresponsible, did not conjure the Mark?" said Percy hotly.**

Kingsley raised a brow, "If he's always this defensive, he's not going to make it very far when it comes to working for the ministry."

"He won't be working for them for much longer. They obviously have no respect for him or what he does, he won't be able to put up with that much longer." Snickered Tonks

"Too bad he doesn't realize that's how they always treat the new guy." Laughed Kingsley

"**If you ask me, Mr. Crouch is very lucky no one at the Daily Prophet knows how mean he is to elves!" said Hermione angrily.**

Charlie snorted, "Like anyone would give a shit. They treat them like slaves and that's that. Nothing they can do about it, most of the wizarding world is old blood. Can't really expect them to change."

"That doesn't make it right though," argued Andy "I can see where you're coming from but we can't defend them like this. The way they treat the elves is the exact same way they treat people!"

"I know that Andy! I see it every day when I'm work, but it's how they're raised. You have to remember that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!" sighed Charlie

"**Now look here, Hermione!" said Percy. **

Fred growled, "He's so defensive all the time, like he's hiding something,"

"Do you think he is?" asked George "Could he know more then he's letting on?"

"I don't know. But with the way the readings are, it seems like he does." Remarked Fred

**"A high-ranking Ministry official like Mr. Crouch deserves unswerving obedience from his servants -"**

Draco scoffed, "Servants? Oh wow look at that, little boy who was brought up to treat others equally is growing up to be a bitch. My how the mighty have fallen."

"What little power he has is going straight to his ignorant little brain." Snickered Narcissa

"**His slave, you mean!" said Hermione, her voice rising passionately, "because he didn't pay Winky, did he?"**

Hermione shrugged, "And I stand by everything I said! She was a slave, I doubt he even muttered a 'thank you' when she did something for him."

"Of course he didn't say thank you," remarked AJ "why would he?"

"Because it's the right thing to do!" suggested Hermione

AJ nodded, "Well yeah Hermione it is, for you and me. Not for pure bloods like that. They walk around the world like it owes them something, the world is slow to change."

"**I think you'd all better go upstairs and check that you've packed properly!" **

"What is the big deal?" asked Remus "Why are you so against two people having a debate?"

Molly scowled, "It wasn't a debate! They were arguing over nothing!"

"Who cares? You make it seem like they were going to kill each other." Sighed Remus

**Mrs. Weasley said, breaking up the argument. "Come on now, all of you…"**

Ted cocked his head, "Ever get the urge to tell her to go to hell, you aren't my mother? I seem to have that urge a lot while we're doing the readings."

"You're insane!" laughed Andy "But I get that urge a lot too."

**Sitting on the floor AJ and Hermione started packing everything up, AJ would just read her schoolbooks on the train.**

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Why bother reading them? Don't you just copy off Hermione or something?"

"Actually she doesn't!" argued Draco "You're thinking of your brother. AJ reads the books, memorizes them and the doesn't need to worry about looking everything up."

"Whatever. Just whatever." Scowled Ginny

**Hermione passed AJ a piece of parchment, **_**'where do you think snuffles is?'**_

Bill stared, "You were passing notes? Preparing for potions class?"

"No," laughed Hermione "I didn't want anyone to hear what we were talking about."

'_**not sure, hopefully he's safe though…we would have heard otherwise right?'**_

Remus nodded, "That would have been all over the news and I would have been by your side through the whole thing."

"You had better careful," growled Tonks "we're going to be working overtime to free you Siri. Don't get caught before we can!"

**Hermione nodded before setting the paper on fire in a jar.**

"You set the paper on fire?" asked Ron "Why would you do that?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "I was tying up loose ends, and if someone found that paper we would have been screwed."

**Before AJ could say anything she heard Ron yelling about dress robes and Mrs. Weasley yelling about money.**

Molly blushed deep red, "You heard that?"

"I'm surprised our neighbors in Ireland didn't hear that fight." Snickered Charlie

"We weren't being that loud!" argued Molly "Don't be so dramatic Charles!"

**Hermione and AJ fell into fits of laughter when they caught sight of the dress robes Ron was to wear.**

"Of course that was just hilarious!" yelled Ron before storming out of the room

Andy bit her lip, "Were they awful?"

"Oh yea," snickered Bill "more old skill then anything."

"Old school?" laughed Andy "I guess that's one way to make it better."

Bill handed the book to Sirius, "That was a fun chapter! I hope the next can be just as fun."

"Lets just hope this doesn't involve bloodshed, **Aboard the Hogwarts Express…**"

**AN: There will be talks about baby names coming up, but of course AJ and Charlie aren't picking the names anytime soon. Read and Review :)**


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